[2021 NCSI] No.1 in Customer-Centered Management is 'Hospital'

Highest Score Ever After Surveying 80 Industries, 333 Companies, Universities, and Public Institutions
Top 12 Industries Swap Rankings

Among all companies surveyed in the NCSI, a patient guardian at Severance Hospital, which ranked first, is viewing a message from the "We Support You" program.

Despite challenging economic conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic last year, domestic companies' customer-centric management shone through, driving an increase in customer satisfaction.

The Korea Productivity Center (Chairman An Wanki) announced on the 12th that the National Customer Satisfaction Index (NCSI) survey of 333 companies, universities, and public institutions across 80 domestic industries showed a score of 78.1, up 1.1 points (1.4%) from 77.0 in 2020. This is the highest score since the NCSI survey began in 1998. The survey was jointly organized by the Korea Productivity Center and the University of Michigan in the U.S., with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Among all surveyed companies, Severance Hospital in the hospital industry received the highest rating with 84 points. The customer satisfaction 'Top 11' included Samsung C&T, Daegu Metropolitan Transit Corporation, Lotte Hotel, and Daegu Bank. Notably, seven hospitals were included in the Top 11, which is a significant feature.

◆Education Service Industry Shows the Largest Increase in Customer Satisfaction = Among 14 economic sectors with comparable data from the previous year, customer satisfaction increased in 12 sectors. Of the 73 industries with comparable data, 53 showed an increase in customer satisfaction compared to the previous year, a significant rise from 34 the year before. The Productivity Center explained, "There were 12 industries where the top-ranked companies changed places, and 11 industries had joint first place, indicating how fierce the competition was to win customers' hearts."

The education service industry recorded the highest NCSI improvement rate, rising 2.8% (2.0 points) compared to the previous year. This was followed by the 'Finance and Insurance' sector, which increased by 2.2% (1.7 points). The 'Wholesale and Retail' sector rose by 2.0% (1.5 points), and both the 'Health and Social Welfare Services' and 'Durable Goods Manufacturing' sectors increased by 1.7%. The Productivity Center analyzed, "The scores for junior colleges in the education service industry dropped significantly in 2020 due to the sudden onset of the COVID-19 environment, but last year, schools prepared accordingly, leading to a significant rise in student satisfaction scores. As the COVID-19 pandemic entered a prolonged phase, universities adapted their classes based on student feedback, which students positively evaluated."

On the other hand, the NCSI scores declined in two sectors: 'Water Supply, Sewerage, Waste Management, and Raw Material Recycling' and 'Business Facility Management, Business Support, and Rental Services.'

◆Hospitals Lead in Customer Satisfaction and Retention Rates = The hospital industry was rated highest in both customer satisfaction and customer retention rates. High customer satisfaction and retention rates indicate a higher likelihood that customers satisfied with companies in that industry will remain loyal compared to other sectors. Hospitals scored 82 points in customer satisfaction and 82% in customer retention. The maintenance of a systematic infection control system and the efforts of medical staff in clinical settings appear to have contributed to the rise in customer satisfaction. The Productivity Center explained, "Improvements in medical staff's personal services, especially detailed explanations and encouraging patient participation, influenced the increase in customer satisfaction."

Hotels and smartphones also recorded customer satisfaction scores of 80 points and customer retention rates of 78%. For hotels, the survey targeted domestic customers due to international travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 spread. The high rating was attributed to offering various package products and services tailored to domestic customers who chose local hotels instead of overseas travel. In the smartphone sector, companies actively introduced upgraded high-performance premium products and high-spec budget models last year, meeting customer expectations and driving customer satisfaction up.

The Productivity Center emphasized, "Efforts by leading companies to improve customer satisfaction have leveled up the satisfaction scores among top-ranking companies, ultimately contributing to the national-level NCSI improvement. From a long-term perspective, mid- and lower-tier companies must adopt more customer-centric management strategies."