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Methodology Report
June 2008
Methodology
American Customer Satisfaction Index
Methodology Report
June 2008
© Copyright 2008, The Regents of the University of Michigan
PREFACE
ACSI is designed, conducted, and analyzed by the National Quality Research Center
(NQRC), Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. The ACSI
technical staff includes:
•
Professor Claes Fornell, Donald C. Cook Professor of Business Administration, and
Director, National Quality Research Center
•
David VanAmburg, Managing Director, ACSI
•
Forrest Morgeson, Ph.D., Research Scientist & Lead Statistician
•
Barbara Everitt Bryant, Ph.D., Research Scientist
•
Lifang Vanderwill, Research Associate
•
Kimberly J. Ward, Administrative Assistant
•
Julie M. Trombly, Editor and Graphic Production
ACSI Methodology Report prepared by:
Barbara Everitt Bryant; Chapter II prepared by Professor Claes Fornell and
Forrest Morgeson
For questions on research or an interpretation of this report, contact:
National Quality Research Center
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1234
Telephone: 734-763-9767; Fax: 734-763-9768
Web: www.theacsi.org
ii
National Update reports on customer satisfaction are produced quarterly and delivered
electronically on request. To order reports, visit the ACSI Bookstore on the Web at:
www.theacsi.org.
iii
CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................1
A. HISTORY ..............................................................................................................................2
B. METHODOLOGY IN BRIEF ...............................................................................................4
II. PURPOSE, ECONOMETRIC MODELING, AND INDEX PROPERTIES.............................6
A. PURPOSE OF MEASUREMENT.........................................................................................6
B. ECONOMETRIC MODELING.............................................................................................7
C. INDEX PROPERTIES.........................................................................................................17
D. THE ACSI EQUATIONS....................................................................................................23
E. THE ACSI FORMULA........................................................................................................26
III. SELECTION OF ECONOMIC SECTORS, INDUSTRIES, COMPANIES,
AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES .........................................................................................27
IV. QUESTIONNAIRES..............................................................................................................29
A. SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRES....................................................................................29
B. BRAND/COMPANY IDENTIFICATION..........................................................................31
C. QUESTIONNAIRE..............................................................................................................31
V. HOUSEHOLD SURVEY SAMPLE........................................................................................33
A. HOUSEHOLD SAMPLE AND TELEPHONE NUMBER SELECTION..........................33
B. SELECTION OF DESIGNATED RESPONDENT WITHIN HOUSEHOLD....................35
C. SCREENING HOUSEHOLD RESPONDENTS TO IDENTIFY
QUALIFIED CUSTOMERS .................................................................................................35
D. INTERVIEW RESULTS: RESPONSE AND COOPERATION RATES..........................36
E. PROFILE OF INTERVIEWED CUSTOMERS ..................................................................37
VI. DATA COLLECTION VIA TELEPHONE ...........................................................................38
iv
VII. E-BUSINESS AND E-COMMERCE SAMPLES AND DATA COLLECTION
VIA INTERNET .......................................................................................................................41
A. SAMPLE SELECTION .......................................................................................................41
B. SCREENING TO QUALIFIED CUSTOMERS..................................................................41
C. DATA COLLECTION VIA INTERNET ............................................................................42
REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................43
APPENDIX A: COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES EVALUATED
BY CUSTOMERS IN ACSI.....................................................................................................47
APPENDIX B: ACSI INDUSTRY DEFINITIONS AND CUSTOMER IDENTIFICATION....67
APPENDIX C: EXAMPLE SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRES AND
BRAND/COMPANY IDENTIFICATION...............................................................................75
APPENDIX D: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MEASUREMENT QUESTIONNAIRES.......82
APPENDIX E: RESPONSE AND COOPERATION RATES.....................................................97
APPENDIX F: SAMPLE PROFILE ..........................................................................................102
v
Introduction
I. INTRODUCTION
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) is a uniform, national, cross-industry
measure of satisfaction with the quality of goods and services available to household
consumers in the United States. Established in 1994, ACSI is both a trend measure and a
benchmark for 200 U.S. and international companies to compare themselves with firms in
their own or other industries. It also provides measures by which federal agencies, two local
government services, and the United States Postal Service can track user satisfaction with
the quality of their services over time, and compare their satisfaction to satisfaction with
services provided in the private sector.
Research shows that ACSI is predictive of corporate performance, growth in the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP), and changes in consumer spending (Fornell, commentaries posted
quarterly on the Web site: www.theacsi.org).
Produced by a consortium of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University
of Michigan, ASQ,1 and CFI Group, ACSI is funded by multiple sources. These are:
(1) annual fees from corporate subscribers, (2) ACSI-related research conducted for
corporate subscribers, (3) licensing of the ACSI model in the United States and in a number
of other countries to produce national Customer Satisfaction Indices (CSIs), and (4)
sponsorship of the measurement and analyses of e-business and e-commerce industries by
Foresee Results.
The National Quality Research Center (NQRC) at Michigan’s Ross School of Business is
the research and production center for the index, data analyses, and report writing. ASQ
distributes online update reports on economic sectors and other reports. CFI Group provides
software design and assistance, as well as marketing consulting.
The ACSI structural equation statistical models, discussed in Chapter II, provide
customer satisfaction indices (on 0 to 100 scales), along with indices of antecedents (drivers
or causes) and outcomes of satisfaction with the products and services of specific
companies, government agencies, and industries for ten economic sectors that market to
U.S. household consumers. The sectors are broadly representative of the national economy:
(1) Utilities, (2) Manufacturing/Nondurable Goods, (3) Manufacturing/Durable Goods, (4)
Retail Trade, (5) Transportation and Warehousing, (6) Information, (7) Finance and
Insurance, (8) Health Care and Social Assistance, (9) Accommodation and Food Services,
1
At the time of ACSI’s establishment, this organization was called the American Society for Quality Control.
1
Introduction
and (10) Public Administration. ACSI also measures e-business and e-commerce industries
on the Internet, but the companies within these fall under the other economic sectors.
Each company or government service, industry, and sector is measured annually. The
national index is updated quarterly, on a rolling basis, with new data for one or more
measured sectors replacing data from the prior year.
A. HISTORY
In the early 1990s, ASQ saw the need for a national measure of quality. In 1990-91, the
organization commissioned National Economic Research Associates (NERA) to determine
whether a national, cross-company, cross-industry measure existed or could be developed.
NERA examined 60 different approaches to measuring quality. There was no standard
definition of quality and indices for different categories of products and services in use in
the United States were not comparable. It was not possible to assign values to the separate
measures of quality in order to aggregate these into a national index. A key failing was the
inability to obtain quality measures that translated to customer-perceived value.
NERA concluded that a comprehensive assessment of quality required a mechanism that
assigned values to dimensions of quality that influence customer behavior and that any
design that did not reflect the customer’s voice and notion of value would not meet the goal
of a national quality index. NERA recommended adaptation of the Swedish Customer
Satisfaction Barometer to the United States.
According to the NERA report (National Economic Research Associates, 1991), the
Swedish Barometer, established in 1989, used an econometric model designed by Claes
Fornell and colleagues at the University of Michigan’s NQRC that (1) was the most
comprehensive effort to date to measure product and service quality; (2) illustrated
the feasibility of using the survey approach to assess quality on a broad scale; and
(3) recognized the necessity of relating measures of quality to customer behavior
(Fornell, 1992).
With funding from ASQ and individual corporations, NQRC conducted an extensive
design, development, and pretest phase in 1993. In the following year, the baseline
American Customer Satisfaction Index was produced covering 7 sectors of the economy,
30 industries, and 180 companies. The baseline ACSI study demonstrated that household
screening to identify qualified customers, interviews of these customers with the NQRCdesigned survey questionnaire, and econometric modeling could be used on a large scale to
produce comparable indices across a wide variety of companies and industries in the United
States.
2
Introduction
As of 2008, ACSI covers 43 industries (including those in e-business and e-commerce)
and over 200 companies and federal or local government services. ACSI measures
satisfaction with companies that produce 50% of GDP and the specific products and services
of these companies that account for 41%. The ACSI’s first 14 years provided both point-intime and trend measures of satisfaction based on approximately one million interviews.
ACSI measures ten economic sectors in the North American Industry Classification
System (NAICS) that produce products and services sold directly to household customers.
These sectors are: (1) Utilities, (2) Manufacturing/Nondurable Goods, (3) Manufacturing/
Durable Goods, (4) Retail Trade, (5) Transportation and Warehousing, (6) Information,
(7) Finance and Insurance, (8) Health Care and Social Assistance, (9) Accommodation and
Food Services, and (10) Public Administration.2
Not included in ACSI are Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing and Hunting, Mining,
Construction, Wholesale Trade, Real Estate/Rental/Leasing, Professional/Scientific/
Technical Services, Management of Companies and Enterprises, Administrative
Support/Waste Management and Remediation (although satisfaction with solid waste
disposal provided by local governments is measured in ACSI), Educational Services
(although satisfaction with some educational services provided by the federal government
is measured), Arts/Entertainment/Recreation, and Other Services.
Within each sector, satisfaction is measured with large companies in representative
industries. Within each industry, 2 to 30 companies are selected (although in most
industries the number is 4 to 8 companies). The companies chosen are those with the largest
U.S. market shares in each industry, whether or not the company is a domestic or a non-U.S.
company. It is the customers of these companies who are identified by interview screening
and then interviewed about their satisfaction with the specific company.
Each company, industry, and sector is measured annually. The national ACSI score is
updated quarterly, on a rolling basis, with new data for one or more measured sectors
replacing data from the prior year.
2
While the NAICS groups nondurable goods and durable goods together in a single manufacturing sector, ACSI measures
these as two separate sectors.
3
Introduction
Table 1: Data Collection and Sector Update Schedule
Sector
Data Collection Period
Utilities, Transportation &
Warehousing, Information,
Health Care & Social Assistance,
Accommodation & Food Services
ACSI Release of
Results
January to March
May
April to June
August
Manufacturing/Nondurable Goods
July to September
November
Retail Trade, Finance & Insurance,
E-Commerce
October to December
February
Public Administration
August to November
December
Manufacturing/Durable Goods,
E-Business
The companies for which satisfaction is measured in ACSI as of 2007 are listed in
Appendix A, along with their revenues and Fortune 1000 ranks.
B. METHODOLOGY IN BRIEF
The ACSI methodology is distinguished from other measures of quality by four
significant characteristics:
1. ACSI has a uniform, customer-based definition of quality: “customer satisfaction
with the quality of goods and services purchased and used.”
2. ACSI treats satisfaction with quality as a cumulative experience, rather than a mostrecent-transaction experience.
3. ACSI uses a cause-and-effect model that measures satisfaction quantitatively as the
result of survey-measured input of customer expectations, perceptions of quality, and
perceptions of value (i.e., quality for cost).
4. The ACSI model links satisfaction quantitatively with customer-survey-measured
outcomes: complaints (a negative outcome) and customer loyalty (a positive
outcome). Customer loyalty is derived from measures of customer retention and
price tolerance.
ACSI uses an empirically tested, cause-and-effect model. It is a multi-equation, latent
variable, econometric model that produces four levels of composite index measures. These
are: (1) a national customer satisfaction index; (2) indices for 10 sectors of the economy;
4
Introduction
(3) indices for 43 industries; and (4) indices for over 200 major companies and federal or
local government services, including indices for an “all others” category in each industry.
Input to the econometric modeling comes from surveys conducted on a computerassisted-telephone-interviewing (CATI) system. Customers are selected randomly from
national and regional probability samples of continental U.S households. Random-digit-dial
(RDD) selection of households includes those with both listed and unlisted numbers.
Selection of a respondent within the household based on the individual with the most recent
birthday provides a representative distribution of respondents by age, gender, and other
characteristics. For e-business and e-commerce companies, the tasks of selecting user
samples, screening respondents, and interviewing customers are all done on the Internet.
To be eligible for interview, either by telephone or online, a prospective respondent must
qualify as the purchaser of specific products or services within defined time periods. These
vary from three years for the purchase of major durables, to “in the last month” for
frequently purchased consumer goods and services, to currently having utility services,
insurance policies, or bank accounts in one’s own name. Thus the definition of “customer”
in the American Customer Satisfaction Index is an individual chosen randomly from a large
universe of potential buyers who qualifies by recent experience as a purchaser/user of
products or services of specific companies or agencies that supply household consumers in
the continental United States.
The process of qualifying respondents as customers of specific products and services and
thus eligible for interview is described in Chapter V, Household Survey Sample.
Completed survey interviews are input to the econometric model described in Chapter II,
Purpose, Econometric Modeling, and Index Properties, which computes the indices at
company/government service, industry, sector, and national levels.
5
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
II. PURPOSE, ECONOMETRIC MODELING, AND
INDEX PROPERTIES
This chapter discusses the purpose of the American Customer Satisfaction Index. The
central part of this discussion outlines the ACSI model, the desirable properties of an index
like ACSI, and the extent to which ACSI can be said to have these properties. ACSI aims to
contribute to a more accurate and comprehensive picture of economic output as a measure of
national customer satisfaction for the United States, as a long-term indicator of economic
returns at the national level, and as an indicator of financial success for individual
companies. Accomplishing these objectives requires rigorous and technically sound
measurement and statistical procedures that are described in the following sections.
A. PURPOSE OF MEASUREMENT
The purpose of ACSI is to provide a perspective for understanding the U.S. economy and
for understanding industry, company, and national competitiveness. The perspective used
by ACSI is that of the customer’s experience with the quality received from goods and
services available in the U.S. marketplace, and the satisfaction and loyalty of consumers
based on those experiences.
Traditionally, productivity has been considered the key to competitiveness for
companies, industries, and nations. Ideally, productivity should reflect not only the
efficiency and quantity of production, but also how quality and service are incorporated into
market prices. In practice, however, productivity measures often fall short, particularly in
the service sector where the value of improved or reduced quality is not easily captured.
