As more and more people manage their retirement accounts online, some companies are standing out among their competition in delivering user-friendly account management tools to their customers, according to a new J.D. Power report.

Overall, however, companies aren't doing enough to provide customers with a user-friendly experience, according to the report.

J.D. Power found overall satisfaction was down 12 points this year, with 63% of retirement plan investors saying they faced challenges managing their accounts digitally. Only 37% of respondents said they could manage their accounts digitally without contacting customer service.

“Retirement investors are under a great deal of financial stress right now and they are looking to their plan’s websites and apps for information and guidance,” Mike Foy, senior director and head of wealth intelligence at J.D. Power, said in a prepared statement. “Unfortunately, many are not finding what they need and end up having to call customer service for help." 

The U.S. Retirement Plan Digital Experience Study, formerly known as the U.S. Retirement Plan Participant Satisfaction Study, measured customer satisfaction across four factors: information/content, navigation, speed and visual appeal.

This year’s study was based on the responses of 7,069 retirement plan participants and was conducted in May and June. 

Overall customer satisfaction rose 178 points when investors believed their retirement plan's websites and apps offered them proactive guidance and help, yet just 22% of firms evaluated met this key performance indicator.

"This is a moment-of-truth opportunity for plan providers," Foy said. "When they get the digital experience right, they see a very significant lift in the likelihood to grow and retain participant assets long after they have left their current employer.”

Here, in ascending order, are the companies that received the highest satisfaction ratings for their online retirement account offerings: 

10. TIAA

TIAA, which provides financial services to those employed in the academic, research, medical, cultural and governmental fields, gives plan participants links to its free Advice Express portfolio recommendations. ONline tools also offer financial education topics, such as whether or not to pay off a mortgage early or invest the money instead.