Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Luxury brands most likely to satisfy
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- Figure 1: Top brands by proportion of users who describe their experience as “Excellent” or “Good”, January 2014 – March 2016
- Excellent reviews dominated by luxury brands
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- Figure 2: Top brands by proportion of users who describe their experience as “Excellent”, January 2014 – March 2016
- Brands without such a luxury image just as likely to generate recommendation
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- Figure 3: Top brands by likely recommendation, January 2014 – March 2016
- Positivity = likely recommendation
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- Figure 4: Proportion of users who would recommend the brand, by proportion of users who describe their experience as “Excellent” or “Good”, January 2014 – March 2016
- Little correlation between use in the last year and satisfaction
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- Figure 5: Proportion of users who have used in the last year, by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews), January 2014 – March 2016
- Perception of high quality has strong influence on satisfaction
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- Figure 6: Agreement with “A brand that has consistently high quality”, by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews), January 2014 – March 2016
- Little link between perceived value and satisfaction
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- Figure 7: Proportion of agreement with “A brand that offers good value”, by proportion of positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews), January 2014 – March 2016
- What we think
Customer Satisfaction Overview – What You Need to Know
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- Luxury brands most likely to satisfy
- Offering something different can promote extra enthusiasm
- Recommendation influenced by other factors
- Positivity = recommendation
Brand Satisfaction
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- Luxury brands score highly
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- Figure 8: Top brands by proportion of positive endorsements (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews), January 2014 – March 2016
- Amazon and Google perform strongly
- Excellent reviews dominated by luxury brands
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- Figure 9: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews, January 2014 – March 2016
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- Figure 10: Proportion of excellent reviews, by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews), January 2014 – March 2016
- Aspiration helps promote enthusiasm among users
- Different delivery of customer service benefits First Direct
- Ethical image may influence extra enthusiasm for bareMinerals
- NIVEA Sun and InsureandGo also stand out
Brand Recommendation
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- Non-luxury brands equally likely to generate recommendation
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- Figure 11: Top brands by likely recommendation, January 2014 – March 2016
- Positivity = likely recommendation
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- Figure 12: Proportion of users who would recommend the brand, by proportion of users who describe their experience as “Excellent” or “Good”, January 2014 – March 2016
- Overall positivity more important than strong enthusiastic reviews
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- Figure 13: Proportion of users who would recommend the brand, by proportion of users who describe their experience as “Excellent”, January 2014 – March 2016
Sector Review – What You Need to Know
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- Premium takes precedence across sectors
- Ongoing value counts for more within Tech Service Provider and Energy Sectors
- Enjoyment key in food brands
- Finance brands have to juggle many different elements
- Niche beauty brands capable of creating excellent reviews
Automotive
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- Premium brands generate highest satisfaction
- Price is more of an influence on usage than satisfaction
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- Figure 14: Top brands by positive endorsement (Net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Automotive sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Satisfaction in car brands reflects brand favouritism
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- Figure 15: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Automotive sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Volkswagen scandal affects likelihood of recommendation
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- Figure 16: Top brands, by likely recommendation in the Automotive sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Trust and confidence important, value not so much
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- Figure 17: Overall satisfaction of BMW – Key driver output, November 2015
Finance
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- Finance sector’s negative image ties in with low satisfaction
- Building society brand Nationwide comes out on top
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- Figure 18: Top brands by positive endorsement (Net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Finance sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- First Direct’s different method of delivery excels
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- Figure 19: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Finance sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Banking brands benefit from inertia
- Despite low interaction, insurance specialists score highly
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- Figure 20: Factors influencing insurance purchases, September 2015
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- Figure 21: Top brands by likely recommendation in the Finance sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Financial services brands have several plates to spin
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- Figure 22: Overall satisfaction of Nationwide – Key driver output, November 2015
Food
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- Less of a bias towards luxury in overall satisfaction with food brands
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- Figure 23: Top brands by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Food sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- But premium looks to have more of an impact on excellent reviews
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- Figure 24: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Food sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Recommendation may be impacted by reputation of the brand
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- Figure 25: Top brands by likely recommendation in the Food sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Consumers likely to base satisfaction in food brands on pure enjoyment
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- Figure 26: Overall satisfaction of Magnum – Key driver output, April 2015
Foodservice
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- Niche restaurants score higher on satisfaction
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- Figure 27: Top brands by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Foodservice sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Gourmet options putting pressure on fast food brands
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- Figure 28: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Foodservice sector, January 2014 – March 2016
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- Figure 29: Top brands by likely recommendation in the Foodservice sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Consistency is vital for foodservice brands
