Golden West Top Online Thrift

Golden West Financial/World Savings scored highest among savings institutions in the Winter 2004 Online Customer Respect Study, just ahead of Washington Mutual.The study examined how 76 of the largest financial services firms treat online customers. In measuring the time in which thrifts responded to inquiries from Web borrowers, the study showed that only 50% of websites deployed by thrifts use autoresponder technology to automate the sending of e-mails confirming receipt of a user's inquiry. The study identified response time as a critical factor in attracting new customers on the Web. Customer Respect Group, a research and consulting firm based in Bellevue, Wash., classifies more than 60 website attributes as indicators of simplicity, privacy, attitude (the customer focus of the site), transparency, responsiveness, and principles (respect for customer data). The company can be found online at http://www.customerrespect.com.