Measurement of productivity relates to measurement of price changes. As noted by
several economists (for example, Gordon, 1990), the measurement of prices would be
straightforward if there were a single, generally accepted index of economic and social wellbeing that would indicate how much better or worse off consumers are each year. Without
good measurement of both price and quality⎯and how these change over time⎯assessment
of productivity is extremely difficult.
As an economic indicator, ACSI provides a context within which to interpret both price
and productivity changes. One objective of ACSI is to help with this interpretation by
capturing the elusive character of a product (attributes, price, market fit) from the consumer
perspective.
6
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
Economic data attempt to capture the full range of transactions between buyers and
sellers in many types of markets. ACSI measures the overall satisfaction of buyers in
household consumer markets, but it is not limited to single, finite transactions per se.
Rather, it is subjective evaluations of the goods and services acquired and consumed in the
United States that are measured. In the final analysis, all human decision making is
subjective. It is the customer’s evaluation⎯not engineering standards⎯that ultimately
affects the demand curve. Measurement of that evaluation, however, does not necessarily
need to be subjective.
Customer satisfaction also incorporates price, how well companies have chosen their
customers (or the matching principle), and the resulting degree of fit between the nature of
demand and the nature of supply. Further, customer satisfaction, in contrast to quality,
assumes actual consumption experience. Since most products and services are repeat
purchases, customer satisfaction has a large effect on demand.
B. ECONOMETRIC MODELING
1. Model and Methodology
The ACSI methodology has four basic properties:
1. ACSI uses an econometric model with measures of an index of satisfaction (ACSI)
and related indices for latent variables or constructs (boxes in Figures 1, 1a, and 2)
that are general enough to be comparable across companies, industries, and sectors.
These measures come from manifest or observed variables (survey questions) that are
used as inputs to the model. Because of their generality, the latent variables and the
relationships between them apply to government services, nonprofits, and competitive
product and service markets alike.
2. ACSI is embedded in a system of structural or cause-and-effect relationships. This
serves to validate the index from a nomological standpoint. Nomological validity, a
form of construct validity, is the degree to which a construct behaves as it should
within a system of related constructs called a nomological net (Bagozzi, 1980;
Cronbach and Meehl, 1955). If the model predictions are supported (for instance,
internally by future measurement or externally by changes in actual consumer
behaviors), then the validity of ACSI is supported.
3. Consistent with its definition, satisfaction is measured as a latent variable (central box
in Figures 1, 1a, and 2) using multiple manifest variables. Any one concrete measure
of satisfaction, such as a single survey question, is at best a proxy or partial indicator
7
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
of the construct satisfaction (Simon, 1974). For this reason, ACSI uses several
proxies that reflect satisfaction with the overall consumption experience. These
proxies are combined into an index on a 0 to 100 scale to operationalize satisfaction.
4. One primary objective is to estimate the effect of ACSI on customer loyalty, a
construct of universal importance in the evaluation of current and future business
performance. Figure 1 shows the ACSI model used for the private sector, with an
expanded version shown in Figure 1a. Figure 2 represents the model used for
government services, a model that is also applicable to other nonprofits.
Figure 1. ACSI Model: Private Sector
Reliability
Customization
Overall
Complaint Behavior
PERCEIVED
QUALITY
Price
Given
Quality
CUSTOMER
COMPLAINTS
CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION
(ACSI)
PERCEIVED
VALUE
Quality
Given
Price
Satisfaction
CUSTOMER
EXPECTATIONS
Customization
Comparison
Confirm/
Disconfirm With Ideal
Expectations
CUSTOMER
LOYALTY
Repurchase
Likelihood
Overall
Price Tolerance
(Reservation Price)
Reliability
Expansion of the Model to Measure Product Quality and Service Quality as
Inputs to Perceived Overall Quality
In some industries found in the Manufacturing/Durable Goods, Accommodation and
Food Services, and Retail Trade sectors, a product and a service central to the consumption
experience are both provided, but at different points in time. That is, there is an initial
purchase of a product followed by a period of maintenance or service. In many instances,
the service provider may not be the manufacturer itself. For most retailers, products are
8
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
manufactured by one company, but delivered by another. For these industries, ACSI uses
the expanded model shown in Figure 1a.
Figure 1a. Expanded ACSI Model to Measure Product Quality and Service Quality
as Inputs to Perceived Overall Quality
Reliability
Customization
Overall
PERCEIVED
PRODUCT
QUALITY
Reliability
Customization
Overall
PERCEIVED
SERVICE
QUALITY
Complaint Behavior
PERCEIVED
OVERALL QUALITY
Price
Given
Quality
CUSTOMER
COMPLAINTS
CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION
(ACSI)
PERCEIVED
VALUE
Quality
Given
Price
Satisfaction
CUSTOMER
EXPECTATIONS
Customization
Comparison
Confirm/
Disconfirm With Ideal
Expectations
CUSTOMER
LOYALTY
Repurchase
Likelihood
Overall
Price Tolerance
(Reservation Price)
Reliability
The Model for Government Services and Nonprofit Organizations
The ACSI research team has expanded the portfolio of measured organizations by adding
customer segments of a large number of federal government agencies. Parts of the
standardized ACSI model have been changed to accommodate such measurement. For
instance, repurchase intention and price tolerance are not relevant for most federal
government agencies as outcome measures. In many cases customers have no choice but to
interact with a government agency, and most agencies do not deal in economic transactions
in a strict sense. Likewise, perceived value in terms of price/quality relationships is not a
driver of satisfaction, as there is usually no direct charge (or only a minimal one) for the
services of these tax-supported organizations.
9
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
The most relevant outcome of customer satisfaction for a majority of federal agencies is
user trust, for which the indicators are: (1) the degree to which the user/customer would
recommend the agency’s services to others (word-of-mouth recommendation); and (2) the
extent to which the user has confidence in relying on the agency in the future (confidence).
The antecedents, or drivers, of satisfaction vary more across government agencies than
across companies in the private sector. This is because agencies provide a wider variety of
services and customer interfaces. All government drivers, however, tend to fall into four
broad categories: (1) information, (2) process, (3) Web site, and (4) customer service.
Figure 2 shows the ACSI model for federal government services. The following latent
variables (indices) in the model remain unchanged: customer expectations, perceived
quality, customer satisfaction (ACSI), and customer complaints.
Figure 2. ACSI Model: Government Services and Nonprofit Organizations
Accessibility
INFORMATION
Clarity
Timeliness
PROCESS
Ease
CUSTOMER
COMPLAINTS
PERCEIVED
QUALITY
Courtesy
CUSTOMER
SERVICE
CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION
(ACSI)
Professionalism
Ease
WEB SITE
CUSTOMER
EXPECTATIONS
Usefulness
Satisfaction
Comparison
to Ideal
Confirm/
Disconfirm
Expectations
USER TRUST
Confidence
Recommend
2. The Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI)
To estimate the customer satisfaction (ACSI) index, the ACSI modeling software weights
the three manifest variables that comprise satisfaction. Customers’ responses about a
company or government agency are aggregated to produce its ACSI score. Thus, the
10
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
estimate is specific to each individually measured organization. The weighting of the ACSI
score is affected by all latent and manifest variables in the system, as described later in this
chapter (see Section D, “The ACSI Equations”).
3. ACSI Antecedents (Drivers or Causes of Satisfaction)
Customer satisfaction (ACSI) has three antecedents in the standard (private sector) ACSI
model: perceived quality, perceived value, and customer expectations. Perceived quality is
hypothesized to have a direct, positive effect on satisfaction. This prediction is supported by
a growing number of studies in marketing and consumer research literature (Fornell et al.,
1996; Fornell et al., 2005; Yi, 1991). As a general psychological phenomenon, satisfaction
is primarily a function of a customer’s quality experience with a product or service
(Churchill and Surprenant, 1982; Fornell, 1992; Tse and Wilton, 1988; Westbrook and
Reilly, 1983). Quality experts (Deming, 1981; Juran and Gryna, 1988) delineate two
primary components of the quality experience: (1) the degree to which a product or service
provides key individual customer requirements (customization), and (2) how consistently
and reliably these requirements are delivered over time (reliability).
The second determinant of customer satisfaction (ACSI) is perceived value, measured as
the level of product or service quality experienced relative to the price paid. Adding
perceived value incorporates price information into the model and increases the
comparability of results across companies, industries, and sectors. Quality received per
dollar expended, or value, is a common denominator that consumers use to compare brands
and categories alike (Johnson, 1984). Using value perceptions to measure performance also
controls for differences in income and budget constraints across individual respondents
(Hauser and Shugan, 1983; Lancaster, 1971), which allows comparisons of very high-priced
and very low-priced products and services. As with perceived quality, it is hypothesized
that as value increases, customer satisfaction increases as well. Further, the differential
impact of perceived quality and perceived value on customer satisfaction (ACSI) in the
model provides important diagnostic information. As the impact of value increases relative
to the impact of quality, price becomes a relatively more important determinant of
satisfaction.
The third and final determinant of customer satisfaction is the level of quality customers
expect to receive prior to their experience. Because expectations serve as an anchor in the
consumer’s evaluation process, expectations should, like quality and value, positively affect
customer satisfaction (Oliver, 1980; Van Raaij, 1989). Expectations capture all of a
customer’s prior knowledge about (through word-of-mouth recommendation, advertising,
etc.) and consumption experience with (through an earlier experience) a company’s products
11
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
or services. Because each of these sources of information forecasts a company’s ability to
provide a positive customer experience, at least in the mind of the consumer, they should all
have a positive effect on satisfaction. Customer expectations provide the anchor that is
adjusted or updated in light of a customer’s more recent experiences or what he or she has
heard about the product or service.
Customer expectations also are hypothesized to be positively associated with both
perceived quality and perceived value. These relationships capture a customer’s ability to
learn from experience and to predict, using this knowledge, the quality and value of a
product or service (Howard, 1977). The size of these predictive relationships should vary
with customer experience, as well as with factors such as the level of observation (individual
customers versus markets), the nature of the information (price versus performance), and
environmental changes (Johnson, Anderson, and Fornell, 1995).
As mentioned earlier, the antecedents of satisfaction used in the model for government
services and nonprofit organizations excludes perceived value, but includes four additional
determinants of quality and satisfaction (information, process, customer service, and Web
site). All of these drivers are hypothesized to have a positive effect on perceived quality,
and through quality, on customer satisfaction (ACSI).
4. ACSI Consequences (Outcomes of Satisfaction)
Drawing from Hirschman’s (1970) exit-voice theory, the primary consequences or
outcomes of improved customer satisfaction included in the ACSI model are decreased
customer complaints and increased customer loyalty (Fornell and Wernerfelt, 1987 and
1988). When dissatisfied, customers have the option of exiting or defecting to an alternative
supplier, or of voicing their dissatisfaction to their supplier in an attempt to receive some
kind of recompense. Thus, an increase in satisfaction is hypothesized to be negatively
related to complaints; that is, it will result in a decrease in the number of complaints
received by a company (complaint rate). Conversely, increased satisfaction should improve
the loyalty of customers. Customer loyalty is the ultimate dependent variable in the model
because of its value in predicting customer retention and tolerance to price increases, and
through these, in forecasting profitability.
The final relationship in the model is the effect of customer complaints on customer
loyalty. The direction and size of this relationship measures, in large part, the effectiveness
of a company’s complaint-handling system (Fornell, 1992). When the relationship is
positive, even if only slightly, then a company is successfully transforming complaining
customers into loyal customers. When the relationship between complaints and loyalty is
12
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
negative, complaining customers are predisposed to defect, and an increase in complaints
will cost the firm an increasing number of customers.
In the model for government services and nonprofit organizations, the measure of
complaints is retained unchanged, but customer loyalty is replaced with an alternative latent
variable appropriate to government, citizen trust. The nature of the hypothesized
relationships between satisfaction, complaints, and citizen trust, however, remains the same.
5. Manifest Variables Used in the Model
Table 2 and Table 3 identify the manifest variables (questions) from the ACSI survey that
are used in estimating the ACSI models and show which questionnaire items are included
and used to operationalize each latent variable (represented by the boxes in the model
diagrams). These are linked by numbers to the actual questions shown in Appendix D,
Customer Satisfaction Measurement Questionnaires—Private Sector and Government
Services.
Almost all of the questions in the ACSI survey are asked on a 1 to 10 rating scale,
running from low/negative to high/positive. The surveys used as input to the model are
described in Chapter IV, Questionnaires; Chapter V, Household Survey Sample; Chapter VI,
Data Collection Via Telephone; and Chapter VII, E-Business and E-Commerce Samples and
Data Collection Via Internet.
13
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
Table 2. Survey Questions Used in the ACSI Private Sector Model
Question
Number*
Manifest Variable
(Question) Description
1
Overall expectation of quality (pre-purchase)
2
Expectation regarding customization, or how
well the product and service fits the customer’s
personal requirements (pre-purchase)
3
Expectation regarding reliability, or how often
things would go wrong (pre-purchase)
4P
Overall evaluation of quality experience with
product (post-purchase)
5P
Evaluation of customization experience, or how
well the product fits the customer’s personal
requirements (post-purchase)
6P
Evaluation of reliability experience, or how often
things have gone wrong with product (postpurchase)
4S**
Overall evaluation of quality experience with
service (post-purchase)
5S**
Evaluation of customization experience, or how
well the service fits the customer’s personal
requirements (post-purchase)
6S**
Evaluation of reliability experience, or how often
things have gone wrong with service (postpurchase)
9
Rating of price given quality
10
Rating of quality given price
11
Overall satisfaction
12
Expectancy disconfirmation (performance that
falls short of or exceeds expectations)
13
Performance versus the customer’s ideal
product and service in the category
14
Has the customer complained to the company
within specified time period
15
Repurchase likelihood rating
16
Price tolerance (increase) given repurchase
17
Price tolerance (decrease) to induce repurchase
Latent Variables
(Indices)
Customer Expectations
Perceived Product Quality
Perceived Service Quality
Perceived Value
Customer Satisfaction (ACSI)
Customer Complaints
Customer Loyalty
*Questionnaires are shown in Appendix D.