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- Figure 30: Overall satisfaction of YO! Sushi – Key driver output, April 2015
Drink
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- Alcoholic drinks and premium brands score highest within drinks sector
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- Figure 31: Top brands by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Drink sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Alcoholic brands able to build associations with style and sophistication
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- Figure 32: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Drink sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Accessibility impacts on drinks recommendation
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- Figure 33: Top brands by likely recommendation in the Drink sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Innocent’s social responsibilities not necessarily an ongoing driver of satisfaction
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- Figure 34: Overall satisfaction of Innocent – Key driver output, September 2015
Technology Products
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- Google again performs strongly
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- Figure 35: Top brands by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Technology sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Apple drives high proportion of excellence
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- Figure 36: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Technology sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Sound specialist Bose excels
- Technology product all-rounders enjoy high recommendation
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- Figure 37: Top brands by likely recommendation in the Technology sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Google’s free services means consumers unlikely to associate it with value
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- Figure 38: Overall satisfaction of Google– Key driver output, October 2015
Technology Service Providers
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- New streaming brands outperforming the established
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- Figure 39: Top brands by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Technology Service Provider sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- O2 enjoys advantage ahead of competitors
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- Figure 40: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Technology Service Provider sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Streaming brands putting pressure on the established
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- Figure 41: Top brands by recommendation in the Technology Service Provider sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Quality and value biggest drivers of satisfaction
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- Figure 42: Overall satisfaction of Netflix – Key driver output, January 2016
Travel
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- Premium travel brands top the charts
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- Figure 43: Top brands by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Travel sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Low-cost airlines do not feature
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- Figure 44: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Travel sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- More accessible travel brands benefit from greater likely recommendation
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- Figure 45: Top brands by likely recommendation in the Travel sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Customer service an important factor in satisfaction
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- Figure 46: Overall satisfaction of Virgin Atlantic – Key driver output, Virgin Atlantic, June 2015
Media
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- Magazines fare better than newspapers
- Low satisfaction may contribute towards loss of readership
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- Figure 47: Top brands by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Media sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Proportion of excellent reviews unlikely to determine newspaper readership
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- Figure 48: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Media sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Figure 49: Top brands by likely recommendation in the Media sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Media brands that align with personality likely to generate satisfaction
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- Figure 50: Overall satisfaction of Men’s Health – Key driver output, April 2015
Retail
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- Online specialist retailers outperform bricks-and-mortar stores
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- Figure 51: Top brands by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Retail sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Positive attributes ensure John Lewis scores highly
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- Figure 52: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Retail sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Function and accessibility more of a factor in likely recommendation
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- Figure 53: Top brands by likely recommendation in the Retail sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Customers unfazed by negative stories around Amazon
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- Figure 54: Overall satisfaction of Amazon – Key driver output, December 2015
Fashion
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- Fashion brands benefit from luxury associations
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- Figure 55: Top brands by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Fashion sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Brands in fashion sector able to justify high prices
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- Figure 56: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Fashion sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Accessibility has a stronger influence on likely recommendation
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- Figure 57: Top brands by likely recommendation in the Fashion sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Status-related attributes key drivers for Tiffany & Co
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- Figure 58: Overall satisfaction of Tiffany & Co – Key driver output, June 2015
Energy
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- Negative image of energy sector weighs on individual brands
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- Figure 59: Top brands by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Energy Provider sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Low differentiation = high inertia
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- Figure 60: Reasons for changing gas/electricity supplier in the last 12 months, June 2015
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- Figure 61: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Energy Provider sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Recommendation also low
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- Figure 62: Top brands by likely recommendation in the Energy Provider sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- E.ON relies on trust and customer service
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- Figure 63: Overall satisfaction of E.ON – Key driver output, July 2015
Beauty and Personal Care
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- Mass-market brands more likely to generate overall satisfaction
