When it comes to getting the best customer service, just about every company out there makes the claim that they’re trying to be the best. But, realistically, only a handful of companies make the cut when it comes to really making their customers happy.
And only one gets to the rule the roost — pun intended — by clinching the #1 spot!
RELATED: 6 keys to getting great customer support every time
Chick-fil-A offers the best customer service in the nation
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) is probably the most respected tally of customer service rankings out there.
Traditionally, ACSI has measured customer service in a handful of industries at a time.
So, you have ACSI rankings on grocery stores, banks and credit unions, and even car brands, to name just a few categories.
But what if there were a rundown of the best customer service across industries? There hasn't been one — until now.
At the prompting of Forbes consumer columnist Chris Elliott, ACSI crunched three years of recent data and determined a Top 20 list of companies for customer service in America.
The ACSI looked at customer satisfaction, along with consumer perceptions of service quality, value and brand loyalty to arrive at its findings.
Here’s who came out on top:
1. Chick-fil-A
Score out of 100: 86.0
2. Trader Joe’s
Score out of 100: 85.4
3. Aldi
Score out of 100: 85.0
4. Amazon
Score out of 100: 84.8
5. Lexus
Score out of 100: 84.6
Rounding out the remaining Top 10 are:
- Costco – 84.4
- HEB Grocery – 84.4
- Toyota – 84.4
- Publix – 84.3
- Wegmans – 84.2
Clark’s take
Clark Howard thinks Chick-fil-A's appearance in the #1 spot has a lot to do with their unusual operational model.
With Chick-fil-A, the proprietor of a store is called an operator. He or she is put into business by Chick-fil-A and shares in profits for the store, but serves at the pleasure of Chick-fil-A.
"So it's a different model than a franchise or a company-owned location. It is a hybrid blend where the person is not an owner in the traditional sense," the money expert says. "But they can make a big income if they run a profitable store, and if they don't, they're out the door."
Clark calls that rare combination of entrepreneurial spirit and full operational control “a brilliant business model.” And, he says, “It is partly responsible for making them the best operation in America.”
Another factor to note behind Chick-fil-A’s success: The store doesn’t open on Sundays.
“They’re privately owned and for religious reasons they take that as a day of rest. But what they did for religious reasons is brilliant for business, because operators know they have a day off every week,” Clark says.
“I think that leads to a higher quality operation. And their sales are greater in six days than any other restaurant does in seven days.”
Here are some other Clark.com stories you might enjoy:
- Customer no-service: How to get in touch with a real person at Apple, Google, and more
- Your best shot at good airline customer service may be through social media
- How to reach a live person at Experian, TransUnion and Equifax
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