**Used only in expanded model in Figure 1a. Note that Questions 7 and 8 are placeholders reserved for
optional questions about product or service characteristics that are not used in the model.
14
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
Table 3. Survey Questions Used in the ACSI Model for Government Services and
Nonprofit Organizations
Question
Number
Manifest Variable
(Question) Description
Latent Variables
(Indices)
1
Overall expectation of quality of services
(pre-experience)
Customer Expectations
2
Accessibility
3
Clarity of information
4
Timeliness of process
5
Ease of process
6
Courtesy
7
Professionalism
8
Ease of use of Web site
9
Usefulness of information on Web site
10
Overall evaluation of quality experience
with services (post-experience)
11
Overall satisfaction
12
Expectancy disconfirmation (performance
that falls short of or exceeds expectations)
13
Performance versus the user’s ideal
service in the category
14
Has the user complained to the agency
within specified time period
Customer Complaints
15
Confidence agency will do a good job in
the future
User Trust
16
Willingness to recommend agency’s
services (if asked)
Information
Process
Customer Service
Web Site
Perceived Quality
Customer Satisfaction (ACSI)
The remainder of this chapter focuses mainly on the private sector ACSI model and the
manifest variables included in it, although much of the discussion applies to the government
services and nonprofit model as well.
Customer expectations are measured by asking customers to think back and recall the
level of quality they expected to receive from a product or service based on their knowledge
of and experience with the product or service (that is, “will” expectations as opposed to
“should” expectations). Three questions capturing these expectations are asked of
respondents: (1) overall expectations, (2) expectations regarding customization, and (3)
15
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
expectations regarding reliability. For practical reasons, only the overall expectations
question is asked for the government services model.
Customers then rate their recent experience with the product or service using three
measures of perceived quality: (1) overall perceived quality, (2) perceived customization,
and (3) perceived reliability. Again, for practical reasons, only the overall perceived quality
question is asked for the government services model. For some private sector industries, the
three questions are repeated—once for the measure of product quality and a second time for
the measure of service quality. Next, two questions tapping into perceived value are asked:
(1) a rating of quality received relative to price paid, and (2) a rating of price paid relative to
quality received.
As several authors have argued, there is no single standard for evaluating the construct
customer satisfaction. Instead, satisfaction must be reflected in a variety of comparison
standards (Cadotte, Woodruff, and Jenkins, 1987; Johnson and Fornell, 1991; Woodruff,
Cadotte, and Jenkins, 1983). For this reason, customer satisfaction (ACSI) is
operationalized in the ACSI model using three manifest variables (questions): (1) an
overall, comprehensive rating of satisfaction with a product or service, (2) the degree to
which a product’s or service’s performance falls short of or exceeds expectations
(expectancy confirmation/disconfirmation), and (3) a rating of performance relative to the
customer’s ideal product or service in the category. These manifest variables are the same
as those developed for the Swedish Customer Satisfaction Barometer (Fornell, 1992) to
measure satisfaction as a latent variable, and are currently used in a variety of national and
cultural contexts that have adopted the ACSI methodology. Each manifest variable is a
qualitatively different standard that customers refer to throughout their purchase and
consumption experience. As a latent variable, ACSI extracts shared variance or that portion
of each rating that is common to all three manifest variables. Thus, satisfaction is not
confounded by either performance or expectations. Only the psychological distance
between performance and expectations, and between performance and the customer’s
imagined ideal, are used to measure satisfaction. All ACSI models use these same three
manifest variables to measure satisfaction, facilitating comparison across product and
service categories.
Customer complaints are measured, simply enough, as a “yes-no” question asking
whether or not a customer has complained formally. The timeframe for complaint behavior
is the same as the screening period that qualifies the respondent as a customer of a particular
company and its products or services.
16
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
Finally, two variables measure customer loyalty for private sector companies: repurchase
intention and price tolerance (reservation price). Repurchase intention is measured by
asking the customer the likelihood that he or she will purchase from the same supplier the
next time they purchase the same kind of product or service. Price tolerance is constructed
from two survey questions: (1) how much a company could raise its price(s) as a percentage
before the customer would definitely choose not to buy from that company on the next
purchase occasion (given that the customer has indicated that he or she is likely to
repurchase from the same company); and (2) how much a company would have to lower its
price(s) as a percentage before the customer would definitely choose to buy from that
company on the next purchase occasion (given that the customer has indicated that he or she
is unlikely to repurchase from the same company). As mentioned previously, for the
government services and nonprofit model, customer loyalty is replaced with an alternative
latent variable appropriate to this context (user trust), which includes manifest variables
tapping into confidence and advocacy.
C. INDEX PROPERTIES
In ACSI, customers are asked to evaluate products and services that they have purchased
and consumed. A descriptive summary of what customers say in their responses to the
questions defined as manifest variables in Tables 2 and 3 (for example, means, medians,
percentage distributions, etc.) may have a certain simplistic appeal, but such an approach
will fall short on any rigorous set of methodological criteria. For the index to be useful, it
must meet statistical and technical standards appropriate to the objectives of ACSI. That is,
if ACSI is to contribute to a more accurate and comprehensive measurement of economic
output, predict economic returns, provide useful information for economic and government
policy, and become an indicator of economic health, it must satisfy certain properties in
measurement. These properties are: (1) precision, (2) validity, (3) reliability, (4) predictive
power, (5) coverage, (6) simplicity, (7) diagnostics, and (8) comparability. The following
sections examine each of these properties in turn.
1. Precision
Precision refers to the certainty about the recorded value of customer satisfaction (ACSI),
as well as the other variables included in the ACSI model. Very high standards for precision
are set, particularly at the national level, in order to detect changes from one period to the
next. Results show that the 90% confidence interval (on a 0 to 100 scale) for the national
customer satisfaction (ACSI) index is plus or minus 0.2 points. For each of the measured
sectors, it is on average plus or minus 0.5 points. For industries, the confidence intervals are
17
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
on average plus or minus 1.0 point for manufacturing industries and 1.1 points for service
industries. For the typical company, these intervals average plus or minus 2.0 points for
manufacturing companies and 2.5 points for service companies and government services.
This level of precision is obtained as a result of considerable attention paid during data
collection, careful manifest variable specification, and use of latent variable modeling.
According to ACSI research, latent variable modeling (using weighted averages of multiple
questions to produce the indices shown in the boxes in the models in Figures 1, 1a, and 2)
produces an average improvement of 22% in precision over use of single-item variables.
2. Validity
Validity refers to the ability of the individual measures to represent the underlying latent
variable (index) customer satisfaction (ACSI) and to relate effects and consequences in an
expected manner. Discriminant validity, or the degree to which measured latent variables
differ from other measured latent variables, also is evidenced in the ACSI model. For
example, there is not only an important conceptual distinction between perceived quality
and customer satisfaction, but there is an empirical distinction as well. That is, the
covariance between the three manifest variables measuring ACSI is larger than the
covariance between ACSI and any other latent variable in the system.
The nomological validity of the ACSI model can be examined by: (1) latent variable
covariance accounted for by the model, and (2) the proportion of the variance of the latent
variables explained in the model (R2). On average, the structural model accounts for 94% of
the latent variable covariance structure. The average R2 of the customer satisfaction
equation in the model is 0.75. In addition, all of the coefficients relating the latent variables
to one another within the model have, in general, the expected sign. All but a few are, on
average, statistically significant.
When dealing with measures of customer satisfaction, there are several threats to validity.
The most serious of these is the skewness of the data’s distribution. That is, in customer
satisfaction measurement, respondents tend to disproportionately select the higher scores on
the scale, resulting in non-normal left-skewed data. Skewness is addressed by using a fairly
high number of scale categories (1−10) and by using a multiple-indicator approach (Fornell,
1992 and 1995). It is an established fact that validity typically increases with the use of
more categories (Andrews, 1984), and it is particularly so when the respondent has good
knowledge about the subject matter and when the distribution of responses is highly skewed.
An index of satisfaction is much preferred over a categorization of respondents as either
“satisfied” or “dissatisfied.” Satisfaction is a matter of degree—it is not a binary concept. If
18
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
measured as a binary concept, precision is low, validity is suspect, and predictive power is
poor.
3. Reliability
The reliability of a measure is determined by its signal-to-noise ratio. That is, reliability
indicates the extent to which the variation of a measure is due to the “true” underlying
phenomenon and not to random effects. High reliability is evident if a measure is stable
over time or equivalent with identical measures; that is, if the measure “behaves as it
should” (Fornell, 1992). Signal-to-noise in the items that make up the customer satisfaction
(ACSI) index (in terms of variances) is about 4 to 1.
4. Predictive Power and Financial Implications of ACSI
An important aspect of the ACSI model is its ability to predict economic returns. The
model includes two proxies for economic returns: (1) customer retention (estimated through
a nonlinear transformation of the repurchase intention variable), and (2) price tolerance or
reservation price. The manifest variables included in the customer satisfaction (ACSI) index
are weighted in such a way that these proxies for economic returns and ACSI are maximally
correlated (subject to certain constraints). Unless this kind of weighting is done, the index is
more likely to include features that may be satisfying to the individual consumer, but for
which he or she is not willing to pay.
A basic tenet underlying ACSI is that satisfied customers represent a real, albeit
intangible, economic asset to a company. By definition, an economic asset generates future
income streams to the owner of that asset. Therefore, if customer satisfaction is indeed an
economic asset, it should be possible to use ACSI for prediction of company financial
results. It is, of course, of considerable importance that the financial consequences of ACSI
are specified and documented. If it can be shown that ACSI is related to financial returns,
then the index has value.
To this end, faculty and doctoral students from around the world, as well as consultants
and other researchers in the private sector, have done considerable research on the linkage
between ACSI and economic returns, analyzing a variety of economic indicators in seeking
a relationship between ACSI and financial returns. The pattern from all of these studies
suggests a statistically strong and positive relationship between ACSI and economic
performance. Specifically:
19
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
•
There is a positive and significant relationship between ACSI and the market value of
common equity. When controlling for accounting book values of total assets and
liabilities, a five-unit gain (on the 0 to 100 scale used for ACSI) is associated with an
average of 15% increase in market value. Also, there are significant and positive
relationships between ACSI and market-to-book values and price/earnings ratios.
There is a negative relationship between ACSI and risk measures, implying that
companies with high loyalty and customer satisfaction have less variability and
stronger financial positions.
•
There is a strong relationship between levels of ACSI for companies and market
value added (MVA). Analysis shows that a single point of satisfaction (on the 0 to
100 ACSI scale) is worth approximately $1.1 billion for a firm in MVA. Companies
representing the top 25% in customer satisfaction measurement had average MVA of
$41.5 billion, while those in the bottom 25% averaged only $12.2 billion (Fornell,
2007).
•
There is a positive and significant relationship between ACSI and the long-term
adjusted financial performance of companies. Tobin’s q is generally accepted as the
best measure of long-term performance. It is defined as the ratio of a company’s
present value of expected cash flows to the replacement costs of its assets.
Controlling for other factors, ACSI has a significant relationship to Tobin’s q
(Mazvancheryl, Anderson, and Fornell, 2004).
•
A relationship between ACSI and stock market performance of individual firms has
been demonstrated using both back-tested and actual portfolios. This study showed
higher returns with lower systematic risk for companies that perform well in ACSI
(Fornell, Mithas, Morgeson, and Krishnan, 2005).
•
At the macro level, lagged ACSI predicts S&P’s 500 corporate earnings quite well.
Recent findings also suggest a similarly strong relationship between changes in ACSI
(lagged) and changes in consumer spending.
•
The ACSI scores of approximately 130 publicly traded companies display a
statistically positive relationship with the traditional performance measures used by
companies and security analysts (that is, return-on-assets, return-on-equity, priceearnings ratio, and the market-to-book ratio).
In sum, all of this evidence indicates that the ACSI methodology produces a useful
measure for customer satisfaction that is forward-looking, predictive of future success, and
relevant to a company’s and to the nation’s economic performance.
20
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
5. Coverage
ACSI covers a substantial portion of the U.S. economy. In terms of total revenues, the
companies in ACSI produce 50% of GDP. Given that ACSI measures only products and
services sold to household consumers in the domestic market, the proportion of GDP
actually measured drops to 41%. The economic sectors and industries covered are discussed
in Chapter III. Within each industry, the number of companies measured varies from 2 to
30. (See Appendix A, Companies and Government Services Evaluated by Customers in
ACSI.)
The national index and the indices for each industry and sector are reflective of the total
value (quality times sales) of products and services provided by companies at each
respective level of aggregation. Revenues relative to the industry total are used to determine
each company’s contribution to its respective industry index. In turn, relative revenues by
each industry are used to determine each industry’s contribution to its respective sector
index. To calculate the national index, the percentage contributions of each sector to GDP
are used to top-weight the sector indices. Mathematically, this is defined as:
F
Index for Industry i in Sector s at time t = Iist = ∑
f
S fist I fist
∑
F
f
S fist
I S I
Index for Sector s at time t = Ist = ∑ istI ist
i ∑ Sist
i
where
S fist = Sales by firm f , industry i , sector s at time t
I fist = Index for firm f , industry i , sector s at time t
and
F
Sist = ∑ S fist = Total Sales for Industry i at time t
f
I
Sst = ∑ Sist = Total Sales for Sector s at time t
i
ACSI is updated on a quarterly basis. During each quarter, new indices are estimated for
one or more sectors of the economy, with total replacement of all data (industries and
21
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
sectors) annually. The national index is comprised of the most recent estimate for each
sector, defined mathematically as:
National Index at time t = It =
T
S
∑∑
t =T −3
s
Sst Ist
T
∑∑S
t =T −3
S
s
st
where I st = 0 for all t in which the index for a sector is not estimated, and I st = I st for all
quarters in which an index is estimated. In this way, the national index represents company,
industry, and sector indices for the prior year.
