Poole fim Lush has taken the crown for best customer service in two influentiual surveys - beating banking giant First Direct.

The cosmetics company came first in Which? magazine's annual customer service poll of 100 top brands, and moved up three places in the KPMG/Nunwood customer service study for 2015 - a spot was held by First Direct last year.

Lush was given an 89 per cent rating by customers, closely followed by an 86 per cent showing for First Direct, in the Which? report. 

Which? said: "Shoppers love handmade cosmetics firm Lush for its happy atmosphere and welcoming staff. It tops our table with a customer service score of 89%. In second place is bank First Direct with 86% while Lakeland came third with 84%. 

The companies that triumphed in our survey are the ones that make customers feel important. One happy Lush customer labelled it: 'A great shop in every way.'

Good customer service really does make a difference - nearly nine in 10 people told us poor customer service puts them off using a brand again. "

And KPMG's analysis of Lush says: "Lush is the master of the multi-sensorial customer experience. From the heady smells on entrance through to the opportunity to touch the products and even see them being made online in the Lush kitchens, the retailer does not fail to impress those who shop there.

"The stores and product displays take their design cues from the delicatessens and patisseries of world class department stores and provide a fitting home for products made from the freshest possible ingredients.

"With leading scores in the 2015 study across four of The Six Pillars – Personalisation, Integrity, Time and Effort and Empathy – customers who shop in Lush are genuine fans of the company. Since 2014, uplifts in ratings of Integrity and Personalisation in particular have driven its move to the top spot."