UPS has unseated FedEx for the title of customer-satisfaction leader in the express and mailsector, according to the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), published this week.
FedEx has led this sector in the index for more than a decade, but this year UPS moved intothe number-one position, increasing its index rating by 4 per cent to 85. Satisfaction with FedExdipped slightly, falling 2 per cent to 83. ACSI noted that UPS had outperformed its rival in thestock market as well, with a 19 per cent share increase over the past year.
This year, ACSI expanded its treatment of express delivery services to include both consumersenders and receivers, with the measure now encompassing the packages people pay to have sent toother people and express-delivered merchandise they pay to have shipped from companies. It isunclear whether this is the reason for the changes in the UPS and FedEx and other rankings.
Customer satisfaction for the overall express and mail sector category inched up for a secondstraight year, gaining 1.2 per cent to an ACSI score of 84. Double-digit growth in online salesduring the first quarter has increased demand for consumer-paid shipping of internet purchases,ACSI also noted.
The United States Postal Service gained 3 per cent for its express delivery services, but itsscore of 79 keeps the USPS marginally behind both UPS and FedEx. Customer satisfaction with thePostal Service’s regular mail delivery also improved over last year, up 4 per cent to match itsformer high point of 74. ACSI notes that this gain comes at a time when the volume of mail isshrinking and the Postal Service faces financial difficulties. Indeed, higher satisfaction with thePostal Service might reflect a dwindling customer base, the most loyal of whom is also the mostsatisfied ACSI suggested. The more dissatisfied customers may already have left, it added.
The survey ranks the best-known companies in four industries – airlines, hotels, fast-foodrestaurants and express delivery/mail services.
