H-E-B, Costco, Publix Round out Top 10 US Brands in 2020 KPMG Survey
The 2020 KPMG US Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) report, which identifies the top performing brands and industries in terms of customer experience based on a survey, found that brands that were able to continue to transact with their customers in the COVID-19 environment performed better than those that were unable to. Grocery brands lauded for upholding integrity and empathy this year include H-E-B, Costco, Publix and Wegmans. Brands that used technology, including AI, to transfer the in-store experience online reaped the rewards of customer loyalty.
“Leaders in our 2020 index are purpose-led companies with deep connective customer relationships, offering online experiences that are immersive, emotionally connective and safe,” said Julio Hernandez, US Customer Advisory Practice lead at KPMG LLP. “With the move to online accelerating due to COVID-19, the nature of the relationship between brands and their customers has changed, bringing the need for commercial cadence to the forefront. Our analysis also shows a move to the age of ‘buying into’ from ‘buying from,’ as customers are seeking companies that make a difference environmentally and socially.”
The report utilizes six pillars of experience that explain how companies navigated the new environment and how they performed in terms of customer experience (CE). High performing CE leaders scored high across the six pillars:
Integrity, acting ethically and demonstrably in the customers’ best interests
Resolution, focusing on proactively addressing customer problems
Accurately setting customer expectations
Reducing the time and effort customers need to expend by enabling frictionless digital and, where possible, physical interactions
Delivering a personalized experience with
Empathy and compassion.
For more information on the 2020 KPMG US Customer Experience Excellence report, please click here.
The 2020 Top 10 US Brands based on the survey:
The two pillars on which the top 10 US brands averagely outperformed the market during 2020 were integrity and empathy. These top performers have an average score of 8.5 out of 10, similar to last year, although there was less brand interaction due to COVID-19.
USAA
H-E-B
Chick-fil-A
Navy Federal Credit Union
Edward Jones
In-N-Out Burger
Costco Wholesale
Publix
Wegmans
Charles Schwab
Highest US risers in 2020
The brands with the highest increase in their survey rankings in the US this year showed that they were able to maintain their commercial cadence, while scoring high on their six pillar performance, differentiating themselves from the pack on integrity and empathy.
Eastern supermarket chain Hannaford was the biggest mover, rising 137 places as it not only placed its customers and employees first but fused smart in-store technology with online purchasing and rewards to make their customers lives easier. Hannaford looked at the experience from the eyes of the shopper and looked to facilitate the easiest and most engaging path to purchase.
Zappos also made significant progress on the index, rising 68 places as the company used creative marketing and omni-channel experiences to became more deeply embedded in its customers’ lives. For example, to help its customers get into the right running shoes — a common challenge for runners — Zappos offered a 30-day return guarantee no matter how many miles were run in the sneakers.
Sephora also rose 63 places as the company was creative in using sophisticated technology to transfer the in-store experience online and even in some areas enhance it.
Methodology:
The research for this year’s US report was conducted via an online survey. About 11,000 US customers were interviewed and asked to rate their experiences with more than 300 US brands across the six pillars of experience. Results reported in the 2020 KPMG US CEE report are based on the data accumulated during the duration of the survey.