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- Figure 64: Top brands by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the BPC sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Smaller niche brands capable of promoting excellent experience
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- Figure 65: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the BPC sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Brands for children have greater platform for recommendation
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- Figure 66: Top brands by recommendation in the BPC sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Combination of function and ego promotes satisfaction in NIVEA Men
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- Figure 67: Overall satisfaction of NIVEA Men – Key driver output, February 2016
Household Care
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- Premium household care brands foster satisfaction
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- Figure 68: Top brands by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews) in the Household Care sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Functional category enables clearer judgement
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- Figure 69: Top brands by proportion of excellent reviews in the Household Care sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- The impact of accessibility on recommendation
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- Figure 70: Top brands by likely recommendation in the Household Care sector, January 2014 – March 2016
- Certain household brands capable of competing on status
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- Figure 71: Overall satisfaction of Yankee Candle – Key driver output, February 2016
Factors Influencing Satisfaction – What You Need to Know
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- Little correlation between usage and satisfaction
- Inertia means frequent usage not dependent on satisfaction
- Perceived high quality and satisfaction closely linked
- Investment in customer service likely to see greater return
- Ethics has some influence, but is not crucial to satisfaction
- Value has diminishing influence once purchase is made
The Impact of Usage
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- Little correlation between use in the last year and satisfaction
- Convenience is key in food retailing category
- Premium brands attract lower usage, yet score highly on satisfaction
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- Figure 72: Proportion of users who have used in the last year, by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews), January 2014 – March 2016
The Impact of Frequent Usage
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- High satisfaction does not guarantee regular usage
- Inertia offsets low satisfaction level in certain categories
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- Figure 73: Proportion of users who describe their usage as “Often” or “All the time”, by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews), January 2014 – March 2016
The Impact of Perceived High Quality
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- Perception of high quality has strong influence on satisfaction
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- Figure 74: Agreement with “A brand that has consistently high quality”, by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews), January 2014 – March 2016
- Consumers have got used to paying less for Amazon …
- … and almost nothing for Google’s services
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- Figure 75: Agreement with “A brand that is worth paying more for”, by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews), January 2014 – March 2016
The Impact of Customer Service
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- Customer service continues to prove vital
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- Figure 76: Proportion of agreement with “A brand that has great customer service”, by proportion of positive endorsements (net of “Good” or “Excellent” Reviews), January 2014 – March 2016
The Impact of Ethics
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- Perceived ethics has some influence on satisfaction
- The Co-operative brands struggle
- Fashion brands prosper in spite of lower association with ethics
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- Figure 77: Agreement with “Ethical”, by positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews), January 2014 – March 2016
The Impact of Perceived Good Value
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- Little link between perceived value and satisfaction
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- Figure 78: Proportion of agreement with “A brand that offers good value”, by proportion of positive endorsement (net of “Good” or “Excellent” reviews), January 2014 – March 2016
- Importance of price diminishes after purchase
Cross Category Review – What You Need to Know
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- Google as yet unaffected by negative stories
- Satisfaction in Amazon holds up
- The Co-operative brands struggle
- Volkswagen badly affected by emissions scandal
- Nurofen brand in trouble
Google’s Tax Affairs Come Under the Microscope
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- Corporation tax in focus
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- Figure 79: Google brand satisfaction, March 2013 – October 2015
- Recent events represent a big challenge
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- Figure 80: Proportion of online conversation around Google and tax, April 2011 – April 2016
Scrutiny on Amazon has Limited Impact
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- Amazon comes under scrutiny but satisfaction stays largely the same
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- Figure 81: Positive endorsement, good and excellent reviews of Amazon, March 2012 – December 2015
The Co-operative Troubles
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- Confidence in banking sector growing, but fragile
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- Figure 82: Customer satisfaction, good and excellent reviews for The Co-operative Bank, July 2012 – December 2016
- Banking sector different to retailers
- Problems from The Co-operative Bank reflect onto retail arm
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- Figure 83: Customer satisfaction, good and excellent reviews of The Co-operative retailer, December 2011 – August 2015
- The Co-operative under pressure from discounters
Volkswagen – Aftermath of Emissions Scandal
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- Volkswagen emissions scandal makes headline news
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- Figure 84: Proportion of online conversation around Volkswagen, April 2011 – April 2016
- Volkswagen brand image heavily affected by scandal
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- Figure 85: Brand perceptions of Volkswagen, December 2014 and November 2015
- Scandal also impacts on the way customers feel
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- Figure 86: Volkswagen customer satisfaction, February 2014 – November 2015
Australian Nurofen Case Affects UK Prospects
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- Nurofen products pulled from shelves in Australia
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- Figure 87: Proportion of internet conversation around Nurofen, April 2011 – April 2016
- Nurofen usage slides
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- Figure 88: Key metrics of Nurofen, January 2013 – January 2015
- Customer satisfaction also falling
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- Figure 89: Customer satisfaction, good and excellent reviews of Nurofen, January 2013 – January 2016
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
Appendix – Key Driver Analysis
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- Methodology
Appendix – Brands Covered
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