Giant supermarkets score low while gas stations start to soar in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). This change was felt mainly because gas stations have experienced the benefits from the decreasing fuel prices.
A report from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette indicates that the supermarkets that were affected the most include Target, Giant Eagle, Wal-Mart, and Whole Foods. Below is the percentage drop of each store:
Target - 12%
Whole Foods - 10%
Giant Eagle - 7%
Wal-Mart - 6%
It is not just supermarkets that are experiencing this setback. It turns out the entire retail section's score dropped 2.6 percent and has remained so for two years. The ACSI assesses the performance of industrial sectors each quarter, and the retail sector is considered one of the largest (comprised or drugstores, supermarkets, specialty retail stores, and gas stations).
Researchers agree that the reason for this decline is because the economy is improving. Chairman of the ACSI, Claes Fornell, stated, "Job security for customer service personnel was hard to come by and everybody was trying harder to please customers. As both job security and employee turnover have increased, the level of customer service seems to have worsened."
Researchers also speculate that during the recession, consumers might have been more tolerable back then. One analysis summed up, "As recovery settles in and economic conditions start to look more optimistic, that honeymoon is over."
However, the ACSI asserts that there is still a chance that supermarkets can redeem themselves. In fact, Wegmans, Trader Joe's, H-E-B, and Publix performed quite well the past year. An article from Food Business News compiled their scores as follows:
Wegmans - 86
Trader Joe's - 83
H-E-B - 82
Publix - 82
The secret to their success lies in quality service and products. According to David VanAmburg, managing director of ACSI, "When consumers put a premium on service and quality, smaller companies often achieve higher customer satisfaction scores, and it's the smaller independent chains that set the bar for supermarkets."