6. Simplicity
Given the complexity of model estimation, ACSI maintains reasonable simplicity. All of
the latent variables are calibrated on a 0 to 100 scale. While the absolute values of ACSI are
of interest, much of the index’s value, as with most other economic indicators, is found in
changes over time, which can be expressed as percentages.
7. Diagnostics
As illustrated in the model specification graphics in Figures 1, 1a, and 2, the ACSI model
estimates the relationships between customer satisfaction and its antecedents as seen by the
customer (customer expectations, perceived quality, and perceived value). Also estimated
are the relationships between ACSI, customer loyalty (as measured by customer retention
and price tolerance), and customer complaints. ACSI generates information about levels of
satisfaction, expectations, and so forth, as well as the antecedents (causes) and consequences
(outcomes) of satisfaction. For example, it is possible to estimate the impact of product and
service reliability, the effect of increased customization (fitness for use), the role of
expectations, and the expected economic return-on-investment in customer satisfaction as
the result of improved customer retention.
There are, however, certain limitations with respect to diagnostics. Cassell (1993)
reports on the advantages of the approach chosen in ACSI to measure satisfaction at the
corporate rather than the leading-brand level in terms of unbiased estimates. This refers to
the manifest and latent variables, but not necessarily to the coefficients that relate the index
to causes and consequences. For the coefficients to be unbiased and consistent, the standard
statistical assumptions apply. Further, it is not realistic to believe that all diagnostics are
22
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
equally useful. For companies selling many different products to different markets, it is
obvious that any set of diagnostics that do not relate to specific brands are of limited value.
8. Comparability
A fundamental question is whether or not it is possible to compare the satisfaction levels
(ACSI scores) of different customers, companies, industries, and sectors. As evident from
welfare economics, any interpersonal comparison of utility is complicated, to say the least.
In ACSI, as in any measurement that relies on survey data, there is no way to be certain that
the questionnaire scales have the same meaning to each respondent. The ACSI
methodology addresses this difficulty by treating customer satisfaction as a latent
(unobservable) construct at a higher level of abstraction—a level where there is a basis for
comparing things that are fundamentally different (Johnson and Fornell, 1991). This is not
to suggest that such comparisons are without error. By using this method, however, the
error is reasonably small relative to what is gained. ACSI meets a reasonable criterion of
comparability (across individuals, companies, etc.). “Objective” factors such as degree of
industry concentration and heterogeneity in demand and supply can account for the variation
in the index. Results show that much of this variation across industries and sectors is, in
fact, accounted for by variables of industrial organization.
A further discussion of ACSI and results in its 1994 baseline year is given in Fornell,
Johnson, Anderson, Cha, and Bryant (1996). A ten-year history of ACSI is described in The
American Customer Satisfaction Index at Ten Years: ACSI 1994-2004, A Summary of
Findings: Implications for the Economy, Stock Returns and Management (Fornell,
VanAmburg, Morgeson, Anderson, Bryant, and Johnson, 2005). Scores for companies and
government services across all years of measurement are updated quarterly on the Web site:
www.theacsi.org.
D. THE ACSI EQUATIONS
The formal expression of the model depicted in Figure 1 can be written as a series of
equations estimated by partial least squares (PLS). The systematic part of the predictor
relationships is the conditional expectation of predictands for given values of predictors.
The general equation is thus specified as stochastic:
E[η |η , ξ ] = Βη + Γξ
23
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
where η′ = (η1, η2, ..., ηm) and ξ′ = (ξ1, ξ2, ..., ξn) are vectors of unobserved endogenous
and exogenous variables, respectively; B (m × m) is a matrix of coefficient parameters for η;
and Γ (m × n) is a matrix of coefficient parameters for ξ. This implies that
E[ηζ′] = Ε[ξζ′] = Ε[ζ] = 0, where ζ = η − Ε[η|η, ξ].
The equation that relates the latent variables in the model shown in Figure 1 is:
⎡η 1 ⎤ ⎡0
⎢η 2 ⎥ ⎢ β 21
⎢ ⎥ ⎢
⎢η 3 ⎥ = ⎢ β 31
⎢ ⎥ ⎢
⎢η 4 ⎥ ⎢0
⎢⎣η 5 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣0
0
0
β
0
0
32
0
0
0
0
0
43
0
0
53
β
β
β
54
0⎤
0⎥⎥
0⎥
⎥
0⎥
0⎥⎦
⎡η 1 ⎤ ⎡γ 11 α 1 ⎤
⎢η 2 ⎥ ⎢γ 21 α 2 ⎥
⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢
⎢η 3 ⎥ + ⎢γ 31 α 3 ⎥ [ξ 1] +
⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢
⎢η 4 ⎥ ⎢0 α 4 ⎥
⎢⎣η 5 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣0 α 5 ⎥⎦
⎡ζ 1 ⎤
⎢ζ 2 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ζ 3 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ζ 4 ⎥
⎢⎣ζ 5 ⎥⎦
where
ξ = Customer Expectations
η1 = Perceived Quality
η2 = Perceived Value
η3 = Customer Satisfaction (ACSI)
η4 = Customer Complaints
η5 = Customer Loyalty
The general equations for relating the latent variables to empirical variables are:
y = Λyη + ε
x = Λxξ + δ
where y′ = (y1, y2, ..., yp) and x′ = (x1, x2, ..., xq) are the measured endogenous and
exogenous variables, respectively. Λy (p × m) and Λx (q × n) are the corresponding
regression coefficient matrices. By implication from PLS estimation (Fornell and
Bookstein, 1982), we have E[ε] = E[δ] = E[ηε′] = E[ξδ′]= 0. The corresponding equations
in the model are:
24
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
⎡ x1 ⎤ ⎡ λ11 ⎤ ⎡δ 1 ⎤
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢ x 2 ⎥ = ⎢ λ21 ⎥ξ + ⎢δ 2 ⎥
⎢⎣ x 3 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ λ31 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣δ 3 ⎥⎦
and
⎡ y1 ⎤
⎢y ⎥
⎢ 2⎥
⎢ y3 ⎥
⎢y ⎥
⎢ 4⎥
⎢ y5 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ y6 ⎥ =
⎢ y7 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢ y8 ⎥
⎢y ⎥
⎢ 9⎥
⎢ y10 ⎥
⎢y ⎥
⎣ 11 ⎦
⎡ λ 11
⎢λ
⎢ 21
⎢λ 31
⎢
⎢ 0
⎢ 0
⎢
⎢ 0
⎢ 0
⎢
⎢ 0
⎢ 0
⎢
⎢ 0
⎢ 0
⎣
0
0
0
λ 12
λ 22
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
λ 13
λ 23
λ 33
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
λ 14
0
0
⎤
⎡ ε1 ⎤
⎥
⎢ε ⎥
⎥
⎢ 2⎥
⎥
⎢ε3 ⎥
⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎥ ⎡η 1 ⎤ ⎢ ε 4 ⎥
⎥ ⎢η 2 ⎥ ⎢ ε 5 ⎥
⎥⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎥ ⎢η 3 ⎥ + ⎢ ε 6 ⎥
⎥ ⎢η 4 ⎥ ⎢ ε 7 ⎥
⎥⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎥ ⎢⎣η 5 ⎦⎥ ⎢ ε 8 ⎥
⎥
⎢ε ⎥
⎥
⎢ 9⎥
λ 15 ⎥
⎢ε 10 ⎥
⎥
⎢ε ⎥
λ 25 ⎦
⎣ 11 ⎦
where:
x1 = Customer Expectations About Overall Quality
x2 = Customer Expectations About Reliability
x3 = Customer Expectations About Customization
y1 = Overall Quality
y2 = Reliability
y3 = Customization
y4 = Price Given Quality
y5 = Quality Given Price
y6 = Overall Satisfaction
y7 = Confirmation of Expectations
y8 = Distance to Ideal Product (Service)
y9 = Formal or Informal Complaint Behavior
y10 = Repurchase Intention
y11 = Price Tolerance (Reservation Price)
25
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Purpose, Modeling & Properties
E. THE ACSI FORMULA
The general form of ACSI is as follows:
ACSI =
E[ξ ] − Min[ξ ]
× 100
Max[ξ ] − Min[ξ ]
where ξ is the latent variable for customer satisfaction (ACSI) and E . , Min . , and Max .
denote the expected, the minimum, and the maximum value of the variable, respectively.
The minimum and the maximum values are determined by those of the corresponding
manifest variables
n
Min[ ξ ] = ∑ wi Min[ xi ]
i =1
and
n
Max[ ξ ] = ∑ wi Max[ xi ]
i =1
where xi’s are the manifest variables of the latent variable customer satisfaction, wi’s are the
weights, and n is the number of measurement variables. In calculating ACSI,
unstandardized weights must be used if unstandardized measurement variables are used.
In ACSI, there are three indicators for customer satisfaction that range from 1 to 10. The
calculation is then simplified to:
3
ACSI =
3
∑ wi x i − ∑ wi
i =1
i =1
3
9∑ w i
i =1
where wi’s are the unstandardized weights.
26
× 100
Selection of Sectors, Industries, Companies & Services
III. SELECTION OF ECONOMIC SECTORS,
INDUSTRIES, COMPANIES, AND
GOVERNMENT SERVICES
The selection of sectors, industries, companies, and government services is premised on
obtaining a representation of the U.S. economy that provides goods and services to
households by measuring companies with total sales which represent a significant
proportion of the GDP. In addition to U.S.-based companies that produce the nation’s GDP,
ACSI includes goods and services produced by foreign companies with major U.S. market
shares. For reasons of both efficiency and precision, analysis is at the aggregate company
level, rather than at the product or brand level (Cassel, 1993). The ACSI score for an
individual company thus reflects the proportional mix of its product and service offerings.
For government, analysis is at the level of certain services provided to specific segments of
the population.
ACSI includes ten sectors of the economy that sell to household consumers:
(1) Utilities, (2) Manufacturing/Nondurable Goods, (3) Manufacturing/Durable Goods,
(4) Retail Trade, (5) Transportation and Warehousing, (6) Information, (7) Finance and
Insurance, (8) Health Care and Social Assistance, (9) Accommodation and Food Services,
and (10) Public Administration. Additionally, ACSI measures two Internet-based groups of
industries whose companies are included in the prior sectors: e-business and e-commerce.
Government spending accounts for approximately 11% of GDP. ACSI includes federal
and local, but not state government. Local government is represented in ACSI by two
services that reach most of the public: solid waste disposal and police. Figure 3 shows the
sectors and industries measured in ACSI.
27
Figure 3.
The ACSI: National Economy, Sectors, and Industries*
Manufacturing/
Nondurable Goods
5.2%
Utilities
1.9%
- Food
manufacturing
Manufacturing/
Durable Goods
7.0%
- Soft drinks
- Breweries
- Cigarettes
Transportation &
Warehousing
3.0%
- Supermarkets
- Personal
computers
- Gasoline
stations
- Cellular
telephones
- Athletic
shoes
- Department
& discount
stores
- Electronics
(TV/VCR/DVD)
- Personal
care &
cleaning
products
- Specialty
retail stores
- Major
appliances
- Apparel
Information
5.5%
- Newspapers
Health Care &
Social Assistance
6.6%
Finance &
Insurance
7.7%
- Computer
software
- Health &
personal care
stores
- Pet food
- Energy
utilities
Retail Trade
7.3%
- U.S. Postal
Service
- Express
delivery
- Automobiles
& light
vehicles
*The percentage shown is the contribution of each sector to the GDP.
E-Business / E-Commerce is a portion of other sectors.
- Broadcasting
TV news
disposal
- Banks
- Hotels
- Life insurance
- Limited-service
restaurants
- Health
insurance
- Wireless
telephone
service
- Property &
casualty
insurance
E-Business/
E-Commerce**
- Police
- Hospitals
- Fixed line
telephone service
- Cable &
satellite TV
Accommodation &
Food Services
- Solid waste
2.6%
- Ambulatory
care
- Motion
pictures
- Airlines
Public
Administration
7.4%
- Full-service
restaurants
- Federal
agencies
- News &
information
- Portals & search
engines
- Retail & auctions
- Brokerage
- Travel
Questionnaires
IV. QUESTIONNAIRES
A. SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRES
There are multiple versions of questionnaires to screen respondents (for information
about selection of respondents, see Chapter V, Household Survey Sample). Different
versions of screening questionnaires are employed because product usage is determined
specifically; relevant time periods for purchase/usage vary; and all brand names must be
linked to parent companies. Table 4 shows the relevant time periods for qualifying
customers.
Table 4. Time Periods for Purchase and Use to Qualify as Customer
(All purchases must be new, not used)
Currently
• Have active checking account, savings account, or bank loan at a bank in
own name.
• Have life, homeowner’s, automobile, property/casualty, or health insurance in
own name.
• Have garbage and trash collection (solid waste disposal) provided by local
government (asked only of those living in metropolitan areas).
• Have telephone service in home or cellular service.
• Subscribe to cable or satellite TV service.
• Used an Internet service provider (ISP) to connect to the Internet.
• Have electric or natural gas service in home.
Within past week
• Read a newspaper that was subscribed to or purchased.
Within past month
• Purchased and consumed food (five categories).
• Purchased and smoked cigarettes (asked only if 21 or older).
• Purchased and consumed beer (asked only if 21 or older).
• Purchased and consumed soft drinks or pop.
• Own a dog or cat and purchased pet food.
• Watched a national network or cable TV news program.
Within past three months
• Purchased food or drinks from a coffee shop or fast food restaurant, or ordered pizza
for carry out or delivery.
• Purchased gasoline for own automobile.
• Shopped for groceries at a supermarket or other store.
• Purchased personal care or cleaning products (five categories).
