SK Telecom has ranked first in the mobile telecommunications sector in all three major customer satisfaction surveys in South Korea this year: NCSI, KS-SQI, and KCSI. CEO Jeong Jae-hun expressed his commitment to continue restoring customer trust following these results.
In a column titled "The Trust of Customers Renewed, the Power to Continue Change," published on October 1, Jeong stated, "I do not believe that achieving the top rank in these three customer satisfaction surveys signifies the completion of our trust recovery. I will accept it as a request from our customers to treat them with higher standards and to repay them with better service."
Jeong reflected on the significance of the results, saying, "The first thing that came to mind was the inconvenience and concerns we caused our customers last year. The trust we had built over a long time was shaken, and our pride as the leading telecommunications company in South Korea faced a significant test. I have learned that customer trust is never to be taken for granted."
He cited an analysis by Roy Morgan, an Australian market research firm, which revealed that 92% of major brands that experienced severe trust damage did not fully recover their trust within a year, and half of them still had not recovered after four years. Jeong described this as a clear example of how long and how much effort is needed to rebuild trust once it has been shaken.
Jeong identified customer touchpoints as the starting point for change. He noted, "This year, SK Telecom employees visited 87 cities and counties across the country to meet directly with over 35,000 customers. Instead of waiting for customers to voice their concerns, we took the initiative to listen to them." He emphasized that the expectations expressed by customers were "specific and clear," detailing their experiences and desired changes regarding service quality, roaming, membership, and pricing.
He added, "We did not stop at just listening to customer voices; we made changes that customers could feel in their daily lives. We focused first on the basics of telecommunications: safety and quality. We enhanced AI-based network security and strengthened measures against spam and voice phishing, while also publicly sharing our information protection activities through a white paper." Regarding pricing plans, he stated, "We eliminated the distinction between 5G and LTE, simplifying the structure of subscription benefits such as OTT and AI services to minimize complexity and inconvenience." He emphasized, "The standard for all these changes was the customer, focusing not only on increasing benefits but also on making it easier for customers to choose the services they need and enjoy them more conveniently in their daily lives."
Jeong also discussed the system for incorporating customer feedback into management. He stated, "Through the Customer Trust Committee, composed of customer advisory groups and external experts, we reflect the candid voices of customers and experts in our management. The advisory group also participates directly in the planning process for SK Telecom's products and services." He highlighted the importance of rewarding long-term customers, saying, "I believe it is crucial to give back to our long-term customers who have trusted and stayed with SK Telecom for many years," introducing events such as 'Forest Camping Day,' 'Table Day,' and 'Adventure Day' for customers with over ten years of loyalty.
Jeong also mentioned the success of the fencing team sponsored by SK Telecom, which achieved a comeback victory in the men's sabre team event and won a gold medal in the women's sabre team event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games after eight years. He remarked, "The decisive moment was brief, but it was built on long training and teamwork. I believe the same applies to SK Telecom's trust recovery."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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