Where is the customer really king? 4,000 Belgians were surveyed to find out which companies they considered the most user-friendly. Verdict.
At the request of customer experience expert goCX, the GfK investigation office asked 4,000 Belgians which companies they found most user-friendly. Creating a positive customer experience is crucial to attracting and retain loyal customers.
The survey reveals that after years of progress where more and more Belgians could spontaneously name at least one friendly company, a decline is observed for the first times. In 2018, 30% of Belgians could name a friendly company, in 2020 it was 21%, in 2022 16%. In 2024, we observe an increase to 25%. This decrease in spontaneous recognition of friendly companies is also reflected in the overall scores. All sectors combined, there is an average drop of 0.1 point compared to 2022.
Banks and supermarkets lose points
Banks and supermarkets are most affected, with respective declines of -0.17 points and -0.16 points, followed by non-food retail trade, which fell by -0.11 points. The energy sector remained stable in terms of user-friendliness (-0.1 points). Among the sectors studied, only insurance (+0.05 points) and telecoms (+0.12 points) show an increase.
If this situation seems worrying, we must not forget the progress made since 2018, the year the study began, underline the authors of the survey. Banks (+0.5 points) and telecoms (+0.28 points) notably recorded significant improvements. Non-food retail trade (+0.09 points) and insurance (+0.06 points) have also increased since 2018.
It is not surprising to see une increase in usability over the years ; Previous studies have demonstrated a link between usability and recommendation behavior, the survey found.
“Be sincerely involved”
This year, several newcomers appear in the top 10 most user-friendly companies. To excel in this field, these companies must have solid foundations: un good product, smooth processes and customer-focused employees. The most successful companies already have these elements in place and focus on the customer experience, making customers feel valued. They apply the most important principle of usability principles (also read the box below): “Be sincerely involved“, where the will toHelp and kindness of the staff make all the difference.
Standard Boekhandel manages to maintain its 2nd place after leader Colruyt, acclaimed for its slogan “always the lowest price”. Customers also note that the friendliness in the group’s stores is striking. Rituals regains its third place after having lost it in 2022. Customers say they appreciate the availability employees. The shoe brand Torfs returns to the top 5. Finally, the e-commerce site Farmaline broke into the top 10 and bol.com manages to slip in again.
“It is obvious that many factors come into play before a consumer attributes the label of “user-friendliness” to a company,” comments Michel Stevens, CEO of goCX. “However, it appears from our investigations and our contacts with customers that the commitment of employees and their ability to solve problems are determining elements for a relationship fruitful between the company and the customer. »
TOP 10 friendliest companies
- Colruyt
- Standard Boekhandel
- Rituals
- Torfs
- Decathlon
- Delhaize
- IKEA
- Farmaline
- bol.com
- Aveve
These companies round out the top 20 by putting usability first:
11. Vanden Borre
12. C&A
13. Albert Heijn
14. DIY
15. Hubo
16. Coolblue
17. JBC
18. Crossroads
19. IciParis XL
20. Kruidvat
Winners were also named in subcategories.
Banks
1. Argenta
2. Ethias
3. KBC
4. Keytrade
5. Crelan
Supermarkets
1. Colruyt
2. Delhaize
3. Albert Heijn
4. Crossroads
5. Aldi
Telecom
1. Orange
2. Proximus
3. Mobile Vikings
4. Telenet
5. Basis
Energy
1. Engie
2. Elegant
3. Enec
4. Luminus
5. Antargaz
Insurance
1. Ethias
2. Argenta
3. A.G.
4. Yuzzu
5. Europ Assistance
Non-food retail
1. Standaard Boekhandel
2. Rituals
3. Torfs
4. Decathlon
5. Ikea
How to make the customer a king?
In order to understand the secret to the success of a customer-friendly business, it is essential to know what consumers are looking for when it comes to customer-friendliness. More specifically, the idea of customer friendliness is based on the following parameters:
The helpfulness of store employees : for example, giving a shopping basket or helping the customer in the fitting room;
The ability of employees to resolve problems : for example, providing good advice on wine at the supermarket or a simple exchange service;
Customer service efficiency : for example, do not make customers wait unnecessarily on the telephone or at the information desk;
The friendliness of the store staff : for example, welcoming each customer with a smile;
Issue tracking : for example, making a phone call after providing a service to check that everything went as planned.
