UK customer experience dips, but digital brands with clear ESG focus rally, finds new KPMG research
- Against a backdrop of market challenges, customer experience in the UK has declined for the first time in four years, following increases before and during the pandemic, according to the latest KPMG UK research
- The “most digital” brands defy this trend – there are 10 new entrants to the top 100 ranking that are technology-based businesses
- Younger consumers put environmental, social and governance (ESG) at the heart of their buying decisions – 68 per cent of under 34s say they will pay more for brands that clearly demonstrate their ESG commitments
- The brands topping the ranking this year are Starling Bank, Lush, John Lewis, QVC UK and American Express
UK plc has seen year-on-year increases in customer experience over the last four years, even amid the challenging circumstances of lockdown. However, the latest research from the KPMG Nunwood Excellence Centre, now in its twelfth year, has revealed the first dip in customer experience in the UK since 2017 – falling one per cent1 vs last year.
Almost 10,000 British consumers voted that the brands with the best customer experience are:
- Starling Bank
- Lush
- John Lewis
- QVC UK
- American Express.
This is the second time Starling Bank has been in the top five – rising two places from number three last year.
This year’s KPMG UK report emphasises the critical importance of technology across customers’ relationships with brands. The pandemic meant most consumers were forced online last year, yet despite easing restrictions digital engagement is still favoured, with 56 per cent of interactions taking place via a digital channel in 2021, compared to 55 per cent during the 2020 lockdown and just 50 per cent in 2019.
There are 10 new entrants to the top 100 ranking who are all “digital-first” businesses. Indeed, the new number one company in this year’s research is Starling Bank, a pure-digital business. These brands succeed in making digital interactions human and emotionally connective, using the most advanced technology to be efficient, joined-up and engaging. This is delivering market-leading customer experiences, often at significantly lower costs than traditional rivals.
Commenting on the findings, Tim Knight, Head of Customer Consulting at KPMG UK, said:
“For the leading brands, all customer experiences are now ‘digital first’. Technology advancements means engaging with consumers no longer just means ‘lowest cost’, but also ‘most human’. These digital businesses are faster, more agile and more emotionally engaging, which sits at the heart of their growth.
“However, many other brands are spending significantly on technology and failing to deliver to deliver similar results. This points to structural issues in how they understand the customer, how they have adapted to the new market and their focus on real value, rather than rolling out platforms and chasing efficiencies.”
Connect with us
- Find office locations kpmg.findOfficeLocations
- kpmg.emailUs
- Social media @ KPMG kpmg.socialMedia
Save, Curate and Share
Save what resonates, curate a library of information, and share content with your network of contacts.
In the wake of COP26, the report also shows the critical importance of the environmental and sustainability agenda as part of buying decisions. Two thirds (68 per cent) of customers under the age of 34 say they will pay more for goods from companies who demonstrate a strong commitment to environmental and sustainability principles, compared to just 37 per cent of over 55s. Second place leaders, Lush, are an example this: their long-term social and environmental commitments are demonstrated across everything they do.
Grocery Retail and Restaurant & Fast Food are the leading sectors for best customer experience, ranking first and second respectively. The Logistics industry saw the biggest fall in customer experience, with a drop of five per cent because of enduring supply chain issues which are expected to continue.
Linda Ellett, UK Head of Consumer, Leisure & Retail at KPMG, added:
“With the grocery sector continuing to face a disrupted and difficult environment, retailers have done well to maintain their position as customer experience leaders.
“Grocery retailers were a lifeline throughout the pandemic, rising to the challenge of keeping people fed and focusing intently on consumer needs. The question now being grappled with is how they can transform this into long term loyalty – most people shop at multiple grocers and continue to do so. With the growing preference from consumers for online shopping, supermarkets are having to have to rethink their physical offering in earnest if they want to maintain footfall in their stores going forward.”
The full KPMG Nunwood Excellence Centre report – Orchestrating Experiences & Digitising Growth – can be accessed: here
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
- The UK’s overall Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) score fell from 7.45 in 2020 to 7.36 this year. More details about the CEE metric and research methodology below.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Lizzy Chesters, Media Relations Manager
M: 07732 400269
KPMG Press Office
Tel: +44 (0) 207 694 8773
Research Methodology:
The 2021 UK Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) research was conducted online between 28th May and 29th June 2021, exploring experiences with organisations over the previous six months. 9,995 UK consumers were interviewed, and 282 brands were included in the final ranking.
The Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) score is a weighted average of each brand’s score, as mapped against The Six Pillars that drive brand advocacy and loyalty. The Six Pillars of Customer Experience comprise of the following:
- Personalisation – Brands using individualised attention to drive an emotional connection
- Integrity – Brands being trustworthy and engendering trust
- Expectations – Managing, meeting and exceeding customer expectations
- Resolution – Turning a poor experience into a great one
- Time & Effort – Minimising customer effort and creating frictionless processes
- Empathy – Achieving an understanding of the customer’s circumstances to drive a deep rapport
Further reading references:
- Last year’s UK Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) report – Meet your New Customer: Competing in the new reality – can be found: here
Top-5 UK brands in the 2021 UK Customer Experience Excellence analysis:
2021 Ranking |
Brand |
Industry |
Movement vs previous year |
1 |
Starling Bank |
Financial Services |
+2 |
2 |
Lush |
Non-Grocery Retail |
+3 |
3 |
John Lewis & Partners |
Non-Grocery Retail |
+1 |
4 |
QVC UK |
Non-Grocery Retail |
-2 |
5 |
American Express |
Financial Services |
+5 |
UK overall customer experience performance over time:
Year |
Overall Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) Score |
2013 |
7.21 |
2014 |
7.25 |
2015 |
7.25 |
2016 |
7.33 |
2017 |
7.08 |
2018 |
7.13 |
2019 |
7.21 |
2020 |
7.45 |
2021 |
7.36 |
Sector performance ranking and comparison to previous year:
Industry |
CEE Metric (vs. previous %) |
2020 sector ranking |
Grocery Retail |
-1% |
1 |
Restaurant & Fast Food |
-2% |
2 |
Non-Grocery Retail |
-2% |
3 |
Financial Services |
-2% |
4 |
Entertainment & Leisure |
0% |
5 |
Telecoms |
-1% |
6 |
Travel & Hotels |
+2% |
7 |
Utilities |
-4% |
8 |
Logistics |
-5% |
9 |
Public Sector |
-3% |
10 |
About the KPMG Nunwood Excellence Centre
The KPMG Nunwood Excellence Centre runs one of the largest international studies of customer experience best practice. It focusses on researching, analysing and applying customer experience best practice from around the world.
A link to the 2021 Global Customer Experience Excellence Report can be found here.
About KPMG in the UK:
KPMG LLP, a UK limited liability partnership, operates from 21 offices across the UK with approximately 16,000 partners and staff. The UK firm recorded a revenue of £2.3 billion in the year ended 30 September 2020.
KPMG is a global organisation of independent professional services firms providing Audit, Legal, Tax and Advisory services. It operates in 147 countries and territories and has more than 219,000 people working in member firms around the world. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee. KPMG International Limited and its related entities do not provide services to clients.