• Shopped at a drugstore or pharmacy chain.
29
Questionnaires
•
•
•
Have a full-service brokerage account and made a financial transaction on
the Internet.
Purchased merchandise from an Internet retail or auction site.
Accessed a news and information site on the Internet.
Within past six months
• Shopped for merchandise (not groceries) at a department or discount store.
• Shopped at a warehouse club or store that specializes in selling only certain
products or goods.
• Dined at a full-service restaurant.
• Used a parcel delivery, overnight, or two-day mail delivery service for sending a
letter, a document, or a package.
• Visited a U.S. Post Office to buy stamps, pick up mail, or use any of the counter
services.
• Made a travel reservation through an Internet travel site.
Within past year
• Flew on a scheduled airline.
• Stayed overnight at a hotel or motel for business or pleasure.
• Went to a movie theater, rented or purchased a videotape or DVD, or watched a
movie on pay-per-view.
• Purchased apparel (multiple categories) or athletic shoes.
• Had experience with any U.S. federal government agency (broad definition of
experience including looking at Web site, talking with personnel by phone or in
person, receiving printed materials or brochures, visiting a site or office, or receiving
a check or benefit).
• Had an office visit with a healthcare professional.
• Purchased new computer software for home computer (not including home gaming
systems).
Within past two years
• Purchased a new cellular phone.
Within past three years
• Purchased a new personal computer for home.
• Purchased a new television or VCR/DVD player.
• Purchased a new major appliance such as washer, dryer, stove, refrigerator, or
dishwasher.
• Used hospital services (includes parents using services for their child).
• Had contact with local police (asked only of those living in metropolitan areas).
More than six months, but within three years
• Purchased or personally leased a new automobile, van, SUV, or light truck.
For examples of the screening questionnaires for the personal computer industry and for
the supermarket industry, see Appendix C, Example Screening Questionnaires and
Brand/Company Identification.
30
Questionnaires
B. BRAND/COMPANY IDENTIFICATION
Because customers often respond with a brand name rather than a company name when
asked about the purchase of goods or services, all of the brands produced by the companies
measured in ACSI are programmed into the computer-assisted-telephone-interviewing
(CATI) system. For many industries, customers may respond with a subsidiary name rather
than a parent company name (as with brand names, the CATI system links all subsidiary
names to parent companies). For a description of how brand and subsidiary names are
linked with company names, see Chapter VI, Data Collection via Telephone.
Highlighting and entering the brand in the CATI system automatically designates the
interview by company name, although the brand name appears on the interview screen for
all questions asked of the respondent. Examples of the brand and subsidiary lists for the
personal computer and supermarket industries are shown in Appendix C.
If the respondent answers with a brand name for a company not measured, the response is
coded under the “all others” category. The respondent is not administered the complete
questionnaire for the particular product, but only the three questions used in the ACSI score.
C. QUESTIONNAIRE
The satisfaction questionnaire items are shown in Chapter II, Table 2 and Table 3. These
items are the product of multiyear empirical testing in the United States. The private sector
questionnaire has had few modifications since the first wave of measurement in 1994. The
examples used in questionnaires are tailored to be relevant to each industry, but the basic
question format is constant across all industries. The generic questionnaires for interviews
for the private sector and government services are shown in Appendix D.
The number of substantive questions used in the ACSI models are as follows: 15 for
Figure 1 (private sector model), 18 for Figure 1a (expanded model), and 16 for Figure 2
(government services model). Respondents also are asked six demographic questions and,
on occasion, optional questions that are not used for modeling. Identification of the
respondent’s geographic location is coded from the sample. The substantive contents of the
questions are as follows:
31
Questionnaires
Questions Used for Private Sector Models (Figures 1 and 1a)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Three questions on customer’s expectations before purchase/use of
products/services.
Three questions on customer’s perceived quality based on actual experience with
products/services (overall quality, customization, reliability). (These are
expanded to six questions for the model in Figure 1a.)
Two questions on perceived value⎯price given quality and quality given price.
One question on overall satisfaction with products/services.
One question on products/services exceeding or falling short of expectations.
One question on comparison with ideal products/services.
One question on complaints.
One question on repurchase likelihood.
Two questions on price tolerance.
ACSI is comparable across industries, as the questions are the same for each. Examples
that the interviewers provide to illustrate quality, customization, and reliability are
customized by industry to make these questions relevant to the specific product or service.
Questions Used for Government Services and
Nonprofit Organization Model (Figure 2)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
One question on user’s expectations before use of services.
Eight questions rating four activities that drive perceptions of quality:
information, process, customer service, and Web site.
One question on user’s perceived quality based on actual experience with
services.
One question on overall satisfaction with services.
One question on services exceeding or falling short of expectations.
One question on comparison with ideal services.
One question on complaints.
Two questions on user trust: confidence in agency doing good job in future and
willingness to recommend agency.
32
Household Survey Sample
V. HOUSEHOLD SURVEY SAMPLE
A. HOUSEHOLD SAMPLE AND TELEPHONE NUMBER
SELECTION
This chapter discusses the random selection of adults and the identification of customers
of specific products and services in households.
1. Selection of Household Numbers for Screening
The universe from which the sample is drawn for private sector companies and
government agencies is households with telephones in the continental United States.
Numbers to be dialed are selected using Genesys CSS, the sample design and generation
system offered by Marketing Systems Group (Marketing Systems Group, 2004).
Interviewing is done quarterly, with data collected for one or more of the ten measured
economic sectors each quarter. Regional samples are selected and screened for customers of
companies that have regional markets (for example, energy utilities and cable television
service).
Creation of the Random-Digit Database
A modified Epsem (equal probability of selection method) is used to select numbers to be
dialed. Replicate samples are screened successively to maintain national (or regional)
representation for companies with both high and low incidence of purchase. The same RDD
method is used for national replicates and for the targeted regional RDD samples. RDD
includes listed and unlisted telephones.
Samples are generated using a database of “working blocks,” prescreened to remove
identifiable nonresidential numbers. A block (also known as a 100-bank or a bank) is a set
of 100 contiguous numbers identified by the first two digits of the last four digits of a
telephone number. For example, in the telephone number 255-4200, “42” is the block, and
4200-4299 are the numbers in it. A block is termed to be working if one or more listed
telephone numbers are found in that block.
Each exchange is assigned to a single county. Nationally, about 72% of all exchanges
appear to fall totally within single-county boundaries. For those overlapping county and/or
state lines, the exchanges are assigned to the county of plurality or the county with the
highest number of listed residents within the exchange. This assignment prevents
overrepresentation of these exchanges.
33
Household Survey Sample
Sample Stratification
Samples are generated using stratified sampling procedures. A separate sample is
selected from the sampling units in each stratum. The database used has been stratified
by county.
Prior to sample selection, the sample is allocated proportionally across all strata in the
defined geography using several frame adjustment options. The sampling frame determines
the way a sample is distributed across geography at the county level.
The sample is distributed by county in proportion to the total active blocks (with one
or more listed numbers) in the exchanges assigned to that county. Rather than being an
estimate of target population, all frame units are represented with equal probability across
counties. Active blocks in each exchange are counted with each database update. The
number of active blocks in an exchange is multiplied by 100 (the number of possible
ten-digit telephone numbers in a block) to calculate the total possible phone numbers.
Sample is allocated to each county in proportion to its share of these possible ten-digit
telephone numbers.
Sample Selection
After the sample has been allocated, sample selection is made. Samples of random
numbers are systematically selected with equal probability across all eligible blocks. All
blocks within a county are organized in ascending order by area code, exchange, and block
number.
Once the quota has been allocated to all counties in the frame, a sampling interval is
calculated for each county by summing all the eligible blocks in the county and dividing that
sum by the number of sampling points assigned to the county. From a random start between
zero and the sampling interval, blocks are systematically selected from each county. Once a
block has been selected, a two-digit random number in the range of 00 to 99 is appended to
the exchange and block to form a ten-digit telephone number.
Telephone numbers selected for use are marked on the database to protect against reuse
in the same calendar year.
Dual-Sample Frame for Manufacturing/Durable Goods
Currently, a dual-sample frame is used for the Manufacturing/Durable Goods sector.
This is because of the enormous number of households that need to be screened to identify
and interview purchasers (within the last three years) of companies with low market shares
in the automobile and light vehicle industry. The dual frame consists of both RDD national
34
Household Survey Sample
samples, as used for the other sectors of the economy, and purchased lists of automotive
vehicle owners.3 The vehicle owners also are eligible to be screened for purchase and use of
other products and services measured in ACSI.
Throughout interviewing for the Manufacturing/Durable Goods sector, the sample from
each frame is monitored for demographic characteristics to ensure that similar types of
customers are interviewed in each frame.
2. Household Sample Size
There is no fixed sample size for initial screening of households. There is a quota of 250
customer interviews per company and 1,500 for federal agencies combined. For only a few
companies and services with low incidence, fewer than 250 interviews may be completed.
3. Callbacks and Household Substitution
If the household is not reached on the initial call, three callbacks are made on different
days at different time periods. If no contact is made after this total of four attempts, a
substitute number is selected and the process is repeated. All telephone interviewing is
conducted from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. Scheduled callbacks can be completed from
8 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time, upon request from the respondent.
B. SELECTION OF DESIGNATED RESPONDENT WITHIN
HOUSEHOLD
Eligible respondents for screening are defined as adults 18 or over, with the exception of
the brewery (beer) and cigarette industries, where only those 21 and older are eligible. The
adult to be interviewed is selected randomly by asking for the adult with the most recent
birthday. No substitution of respondent within the household is allowed. If that respondent
is unreachable or unwilling, a new household is dialed.
C. SCREENING HOUSEHOLD RESPONDENTS TO IDENTIFY
QUALIFIED CUSTOMERS
The designated respondent is qualified as a customer using questions about the purchase
of products and services within specified time periods for up to ten industries. No single
3
Lists of licensed vehicle registrations from the 37 states from which such information is available (plus the District of
Columbia) are purchased from R.L. Polk (Southfield, Michigan).
35
Household Survey Sample
respondent is interviewed about more than three companies (none of which are competing in
the same industry or product category).
Once a respondent qualifies as the customer of three measured companies, screening is
discontinued. If the respondent qualifies for one or two out of ten, he or she is interviewed
about the products or services of these companies. If the respondent does not qualify as a
customer for three measured companies, but has purchased goods or services from another
company within the industries for which he or she was screened, the respondent is asked
three satisfaction questions about that company. These interviews are aggregated within
each industry as “all others.” Qualification as a customer is based on purchase/usage during
the time periods shown in Chapter IV, Table 4, and the questions shown in Appendix B,
ACSI Industry Definitions and Customer Identification.
There are multiple screening questionnaires to cover the measured industries. If more
than ten industries are measured during the quarterly field interviewing period, ten are
selected to start. As the quota of interviews for an industry is filled, the screening
questionnaire for that industry is dropped and one for another industry is added. Once the
number of companies for which the respondent qualifies is determined, the interviewer then
proceeds with the customer satisfaction questionnaire for each of these.
Standard errors and confidence intervals for companies are based on the completed
sample size. Because all latent constructs used in the ACSI model are weighted averages of
multiple questions, the final measures have more precision than single questions have with
these sample sizes (see Chapter II, Section C-1, “Precision”).
D. INTERVIEW RESULTS: RESPONSE AND COOPERATION
RATES
In the year from the fourth quarter of 2006 through the third quarter of 2007, ACSI
telephone interviewers completed 57,739 interviews with 35,698 customer respondents (an
average of 1.6 company interviews per respondent).
To standardize the reporting of random-digit-dial telephone survey results, the American
Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) has produced Standard Definitions:
Final Dispositions of Case Codes and Outcome Rates for Surveys (American Association of
Public Opinion Research, 2008).
The ACSI methodology is unusual among surveys for several reasons. First, the design
calls for four attempts (initial call and three callbacks at different times of day and on
different days) on each sampled phone number rather than an unlimited number of calls.
36
Household Survey Sample
Second, a randomly selected adult in the household is then screened to determine if he/she
has been the customer of specific companies within specific time periods. Many potential
respondents do not qualify as customers within these definitions. Third, interviews for any
company are discontinued once a quota of 250 interviews is completed. This means that
many attempted interviews (62,349) on which one, two, or three calls have been made were
not pursued to completion. Call results, therefore, do not closely fit AAPOR categories.
Appendix E, Response and Cooperation Rates reports the disposition of each of the sampled
telephone numbers that produced the interviews.
Using AAPOR standards, the Cooperation Rate is an excellent 91.6% and the Response
Rate (RR3) is 24.3%. The calculations of these are shown in Appendix E.
E. PROFILE OF INTERVIEWED CUSTOMERS
Appendix F gives a demographic profile of interviewed customers. The sample, screened
to purchasing adults in telephone households,4 has expected differences from all adults in
telephone households in the direction of having higher socioeconomic characteristics of
education and income and less representation of non-whites. The higher proportion of
females (62% versus 51% in the total population) is partially attributable to the mix of
companies measured in ACSI. Many of these produce household and food products
purchased disproportionately by women.
4
According to the National Health Interview Survey (CDC/National Center for Health Statistics, 2008), by late 2007
an estimated 15.8% of households did not have a landline telephone, but did have one or more cellular telephones. ACSI
and Market Strategies International researchers ran a test with samples of cell phone and landline phone respondents to see
if the two samples produced different ACSI scores for two companies (Bryant et al., 2008). The differences were not
significant. Users of the two phone types will be monitored again in future years.
37
Telephone Data Collection
VI. DATA COLLECTION VIA TELEPHONE
The National Quality Research Center, Ross School of Business, works closely with its
telephone sampling and interviewing sources (currently Market Strategies International) to
fulfill the unusual interviewing requirements called for by the ACSI sampling design
described in the previous chapter.5 The interviewing requirements are unusual because of
the need to screen households to identify customers of about 200 companies, as well as users
of specific government agencies, and to maintain nationally (or regionally) representative
samples of the customers. Both industries and companies have greatly varying incidence of
usage in U.S. households. This incidence ranges from 100% use of the U.S. Postal Service
to a far lower percentage of adults who have stayed within the past year at one of several
hotel chains with low household penetration and market share.
