US customers remain satisfied with their goods and services

2010-02-18 - Customer satisfaction with the goods and services that Americans buy remains strong in the fourth quarter of 2009, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). The index is largely unchanged, dipping a mere 0.1 percent from the previous quarter to 75.9 on the ACSI’s 100-point scale, and remains much higher than it was prior to the recession and also slightly higher than this time one year ago.

There seems to be a correlation between success at the stock exchange and customer satisfaction as on average, companies that did well in ACSI saw their stocks increase by 75 percent, while stock prices for those with declining ACSI scores rose 22 percent over the same period.

In the retail sector, which includes department and discount stores, specialty retail stores, supermarkets etc. the ACSI reached 76.2. That is a slight plus of 1.3 percent. The finance sector improved by 1.4 percent to 77.1 points and the e-commerce industry achieved 81.4 points after the score rose by 1.8 percent. "Overall, online shopping continues to grow and provide higher levels of customer satisfaction," said Professor Claes Fornell, head of ACSI. "Free shipping promotions, competitive pricing, and the ability to browse and research an ever wider selection of merchandise from the comfort of one's home have made online retailing a very attractive and powerful alternative to traditional stores."


Author(s): Sarah Dreps

New staff in the call & contact center world?

Has your organization appointed a new manager? Let the call center community know.
 » Tell us about your latest people news

Search: