Retail Federation (NRF) Customers' Choice Survey Compares Best Customer Service

U.S. Retailers With Brand Reputation for Excellent Customer Services Recognized

Each year the National Retail Federation (NRF) has published the "Customers' Choice" Survey, which ranks U.S. retailers according to their customer service, as judged by their customers.

The survey, administered by BIGresearch, asks thousands of U.S. consumers just one question - “Thinking of all the different retail formats (store, catalog, internet, or home shopping), which retailer delivers the best customer service?”

What's unique about this survey methodology is that it should identify the retailers who have done such a good job with customer service that their brand name has become synonymous with it. It would be interesting to also ask consumers which retail delivers the worst customer service, but with their absence from the list, those retailers identify themselves.

A comparison of the Customers' Choice Survey results from the past four years reveals one trend that makes a strong case for customer service. Five companies that fell off the Customers' Choice list subsequently found themselves on the Retail Chapter 11 list. Other companies such as Albertson's, Neiman Marcus, Barnes & Noble, and Office Depot did not have good enough customer service to make the NRF list, and have been struggling to survive in the recession. Only two retailers that have filed bankruptcy since 2008 were ever named by a large number of customers for having the exceptional customer service.

Of course, no aspect of retailing exists in isolation of other aspects. But certainly there is evidence in the NRF Customers' Choice Survey that having a reputation for excellent customer service - or not - is an important contributor to a company's health - or not.

What follows is a list of companies that were included on the NRF Customers' Choice Survey from 2005 to 2008. The numbers next to each year indicate the ranking that the company was assigned on the survey results that year. "N/A" indicates that the company was not ranked on the NRF survey at all for that year.

National Retail Federation (NRF) Customers' Choice Survey Results Comparison for 2005 - 2008:

ACE Hardware
2008 - 23
2007 - 21
2006 - 40
2005 - 24

Albertson's
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - 49
2005 - N/A

Amazon
2008 - 4
2007 - 2
2006 - 1
2005 - N/A

Apple
2008 - 26
2007 - 39
2006 - N/A
2005 - N/A

Barnes & Noble
2008 - N/A
2007 - 29
2006 - 27
2005 - 16

Bath & Body Works
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - 24
2005 - 21

Bed Bath & Beyond
2008 - N/A
2007 - 26
2006 - 27
2005 - 21

Belk
2008 - 21
2007 - 24
2006 - 19
2005 - 15

Best Buy
2008 - 17
2007 - 16
2006 - 21
2005 - 9

Blair Corporation
2008 - N/A
2007 - 5
2006 - N/A
2005 - N/A

Boscov's

2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - 6
2005 - 5

Cabela's
2008 - 11
2007 - 17
2006 - N/A
2005 - N/A

Circuit City
2008 - 22
2007 - 25
2006 - 42
2005 - 22

Coldwater Creek
2008 - 9
2007 - 7
2006 - 14
2005 - 2

Costco
2008 - 35
2007 - 34
2006 - 43
2005 - 42

CVS
2008 - 44
2007 - 41
2006 - 50
2005 - 54

Dell
2008 - 43
2007 - 42
2006 - N/A
2005 - N/A

Dillard's
2008 - 28
2007 - 19
2006 - 15
2005 - 23

eBay
2008 - 14
2007 - 13
2006 - 20
2005 - N/A

Eddie Bauer
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - N/A
2005 - 10

Express
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - N/A
2005 - 27

Fashion Bug
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - 12
2005 - N/A

Filene's
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - N/A
2005 - 37

Foley's
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - N/A
2005 - 26

Fred Meyer
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - N/A
2005 - 45

Fry's
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - 17
2005 - 25

Gap
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - N/A
2005 - 48

Harris Teeter
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - 29
2005 - N/A

HEB
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - N/A
2005 - 51

Home Depot
2008 - 37
2007 - 36
2006 - 44
2005 - 47

HSN
2008 - 16
2007 - N/A
2006 - N/A
2005 - N/A

Hy-Vee
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - 38
2005 - N/A

IKEA
2008 - N/A
2007 - N/A
2006 - 31
2005 - N/A

JC Penney
2008 - 7
2007 - 12
2006 - 11
2005 - 7

Kmart
2008 - 36
2007 - 33
2006 - 41
2005 - 29

Kohl's
2008 - 18
2007 - 11
2006 - 7
2005 - 3

Kroger
2008 - 30
2007 - 28
2006 - 35
2005 - 55