Most respondents in ACSI are identified by telephone screening. This screening is made
more complex because many customers respond with brand names or subsidiary/
divisional names of companies rather than with parent company names. A further
complexity is that a qualified respondent can be a customer for a product or service from
more than one industry, and is thus eligible for interview about more than one company (up
to a maximum of three).
To accommodate these requirements, the computer-assisted-telephone-interviewing
(CATI) system and the database created during interviewing are programmed and designed
to have the following capabilities:
1. Assign multiple screening questionnaires and multiple company interview questionnaires
to each designated respondent.
•
A respondent is administered only a portion of possible screening questionnaires
(maximum ten). As interviews for each industry are completed, the screening
questionnaire for another industry is added.
•
A respondent is eligible for interviews in a maximum of three industries, but only for
one company within any industry. He or she may not be interviewed more than once
for the same company if it is measured in another industry.
•
The quota of company interviews for some industries in the Manufacturing/
Nondurable Goods sector can be filled by multiple products from multiple screenings.
For example, both General Mills and Sara Lee Corporation have products in several
5
As a public university, The University of Michigan periodically issues competitive bid requests for sampling and
interviewing.
38
Telephone Data Collection
categories in the food manufacturing industry and the Colgate-Palmolive Company
has products in several categories in the personal care and cleaning products industry.
•
A respondent who does not qualify as a customer of one of the measured companies,
but has purchased or used the products or services for which screened from another
company, can be administered the three ACSI satisfaction questions about the “other
company” (if this respondent has not already been interviewed for a maximum of
three companies).
•
Demographic questions are asked of a responding customer only once, but can be
linked to each company interview that the customer completes.
2. Fill interview quotas for low-incidence companies.
•
Screen respondents for use of products or services of industries with varying
incidence of use.
•
Identify respondent purchases from specific companies with varying market shares.
•
Within industries, if a respondent is a customer for products or services from more
than one company, select the company with the lowest market share as the subject of
the interview.
3. Associate product, brand, and subsidiary names with parent companies.
•
A specialized database includes all identifiable brand names and subsidiaries of each
measured company. This database is incorporated in the CATI program for ACSI.
Names associated with the companies in each industry come up on the screen for
interviewer use (see examples for the personal computer and supermarket industries
in Appendix C, Example Screening Questionnaires and Brand/Company
Identification). Over 5,000 brand and subsidiary names are in the database, which is
updated every quarter. The brand database was initialized using the Brands and
Their Companies database of Gale Research, Inc. (Southfield, Michigan). It is
updated at the start of each interviewing period by checking the Web pages of
measured companies and by using sources such as business media reports on
acquisitions and mergers and company annual reports.
•
The program allows the customer being interviewed to identify to the interviewer
which product or brand he or she purchased, and the brand database associates the
brand with the parent company.
39
Telephone Data Collection
•
The program inserts the name of the brand or subsidiary identified by the responding
customer into the company interview questionnaire so that the linkage is transparent
to the customer who is then interviewed using the specific brand or subsidiary name.
4. Monitor representativeness of sample for each industry throughout interviewing period.
•
Demographics are tracked and reviewed weekly throughout the field interviewing
period. Because both list and random-digit-dial (RDD) samples are used for the
Manufacturing/Durable Goods sector, demographics of each sample are tracked
separately and in combination. Interviewing is switched over to RDD only if the list
sample shows beyond expected deviations from the demographics of the RDD
sample.
Interviews for the baseline 1994 American Customer Satisfaction Index were conducted
simultaneously for all sectors, industries, and companies between May 10 and July 22, 1994.
Since then, interviews have been conducted quarterly for one or more sectors per quarter.
The annual field interviewing schedule is shown in Table 1, Chapter I, Introduction.
40
Internet Data Collection
VII. E-BUSINESS AND E-COMMERCE SAMPLES
AND DATA COLLECTION VIA INTERNET
In 2000, the American Customer Satisfaction Index was expanded to add measurement of
customer satisfaction with companies that sell products and services on the Internet. These
companies are in two e-business industries (news and information, portals and search
engines) and in three e-commerce industries (retail and auctions, brokerage, travel). Internet
interviewing is appropriate for obtaining customer evaluations for these Internet-based
companies.
A. SAMPLE SELECTION
Samples are drawn from the Survey Spot Panel developed and maintained by Survey
Sampling International (Survey Sampling International, 2004). Survey Spot is an online
panel with 1,226,295 active members 18 years or older in the United States. Respondents
give explicit permission to receive invitations for surveys and receive incentives via a
monthly cash drawing system that rewards respondents for participation in surveys,
regardless of whether they qualify for participation in a particular survey.
For ACSI, a series of random samples are drawn from the panel so as to match the age
and gender demographics of the population based on recent census data. The selected
individuals are then invited by e-mail to visit the MSInteractive Web site and complete the
survey. Invitations are sent out in three waves for each interview period, and reminder
e-mails are sent to nonresponders.
B. SCREENING TO QUALIFIED CUSTOMERS
During the screening process for the e-business and e-commerce interviews, individuals
are informed that they are not eligible to participate unless they are 18 and over and are U.S.
citizens. To qualify as a customer for any of the industries, the respondent has to have used
one of the measured companies or an “other” company in the industry.
41
Internet Data Collection
C. DATA COLLECTION VIA INTERNET
For e-business and e-commerce, the standard private sector ACSI questionnaire shown in
Appendix D is reformatted for screen display and ease of respondent use. Customers who
qualify on the basis of screening proceed through a series of screens on the Internet and
input responses to survey questions on their computers.
In 2007, 7,494 Internet interviews were conducted with 6,006 customer respondents
(an average of 1.2 company interviews). Internet interviewing results are reported in
Appendix E, Response and Cooperation Rates, following the tabulation of telephone
interviews.
42
References
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Tse, David K., and Peter C. Wilton (1988). “Models of Consumer Satisfaction Formation:
An Extension.” Journal of Marketing Research, 25 (May), 204-212.
Van Raaij, W. Fred (1989). “Economic News, Expectations, and Macro-Economic
Behavior.” Journal of Economic Psychology, 10 (December), 473-493.
Westbrook, Robert A., and Michael D. Reilly (1983). “Value-Percept Disparity: An
Alternative to the Disconfirmation of Expectations Theory of Consumer Satisfaction.” In
Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 10, Richard P. Bagozzi and Alice M. Tybout (eds.).
Ann Arbor, MI: Association for Consumer Research, 256-261.
45
References
Woodruff, Robert B., Ernest R. Cadotte, and Roger L. Jenkins (1983). “Modeling
Consumer Satisfaction Processes Using Experience-Based Norms.” Journal of Marketing
Research, 20 (August), 296-304.
Yi, Youjae (1991). “A Critical Review of Customer Satisfaction.” In Review of Marketing
1990, Valerie Zeithaml (ed.). Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 68-123.
46
Companies & Services in ACSI
APPENDIX A:
COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENT
SERVICES EVALUATED BY
CUSTOMERS IN ACSI
47
Companies & Services in ACSI
Companies and Government Services Evaluated by Customers in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
1
(millions $)
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
(millions $)
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(Estimated)
UTILITIES SECTOR
7,496
6,897
8,363
12,539
6,904
10,702
(Residential
revenue)
2,408
4,418
2,153
3,262
2,384
4,248
5,783
3,158
5,588
4,418
1,831
3,800
3,873
5,479
4,104
5,499
928
5,267
2,624
2,414
2,927
4,389
2,416
5,746
12,288
4,301
229
10,905
11,850
14,356
9,848
3,845
4,148
5,025
3,447
210
168
168
251
Total Energy Utilities
300,750
109,883
25,513
TOTAL UTILITIES SECTOR
300,750
109,883
25,513
Energy Utilities
Ameren Corporation
American Electric Power Company, Inc.
Atmos Energy Corporation
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
CMS Energy Corporation
Consolidated Edison, Inc.
Dominion Resources, Inc.
DTE Energy Company
Duke Energy Corporation
Edison International
Energy East Corporation
Energy Future Holdings Corp.
Entergy Corporation
Exelon Corporation
FirstEnergy Corp.
FPL Group, Inc.
MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company
National Grid plc (National Grid USA)
NiSource Inc.
Northeast Utilities
Pepco Holdings, Inc.
PG&E Corporation
PPL Corporation
Progress Energy, Inc.
Public Service Enterprise Group
Incorporated
Reliant Energy, Inc.
Sempra Energy
Southern Company
Xcel Energy Inc.
6,880
12,622
6,152
9,319
6,810
12,137
16,524
9,024
15,967
12,622
5,231
10,856
11,067
15,654
11,726
15,710
10,301
48
25,513
339
192
372
270
340
204
140
279
143
192
434
234
225
150
212
148
NL
Non-US
320
337
290
196
336
238
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
1
(millions $)
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
MANUFACTURING/NONDURABLE
GOODS SECTOR
Food Manufacturing (baked goods,
canned and packaged fresh foods,
cereal, confectionery, meat and
cheese)
Campbell Soup Company
ConAgra Foods, Inc.
Dole Food Company, Inc.
General Mills, Inc.
H.J. Heinz Company
The Hershey Company
Kellogg Company
Kraft Foods Inc.2
Mars, Incorporated
Nestlé USA, Inc. (Nestlé S.A.)
Quaker (PepsiCo, Inc.)
Sara Lee Corporation
Tyson Foods, Inc.
*
18,539
25,559
5,004
8,078
2,708
9,800
2,600
3,955
8,180
23,118
7,200
21,400
1,757
5,263
23,459
126,741
122,522
Del Monte Foods Company
Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. (Colgate-Palmolive
Company)
The Iams Company (The Procter &
Gamble Company)
Mars, Incorporated
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company
(Nestlé S.A.)
3,309
542
604
*
1,713
200
*
3,945
25
*
1,800
NL
Total Pet Food
Total Food Manufacturing
7,778
14,172
5,871
11,640
9,331
4,944
10,907
*
18,000
69,208
311
173
367
213
269
453
232
64
NL
Non-US
63
125
86
69,208
Pet Food
6,644
*
3,309
14,644
0
Cadbury Schweppes plc
The Coca-Cola Company3
3,129
24,568
11,219
43,892
PepsiCo, Inc.4
51,839
23,333
Total Soft Drinks
95,731
51,030
Non-US
Soft Drinks
49
11,219
Non-US
94+118
63+191+5
31
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
1
(millions $)
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
Breweries
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
Miller Brewing Company (SABMiller plc)
Molson Coors Brewing Company
15,717
15,307
5,903
7,796
4,898
2,620
Total Breweries
21,620
15,314
15,307
Philip Morris USA Inc. (Altria Group, Inc.)
Reynolds American Inc.
70,324
8,510
18,474
8,510
Total Cigarettes
78,834
26,984
4,994
4,743
4,193
4,994
7,034
3,596
4,553
2,091
3,596
5,627
25,958
19,463
0
adidas AG
NIKE, Inc.
1,886
5,998
7,859
14,955
Total Athletic Shoes
14,955
7,884
7,859
146
Non-US
386
Cigarettes
23
288
0
Apparel (casual clothes, jeans and
sportswear, underwear and hosiery)
Hanesbrands Inc.
Jones Apparel Group, Inc.
Levi Strauss & Co.
Liz Claiborne, Inc.
VF Corporation
Total Apparel
NL
470
510
451
352
Athletic Shoes
50
Non-US
158
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
1
(millions $)
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
(millions $)
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(Estimated)
Personal Care & Cleaning Products
(cleaners, laundry detergent, shampoo,
soap, toothpaste)
The Clorox Company
Colgate-Palmolive Company
The Dial Corporation (Henkel KGaA)
The Procter & Gamble Company
Unilever
Total Personal Care & Cleaning
Products
TOTAL
MANUFACTURING/NONDURABLE
GOODS SECTOR
4,660
12,238
4,194
5,508
1,109
32,283
9,816
14,181
85,120
52,910
68,594
452,268
310,751
172,187
68,222
51
54,413
475
200
Non-US
25
Non-US
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
1
(millions $)
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
MANUFACTURING/DURABLE GOODS
SECTOR
Personal Computers
Apple Inc.
Dell Inc.
Gateway, Inc.
Hewlett-Packard Company
Hewlett-Packard
Compaq
19,315
57,095
3,981
91,658
2,454
14,600
3,663
12,559
121
34
529
14
Total Personal Computers
172,049
33,276
0
Motorola, Inc.
Nokia Corporation
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
43,739
10,104
1,976
5,900
40,496
141,421
Total Cellular Telephones
43,739
17,980
181,917
TV, VCR, DVD aggregated
0
32,430
32,430
Total Electronics (TV/VCR/DVD)
0
32,430
32,430
AB Electrolux
General Electric Company
Whirlpool Corporation
1,629
5,536
11,752
157,600
168,307
18,080
Total Major Appliances
186,387
18,917
157,600
Cellular Telephones
52
Non-US
Non-US
Electronics (TV/VCR/DVD)
Non-US
Major Appliances (washer, dryer,
stove, refrigerator, dishwasher)
52
Non-US
6
127
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
1
(millions $)
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
(millions $)
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(Estimated)
Automobiles & Light Vehicles
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW)
DaimlerChrysler AG
Chrysler
Dodge
Jeep
Mercedes-Benz
Ford Motor Company
Ford
Lincoln, Mercury
General Motors Corporation
Buick
Cadillac
Chevrolet
GMC
Pontiac
Saturn Corporation
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Hyundai Motor Company
Kia Motors Corporation
Mazda Motor Corporation
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Toyota Motor Corporation
Toyota
Lexus
Volkswagen AG
13,691
160,126
*
*
192,604
*
*
*
*
*
56,766
*
*
25,544
66,300
*
*
115,983
*
*
*
*
*
*
36,061
17,291
4,703
7,003
24,053
57,307
55,255
177,395
*
*
*
*
7
3
84,218
57,636
15,676
24,830
80,178
179,083
Non-US
Non-US
Non -US
Non-US
Non-US
Non-US
16,253
112,826
Non-US
Total Automobiles & Light Vehicles
352,730
440,955
787,097
TOTAL MANUFACTURING/DURABLE
GOODS SECTOR
754,905
543,558
1,159,044
53
Non-US
Non-US
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
1
(millions $)
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
RETAIL TRADE SECTOR
Supermarkets
The Kroger Co.
Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Safeway Inc.
SUPERVALU INC.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Whole Foods Market, Inc.
Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
66,111
21,820
40,185
19,864
*
5,607
7,878
66,111
21,820
36,167
19,864
80,202
5,271
7,878
161,465
237,313
43,814
17,271
47,409
43,814
17,271
47,409
108,494
108,494
0
Gasoline stations (aggregated)
191,650
383,300
191,650
Total Gasoline Stations
191,650
383,300
191,650
Total Supermarkets
26
107
56
117
1
411
305
0
Health & Personal Care Stores
CVS Caremark Corporation
Rite Aid Corporation
Walgreen Co.
Total Health & Personal Care Stores
51
134
44
Gasoline Stations
2+4+NonUS
Department & Discount Stores
Army and Air Force Exchange Service
(AAFES)
Dillard’s, Inc.
Dollar General Corporation
J.C. Penney Company, Inc.
Kohl’s Corporation
Macy’s, Inc.
Nordstrom, Inc.
Sears Holdings Corporation
Target Corporation
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
7,990
7,990
NL
7,849
9,170
19,903
15,544
28,711
8,561
53,012
59,490
351,139
7,849
9,170
19,903
15,544
28,711
7,761
47,826
59,490
160,382
307
273
116
152
76
286
38
33
1
Total Department & Discount Stores
561,369
364,626
54
0
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
1
(millions $)
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
Specialty Retail Stores
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
Best Buy Co., Inc.
Borders Group, Inc.
Circuit City Stores, Inc.
Costco Wholesale Corporation
The Gap Inc.
The Home Depot, Inc.
Lowe’s Companies, Inc.
Office Depot, Inc.
OfficeMax Incorporated
SAM’S CLUB (Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.)
Staples, Inc.
The TJX Companies, Inc.
Total Specialty Retail Stores
TOTAL RETAIL TRADE SECTOR
5,261
30,818
4,114
11,598
60,151
15,943
90,837
46,927
15,011
8,966
*
18,161
17,516
5,261
27,680
3,485
11,094
60,151
14,508
90,837
46,927
11,362
8,787
39,798
15,800
14,048
325,303
349,738
0
1,348,281
1,443,471
191,650
55
430
72
516
215
32
144
17
45
156
280
1
126
133
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
1
(millions $)
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
TRANSPORTATION & WAREHOUSING
SECTOR
Airlines
American Airlines (AMR Corporation)
Continental Airlines, Inc.
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Northwest Airlines Corporation
Southwest Airlines Co.
United Airlines (UAL Corporation)
US Airways Group, Inc.
22,563
13,128
17,171
12,586
9,086
19,340
11,557
22,563
13,128
17,171
12,586
9,086
19,340
11,557
105,431
105,431
U.S. Postal Service
72,004
64,114
Total U.S. Postal Service
72,004
64,114
FedEx Corporation
United Parcel Service, Inc.
U.S. Postal Service--Express & Priority
Mail
32,694
47,547
32,694
47,547
68
43
*
7,890
NL
Total Express Delivery
80,241
88,131
0
257,676
257,676
0
Total Airlines
101
186
136
195
276
120
216
0
U.S. Postal Service5
NL
0
Express Delivery
TOTAL TRANSPORTATION &
WAREHOUSING SECTOR
56
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
1
(millions $)
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
INFORMATION SECTOR
Newspapers
Newspapers (aggregate of Advance
Publications, Inc; Dow Jones & Company,
Inc.; Gannett Company, Inc.; McClatchy
Corp.; The New York Times Company;
Tribune Company)
NL+
896+302+
830+583+
413
24,938
24,938
24,938
24,938
Microsoft Corporation
44,282
19,578
Total Computer Software
44,282
19,578
22,474
22,474
22,474
22,474
Television/cable TV News (aggregated
nationally)
48,490
48,490
Total Broadcasting TV News
48,490
48,490
63,055
*
14,963
1,285
27
84
*
672
NL
5,833
13,923
93,221
4,346
6,275
33,300
NL
178
13
176,032
60,841
Total Newspapers
0
Computer Software
Motion Pictures (motion pictures,
video, DVD aggregated nationally)
Motion pictures (motion pictures, video,
DVD aggregated nationally)
Total Motion Pictures
49
0
0
Broadcasting TV News
64+165+4
8+88+6
0
Fixed Line Telephone Service
AT&T Inc.
Comcast Corporation
Cox Communications, Inc. (Cox
Enterprises, Inc.)
Embarq Corporation
Qwest Communications International Inc.
Verizon Communications Inc.
Total Fixed Line Telephone Service
57
0
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
1
(millions $)
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
Wireless Telephone Service
AT&T Inc.
Sprint Nextel Corporation
T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche
Telekom AG)
Verizon Communications Inc.
*
43,531
21,439
31,918
*
38,000
Total Wireless Telephone Service
43,531
105,437
5,613
25,700
5,613
24,415
409
84
6,722
6,050
NL
14,756
9,818
14,756
9,818
160
252
44,788
11,103
48
Total Cable & Satellite TV
107,397
71,755
0
TOTAL INFORMATION SECTOR
467,144
353,513
34,880
14,080
27
53
34,880
Non-US
13
34,880
Cable & Satellite TV
Charter Communications, Inc.
Comcast Corporation
Cox Communications, Inc.
(Cox Enterprises, Inc.)
The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
DISH Network Corporation
Time Warner Cable Inc. (Time
Warner Inc.)
58
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
1
(millions $)
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
FINANCE & INSURANCE SECTOR
Banks
Bank of America Corporation
Citigroup Inc.
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Wachovia Corporation
Wells Fargo & Company
117,017
146,777
99,973
46,810
47,979
41,691
8,390
6,419
15,700
4,920
9
8
11
46
41
Total Banks
458,556
77,120
53,275
28,365
53,275
28,365
37
78
20,726
20,726
112
32,488
32,488
66
134,854
134,854
Aetna Inc.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
WellPoint, Inc.
25,569
256,537
71,542
58,953
25,569
256,537
71,542
58,953
Total Health Insurance
412,601
412,601
35,769
35,769
0
Life Insurance
MetLife, Inc.
New York Life Insurance Company
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance
Company
Prudential Financial, Inc.
Total Life Insurance
0
Health Insurance
85
NL
21
35
0
Property & Casualty Insurance
The Allstate Corporation
Farmers Group, Inc. (Zurich Financial
Services)
GEICO (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.)
The Progressive Corporation
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance
Company
Total Property & Casualty Insurance
TOTAL FINANCE & INSURANCE
SECTOR
3,494
61
67,186
Non-US
98,539
14,786
6,419
14,786
12
159
60,528
60,528
31
209,622
120,996
67,186
1,215,633
745,571
67,186
59
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
1
(millions $)
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
HEALTH CARE & SOCIAL
ASSISTANCE SECTOR
Ambulatory Care
Ambulatory care (aggregated nationally)
626,548
626,548
Total Ambulatory Care
626,548
626,548
Hospitals (aggregated nationally)
627,812
627,812
Total Hospitals
627,812
627,812
0
1,254,360
1,254,360
0
Hospitals
TOTAL HEALTH CARE & SOCIAL
ASSISTANCE SECTOR
60
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
1
(millions $)
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
ACCOMMODATION & FOOD SERVICES
SECTOR
Hotels
Best Western International, Inc.
Choice Hotels International, Inc.
Global Hyatt Corporation
Hilton Hotels Corporation
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
Marriott International, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Worldwide, Inc.
Wyndham Worldwide Corporation
2,080
35,228
2,418
8,162
12,160
1,114
5,472
1,414
6,530
4,571
9,728
5,979
4,874
381
3,842
2,897
546
Total Hotels
69,869
36,600
2,048
1,437
9,561
162
1,150
977
842
NL
262
6,530
NL
NL
NL
296
Non-US
203
6,530
Limited-Service Restaurants
Burger King Holdings, Inc.
Domino’s Pizza, Inc.
KFC Corporation (YUM! Brands, Inc.)
Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. (Ilitch
Holdings, Inc.)
McDonald’s Corporation
Papa John’s International, Inc.
Pizza Hut, Inc. (YUM! Brands, Inc.)
Starbucks Corporation
Taco Bell Corp. (YUM! Brands, Inc.)
Wendy’s International, Inc.
1,500
1,500
NL
21,586
1,002
*
7,787
*
3,660
10,793
805
794
6,152
1,176
2,928
108
NL
262
310
262
562
Total Limited-Service Restaurants
48,581
26,437
61
0
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
1
(millions $)
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
Full-Service Restaurants
Chili’s Grill & Bar (Brinker
International, Inc.)
Olive Garden (Darden Restaurants, Inc.)
Outback Steakhouse (OSI Restaurant
Partners, Inc.)
Red Lobster (Darden Restaurants, Inc.)
Total Full-Service Restaurants
TOTAL ACCOMMODATION & FOOD
SERVICES SECTOR
4,260
2,599
502
5,721
2,790
404
3,941
2,674
535
*
2,600
404
13,922
10,663
0
132,372
73,700
6,530
62
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
1
(millions $)
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION SECTOR
Local Government
Solid Waste Disposal
(Comes under Sector 56: Administrative
and Support and Waste Management and
Remediation Services)
Police
18,020
18,020
62,832
62,832
Total Local Government
80,852
80,852
Federal agencies6
131,947
131,947
Total Federal Government
131,947
131,947
0
TOTAL PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
SECTOR
212,799
212,799
0
0
Federal Government
63
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
1
(millions $)
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
E-BUSINESS
News & Information
ABCNEWS.com (The Walt Disney
Company)
CNN.com (Time Warner Inc.)
MSNBC.com (NBC Universal, Inc.;
Microsoft Corporation)
NYTimes.com (The New York Times
Company)
USATODAY.com (Gannett Co., Inc.)
34,285
512
64
*
253
48
*
1,567
6+49
3,447
47
583
8,033
72
302
44,788
6,229
10,605
*
6,246
6,334
327
10,605
2,274
6,246
48
345
241
49
357
113,633
28,237
Portals & Search Engines
AOL LLC (Time Warner Inc.)
Ask.com (IAC/InterActiveCorp)
Google Inc.
MSN (Microsoft Corporation)
Yahoo! Inc.
TOTAL E-BUSINESS
64
0
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
1
(millions $)
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(millions $)
(Estimated)
E-COMMERCE
Retail & Auctions
Amazon.com, Inc.
eBay Inc.
Netflix, Inc.
Newegg, Inc.
Overstock.com, Inc.
10,711
5,970
997
1,500
788
5,869
4,149
997
1,500
799
237
383
NL
NL
NL
*
3,945
*
2,139
862
2,420
2,148
2,139
389
545
NL
821
2,238
752
1,123
2,014
752
685
800
NL
NL
2,824
664
678
32,987
24,998
Brokerage
The Charles Schwab Corporation
E*TRADE Financial Corporation
Fidelity Investments (FMR LLC)
TD AMERITRADE Holding Corporation
Travel
Expedia, Inc.
Orbitz Worldwide, Inc.
priceline.com, Incorporated
Travelocity.com L.P. (Sabre Holdings
Corporation)
TOTAL E-COMMERCE
65
0
Companies & Services in ACSI
2006 Total
Revenues of
US
Companies
1
(millions $)
2006
Revenues in
US domestic
market
segments
measured in
ACSI
Worldwide
Revenues of
non-US
Companies
(millions $)
Fortune
Rank by
Revenue,
April 30,
2007
(millions $)
(Estimated)
TOTAL MEASURED U.S. COMPANIES
AND AGENCIES
(millions of $)
6,542,808
5,358,517
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP)
(2006)
13,194,700
13,194,700
ACSI MEASURED COMPANIES AS %
OF GDP
49.6%
40.6%
WORLDWIDE TOTAL REVENUES OF
NON-US COMPANIES MEASURED IN
ACSI (millions of $)
1,656,990
1,656,990
1
The asterisks in the Total Revenue column indicate that a company’s total revenue is shown under a larger category
for that company.
2
Kraft spun off from Altria Group March 2007; company would have ranked 64th in Fortune for year 2006 if separate.
3
Soft drinks are the only product for which the product and the packaging are done by separate companies.
Revenues include The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola Enterprises.
4
Soft drinks are the only product for which the product and the packaging are done by separate companies.
Revenues include PepsiCo, PepsiAmericas, and Pepsi Bottling.
5
USPS monopoly mail and counter services are measured in the United States Postal Service industry. USPS’s
Express and Priority Mail are measured in the express delivery industry.
6
Federal government is 4% of GDP, but half of this is military. ACSI does not measure Office of the President,
Congress, and so forth.
SOURCES:
Annual reports of individual companies (most obtained in Thomson Research database).
Hooversonline.com.
Hoover’s Handbook of World Business, 2007.
Statistical Abstracts of the United States 2007.
“The Fortune 1000 Ranked Within Industries,” Fortune, April 30, 2007.
Standard & Poor’s Industry Surveys on S&P Netadvantage database.
