A recent study reveals a troubling trend among America’s wealthiest companies: customer satisfaction is notably low. Over half a million customers have expressed general dissatisfaction with some of the richest businesses in the country.
Dismal Customer Loyalty Scores
The research, conducted by digital marketing agency SeoProfy, scrutinised over half a million Trustpilot review scores for 129 Fortune 500 companies, including prominent names like Tesla, Apple, Amazon, and Target. The companies were ranked based on their Net Promoter Score (NPS), a metric that measures customer loyalty by subtracting the percentage of detractors (1–3-star reviews) from promoters (5-star reviews).
The findings are stark. Of the 129 top-grossing businesses evaluated, the combined net balance was a dismal -82%. Only ten companies managed to achieve a positive NPS, indicating that their customers are more loyal.
The Top Performers
Leading the pack is American Family Insurance Group, which boasts the most loyal customer base among the evaluated Fortune 500 companies. Despite being the 301st richest business in America with $13.8 billion in revenue in 2023, it recorded a loss of $1.9 billion last year. However, its services have impressed 87% of its customers who left five-star reviews, giving it an NPS of 78%.
Fiserv, a leading fintech company, ranks second with an NPS of 69%. It has earned full marks from 84% of its customers, while 14% are less satisfied. With an average Trustpilot score of 4.3 based on 1,278 reviews, Fiserv made $17.7 billion in revenue last year, with a $2.5 billion profit, placing it as the 230th wealthiest business in America.
Another fintech company, Global Payments, comes third with an NPS of 64%. 80% of its customers rate its services with maximum scores, whereas 16% left reviews worth three stars or less. Its average Trustpilot score is 4.6 out of 5, based on 3,493 reviews. Global Payments’ revenue in 2023 totalled nearly $9 billion, with a profit of $111 million, placing it at number 425 on the Fortune 500 list.
The other American companies with a positive NPS are Chewy, Arthur J. Gallagher, Markel, Hertz Global Holdings, Assurant, Carvana, and Opendoor Technologies.
Top 10 Fortune 500 Companies with the Most Loyal Customers based on their net promoter score (NPS), as of May 1st, 2024
| Fortune 500 # | Name | Number of Trustpilot ratings | % Promoters (5-star reviews) | % Detractors (1-3-star reviews) | NPS score | # Most loyal customer ranking (out of 129) |
| 301 | American Family Insurance Group | 421 | 87% | 9% | 78% | 1 |
| 230 | Fiserv | 1,277 | 83% | 14% | 69% | 2 |
| 425 | Global Payments | 3,493 | 80% | 16% | 64% | 3 |
| 389 | Chewy | 12,140 | 77% | 20% | 58% | 4 |
| 443 | Arthur J. Gallagher | 5,856 | 67% | 14% | 52% | 5 |
| 352 | Markel | 150 | 69% | 18% | 51% | 6 |
| 435 | Hertz Global Holdings | 10,583 | 72% | 24% | 48% | 7 |
| 384 | Assurant | 16,922 | 65% | 27% | 38% | 8 |
| 308 | Carvana | 10,345 | 64% | 28% | 36% | 9 |
| 266 | Opendoor Technologies | 235 | 59% | 39% | 20% | 10 |
The Worst Performers
Conversely, many of America’s richest companies have alarmingly low customer loyalty scores. Only 24 out of the top 50 richest companies were present on Trustpilot with at least 50 reviews, and none of them had a positive NPS. Among these, UPS, Tesla, and Amazon had the most loyal customers, with NPS scores of -28%, -29%, and -50% respectively.
The companies with the least loyal customers include General Motors, Meta Platforms, Comcast NBCUniversal, Cigna, and Verizon Communications, all with an NPS of -90% or worse.
Victor Karpenko, CEO of SeoProfy, remarked on the findings: “The fact that we only found ten companies listed on the Fortune 500 with a positive NPS speaks volumes about American business culture. We commend the companies that prioritise customer satisfaction above short-term profits, which can lead to greater retention and customer lifetime value.”
Implications and Solutions
The study highlights a crucial issue in the business strategies of some of America’s wealthiest companies. Customer dissatisfaction often stems from problems not directly related to the product or service itself. Karpenko suggests that many issues could be mitigated by better website organisation and improved SEO standards. “Businesses can cut a lot of dissatisfaction by organising their websites better and having good SEO standards. This way, their clients would not need to call customer service, which could expose the company to a new set of vulnerabilities. The faster a customer gets their answer, the less likely it is that they will leave a negative review,” he explained.
Conclusion
The findings from SeoProfy’s research underscore a critical need for America’s richest companies to reevaluate their approach to customer service. While financial success and profitability remain essential, these should not come at the expense of customer satisfaction. Companies that manage to balance both are likely to see better long-term success and customer loyalty.
The study provides a clear message: prioritising customer satisfaction is not just good ethics, but good business. As American companies continue to grow and expand, maintaining a loyal customer base will be crucial for sustained success. The companies that manage to strike this balance will likely lead the way in setting new standards for customer relations in the business world.
For more information about SeoProfy and their detailed findings, visit their website.