dunnhumby Reveals America’s Most Customer-Centric Home Improvement & Housewares Retailers, According to Their Customers   

Menards and IKEA Top Rankings; Higher Customer Centricity Index Score Linked to Sales Growth

CINCINNATI--()--dunnhumby, the world’s leading customer science company, today released their second Customer Centricity Index (CCI) measuring how well retailers are responding to the needs and wants of their customers - through the eyes of their customers. dunnhumby’s Customer Centricity Index™ provides quantifiable data across seven key areas that are most important to long-term customer satisfaction and business growth, and shows retailers where they can focus to best meet customer needs.

The Home CCI report and rankings focuses on the areas of home improvement and housewares retailers. Menards was the top-ranked home improvement retailer, with The Home Depot a close second. In housewares, IKEA scored highest among a total of seven retailers.

             

Top Scoring Home Improvement Retailers:

1. Menards 4. Ace Hardware
2. The Home Depot 5. True Value
3. Lowe’s
 
 

Top Scoring Housewares Retailers:

1. IKEA 5. Crate & Barrel
2. Bed, Bath & Beyond 6. Pottery Barn
3. Williams Sonoma 7. Pier 1 Imports
4. Home Goods
 

In the analysis, dunnhumby found that retailers with higher CCI scores also led the competition in comparable sales growth over a three-year period. “Customer centricity is about so much more than creating good feelings between shoppers and retailers,” says Euan White, Senior Vice President, Consumer Markets, dunnhumbyUSA. “Our research shows a clear correlation between high levels of customer centricity and long-term company performance. Retailers who put the customer at the center of everything are reaping the rewards in sales growth.”

Research in this area typically concentrates on either customer service or customer satisfaction, whereas dunnhumby’s CCI looks across the total customer experience: loyalty, assortment, communications, assortment, promotions, price and feedback. “Caring about the customer is something most companies can honestly say they do. Putting that consideration into action is a much bigger challenge,” continues White. “Retailers need to base their business strategy on excelling in areas that matter most to customers. By analyzing customers’ perceptions against these seven areas, retailers have both quantifiable data and a framework to drive growth.”

Research for the dunnhumby Customer Centricity Index includes the opinions of more than 40,000 customers on upwards of 400 companies across multiple industries. For the purposes of this report, customers were asked to rate more than 15 retailers, over a period of nine months, on more than 40 customer-centric attributes based on the “Seven Pillars of Customer Centricity.” Retailer scores are based on a weighted average of those results, linking factors of customer centricity to loyalty and likelihood to recommend. Respondents were classified as customers based on trips occurring at the retailer within the previous 90 days.

Key findings from the dunnhumby Home CCI:

  • The leading retailers in each category displayed a strong price-to-value-proposition.
  • Menards, #1 in the home improvement category of the Home CCI, scored high in price and was cited by customers for providing flexible rebates and relevant promotions that meet their needs.
  • IKEA, #1 in the housewares category, leads retailers in both price and experience – a rare combination. With 8% comparable store sales growth over the past year, their customer centric focus has lent itself to robust business.

To access the full dunnhumby CCI Home Report, additional industry insights and the complete list of rankings, please visit http://www.dunnhumby.com/us/cci-home-sept2013.

About dunnhumby ltd.:

dunnhumby is the world’s leading customer science company. We analyse data and apply insights from more than 400 million customers across the globe to create better customer experiences and build loyalty. Our insights and strategic process help clients create competitive advantage and enjoy sustained growth. dunnhumby employs more than 2,000 employees in offices throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas, and serves a prestigious list of companies including Tesco, The Kroger Co., Coca-Cola, Macy's, Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo and Shell. For more information, please visit us at www.dunnhumby.com.

Contacts

For dunnhumby
Ann Keeling or Jackie Danicki, 513-381-3248
ann@cristofolikeeling.com
jackie@cristofolikeeling.com

Release Summary

dunnhumby's Customer Centricity Index (CCI) on home improvement and housewares unveiled.

Contacts

For dunnhumby
Ann Keeling or Jackie Danicki, 513-381-3248
ann@cristofolikeeling.com
jackie@cristofolikeeling.com