Almost a quarter of consumers are unhappy with the customer service they have received recently, a study suggests.

The poll for the Office of Fair Trading found 24 per cent of customers did not believe they had received good service from businesses, with 82 per cent saying they would advise their friends and family to avoid the company in question.

Almost a third (30 per cent) said their response to poor service would be to write a negative review on the company's website, while seven per cent said they would "tweet" about their experience and four per cent would set up a complaints group on Facebook.

Among those who received good service, 85 per cent said they would recommend the retailer to friends and family and a third (34 per cent) would contact the company to thank them.

The OFT is urging consumers to look for its Approved Code logo, which can be used by companies who have committed to higher standards of customer service than the law requires.

OFT spokesman Charles Wallace said: "Consumers clearly expect good standards of service and for many people it is an important part of the buying process.

"OFT Code-approved businesses operate to a higher standard of service, and if a consumer needs to make a complaint, then they can be assured that it will be dealt with swiftly and effectively."