66
Industry Definitions & Customer Identification
APPENDIX B:
ACSI INDUSTRY DEFINITIONS AND
CUSTOMER IDENTIFICATION
67
Industry Definitions & Customer Identification
ACSI INDUSTRY DEFINITIONS AND CUSTOMER IDENTIFICATION
Utilities Sector
Industry: Energy Utilities
Customer identified by these questions:
“Which company provides your electric service?”
“Do you have natural gas service?”
(IF YES) “Which company provides your natural gas service?”
Manufacturing/Nondurable Goods Sector
Industry: Food Manufacturing
Categories:
• baked goods (bread, cake, flour, cookies, crackers)
• cereal (cold or hot)
• confectionery products (chocolate, cocoa, chocolate candy)
• canned & packaged fresh foods (soup, canned vegetables or fruits, pickles, ketchup, packaged
salads, fresh vegetables or fruits with a brand name)
• meat & cheese (packaged cold meats, franks, sausage, poultry, cheese)
Customers identified by any of several questions:
“Have you purchased and consumed any baked goods, bread, cakes, flour, cookies, or crackers
in the last month?”
“Have you purchased and consumed cold or hot cereal in the last month?”
“Have you purchased and consumed chocolate, cocoa, or chocolate candy in the last month?”
“Have you purchased and consumed any canned goods such as soup, vegetables, fruits, pickles,
ketchup, or packaged salads with a brand name in the last month?”
“Have you purchased and consumed any cold meats, franks, sausage, poultry, or cheese in the
last month?”
Industry: Pet Food
Customers identified by two-part question:
“Does your household have a cat or a dog?”
(IF YES) “Which brands of pet food have you purchased for your dog or cat to eat in the last
month?”
Industry: Soft Drinks
Customers identified by question:
“Have you purchased and consumed soft drinks or pop in the last month?”
68
Industry Definitions & Customer Identification
Industry: Breweries
Customers identified by two-part question:
“Are you 21 years of age or older?”
(IF YES) “Have you purchased and consumed beer in the last month?”
Industry: Cigarettes
Customers identified by two-part question:
“Are you 21 years of age or older?”
“Have you purchased and smoked cigarettes in the last month?”
Industry: Apparel
Categories:
• casual clothes
• jeans & sportswear
• underwear & hosiery (underwear, pantyhose, hosiery, socks, tee-shirts, turtlenecks)
Customers identified by questions:
“Have you purchased casual clothes in the last year?”
“Have you purchased jeans or sportswear in the last year?”
“Have you purchased underwear, pantyhose, hosiery, socks, tee-shirts, or turtlenecks in the last
year?”
Industry: Athletic Shoes
Customers identified by question:
“Have you purchased athletic, running, or jogging shoes in the last year?”
Industry: Personal Care & Cleaning Products
Categories:
• cleaners (bleach, ammonia, cleansers, cleaning compounds)
• laundry detergent
• shampoo
• soap
• toothpaste
Customers identified by any of several questions:
“Have you purchased bleach, ammonia, cleansers, or cleaning compounds in the last three
months?”
“Have you purchased laundry detergent in the last three months?”
“Have you purchased shampoo in the last three months?”
“Have you purchased soap in the last three months?”
“Have you purchased toothpaste in the last three months?”
69
Industry Definitions & Customer Identification
Manufacturing/Durable Goods Sector
Industry: Personal Computers
Customers identified by question:
“Have you purchased a new personal computer for your home in the past three years?”
Industry: Cellular Telephones
Customers identified by question:
“Have you purchased a new cellular phone in the past two years?”
Industry: Electronics (TV/VCR/DVD)
Customers identified by either of two questions:
“Have you purchased a new television within the last three years for personal use?”
“Have you purchased a new VCR or DVD player within the last three years for personal use?”
(NOTE: TV/VCR/DVD combinations are recorded as DVD players.)
Industry: Major Appliances (washer, dryer, stove, refrigerator, dishwasher)
Customers identified by question:
“Have you purchased a new major appliance such as a washer, dryer, stove, refrigerator, or
dishwasher in the past three years?”
Industry: Automobiles & Light Vehicles
Customers identified by question:
“Have you purchased or personally leased a NEW automobile, van, SUV, or light truck between
six months and three years ago, which you still own?”
Retail Trade Sector
Industry: Supermarkets
Customers identified by question:
“Have you shopped for groceries at a supermarket or another store that sells a wide variety of
goods including groceries in the past three months?”
Industry: Health & Personal Care Stores
Customers identified by question:
“Have you shopped at a drug store or pharmacy store chain in the past three months?””
Industry: Gasoline Stations
Customers identified by question:
“Have you purchased gasoline for your automobile in the past three months?”
70
Industry Definitions & Customer Identification
Industry: Department & Discount Stores
Customers identified by question:
“Have you shopped at a department or discount store for merchandise NOT INCLUDING
GROCERIES in the past six months? By department or discount store, I mean a store selling a
wide variety of goods and arranged in several departments.”
Industry: Specialty Retail Stores
Customers identified by question:
“Within the past six months, have you shopped at a wholesale warehouse club, or a store that
specializes in selling only certain products or goods? Some examples of specialty stores are
those that mostly sell home improvement products, toys, electronics, computer products, office
products, pet supplies, clothes, books, music, and so forth.”
Transportation & Warehousing Sector
Industry: Airlines
Customers identified by question:
“Have you flown on a scheduled airline in the past year?”
Industry: U.S. Postal Service
Customers identified by question:
“Have you visited a U.S. Post Office in the past six months to buy stamps, pick up mail, or use
any of the counter services?”
Industry: Express Delivery
Customers identified by question:
“Have you used a parcel delivery, overnight, or two-day mail delivery service for sending a letter,
a document, or a package in the past six months?”
Information Sector
Industry: Newspapers
Customers identified by question:
“In the past week, have you read a newspaper, which you purchased or subscribed to?”
Industry: Computer Software
Customers identified by question:
“Have you purchased new computer software for your home computer in the past year? By
software, I mean any programs used for computer applications such as operating systems,
business applications, education, entertainment (including games), or other computer
applications, but not including software for home gaming systems, such as Xbox or Sony
PlayStation.”
71
Industry Definitions & Customer Identification
Industry: Motion Pictures
Customers identified by question:
“Have you been to a movie theater, rented or purchased a videotape or DVD, or watched a movie
on pay-per-view in the past year?”
Industry: Broadcasting TV News
Customers identified by question:
“In the past month, have you watched a national network or cable TV news program?”
Industry: Fixed Line Telephone Service
Customers identified by questions:
“Which company provides your LONG DISTANCE telephone service?”
“Which company provides your LOCAL telephone service?”
Industry: Wireless Telephone Service
Customers identified by question:
“Do you currently have cellular phone service?”
Industry: Cable & Satellite TV
Customers identified by question:
“Do you currently subscribe to a cable television or satellite television service?”
Finance & Insurance Sector
Industry: Banks
Customers identified by question:
“Do you have an active checking account, savings account, or bank loan in your name at a bank,
not a credit union?”
Industry: Life Insurance
Customers identified by question:
“Do you have life insurance in your own name?”
Industry: Health Insurance
Customers identified by question:
“Do you have healthcare insurance?”
Industry: Property & Casualty Insurance
Customers identified by question:
“Do you have homeowner’s insurance, or automobile insurance, or other property or casualty
insurance in your own name?”
72
Industry Definitions & Customer Identification
Health Care & Social Assistance Sector
Industry: Ambulatory Care
Customers identified by question:
“Within the past year, have you had an office visit with a healthcare professional, including visits
to clinics or urgent care centers but not including visits to hospital emergency rooms? By
healthcare professional I mean any physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner, dentist,
optometrist, mental health practitioner, physical, occupational, or speech therapist, or other
healthcare professional.”
Industry: Hospitals
Customers identified by question:
“Have you used the services of a hospital in the past three years?” (That includes a parent that
used the hospital services for a child.)
Accommodation & Food Services Sector
Industry: Hotels
Customers identified by question:
“Have you stayed overnight at a hotel or motel when traveling for business or pleasure in the
United States in the past year?”
Industry: Limited-Service Restaurants
Customers identified by question:
“Have you purchased food or drinks from a coffee shop or fast food restaurant or ordered pizza
for carry out or delivery in the past three months?”
Industry: Full-Service Restaurants
Customers identified by question:
“Have you dined at a full-service restaurant in the past six months?”
Public Administration Sector
Local Government
Solid Waste Disposal
Customers identified by the question:
“Does your local government provide your garbage and trash collection service?”
Police
Customers identified by question:
“Have you had any contact with your local police in the past three years—either asking your
police for information or help, being stopped for a traffic violation or some other violation, or any
other way in which you may have talked to police officers or the desk at a police station?”
73
Industry Definitions & Customer Identification
Federal Government
Federal Agencies
Customers identified by the questions:
“Not counting the Postal Service, have you had experience with any U.S. Government Federal
agencies in the past year? By experience we mean looking at the agency’s Web site, talking with
agency personnel by phone or in person, receiving the agency’s printed materials or brochures,
visiting an agency site or office, or receiving a check or a benefit.”
E-Business (online interviewing)
Customers for all industries are identified by the question:
“Are you a resident of the United States and 18 years old or older?”
Industry: News & Information
Customers identified by the question:
“Which of the following news and Information sites did you access in the past three months?”
Industry: Portals & Search Engines
Customers identified by the question:
“Which Internet service provider (ISP) do you typically use to connect to the Internet?”
E-Commerce (online interviewing)
Customers for all industries are identified by the question:
“Are you a resident of the United States and 18 years old or older?”
Industry: Retail & Auctions
Customers identified by the question:
“From which retailers or auction sites have you purchased merchandise on the Internet in the
past three months?”
Industry: Brokerage
Customers identified by the questions:
“From which firms do you have a full-service brokerage account?”
“Did you make a financial transaction such as buying stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, or receive
financial consulting/planning assistance from (NAME OF COMPANY) on the Internet in the past
three months?”
Industry: Travel
Customers identified by question:
“From which Internet travel company did you make a reservation (for a flight, hotel room or a
rental car, or any vacation travel package) in the past six months?”
74
Screening Questionnaires
APPENDIX C:
EXAMPLE SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRES
AND BRAND/COMPANY IDENTIFICATION
75
Screening Questionnaires
American Customer Satisfaction Index
Introduction
[ASK TO SPEAK TO PERSON RESIDING AT HOUSEHOLD WHO HAS HAD THE MOST RECENT
BIRTHDAY, BETWEEN 18 AND 84 YEARS OF AGE]
Hello, I’m _______________________________calling on behalf of the University of Michigan. We are
conducting research on how satisfied users are with products and services provided by federal government
agencies and private companies as part of the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Your name will be
confidential, and I will ask you only about products and services you have recently purchased and used.
Your participation is voluntary and poses no foreseeable risk to you. You may stop at any time or skip any
question you do not wish to answer. Your opinions are important because you have been chosen randomly
to represent consumers across the United States and your responses will be added to a growing database
of evaluations of customer satisfaction used by researchers, companies, and government agencies to
improve the products and services provided to you, the consumer.
____________________________________________________________________________
76
Screening Questionnaires
Sample ACSI Screening Questionnaire
Personal Computers
“Have you purchased a new personal computer for your home in the past 3 years?”
1
2
Yes
No
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
(IF YES)
“Which brand did you purchase?”
PROG. NOTE: Insert Company/Brand list
9999 Other (Specify)
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
77
Screening Questionnaires
Sample ACSI Screening Questionnaire
Supermarkets
“Have you shopped for groceries at a supermarket or another store that sells a wide variety of goods
including groceries in the past 3 months?”
3
4
Yes
No
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
(IF YES)
“Which supermarket or other store have you shopped for groceries at most frequently in the past 3
months?” (READ IF NECESSARY: “not including convenience stores.”) (IF MORE THAN ONE,
EMPHASIZE MOST FREQUENTLY)
PROG. NOTE: Insert Company/Brand list
9999
DK
REF
Other (Specify)
________________________________________________________________________
78
Screening Questionnaires
Sample ACSI Company/Brand Database
Personal Computers
The following is a list of personal computer brands linked to measured companies in the CATI
system by the ACSI Company/Brand Database for this industry.
Apple
Apple eMac
Apple iBook
Apple iMac
Apple MacBook
Apple MacBook Pro
Apple Macintosh
Apple Power Mac
Apple PowerBook
Compaq
Compaq Presario (All Models)
Compaq X Gaming PC
Dell
Dell Dimension (All Models)
Dell Inspiron (All Models)
Dell Latitude (All Models)
Dell Media Center
Dell Precision
Dell XPS
Dimension
eMac
eMachine (All Models)
Gateway
Gateway Convertible Notebook
Gateway Gaming PC (All Models)
Gateway Media Center (All Models)
Gateway Profile (All Models)
Gateway Tablet PC (All Models)
Hewlett-Packard
HP
HP Blade
HP Media Center (All Models)
HP Pavilion (All Models)
HP TouchSmart
iBook
iMac
Inspiron
Latitude
Mac
Mac mini
MacBook
MacBook Pro
Macintosh
Power Mac
PowerBook
Presario
Voodoo PC
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Hewlett-Packard-Compaq
Hewlett-Packard-Compaq
Hewlett-Packard-Compaq
Dell
Dell
Dell
Dell
Dell
Dell
Dell
Dell
Apple
Gateway
Gateway
Gateway
Gateway
Gateway
Gateway
Gateway
Hewlett-Packard-HP
Hewlett-Packard-HP
Hewlett-Packard-HP
Hewlett-Packard-HP
Hewlett-Packard-HP
Hewlett-Packard-HP
Apple
Apple
Dell
Dell
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Hewlett-Packard-Compaq
Hewlett-Packard-HP
79
Screening Questionnaires
Sample ACSI Company/Brand Database
Supermarkets
The following is a list of supermarket chains linked to measured companies in the CATI system by
the ACSI Company/Brand Database for this industry.
Acme Markets
Albertson’s
Baker’s
Bell Markets
Bigg’s
Bristol Farms
Cala Foods
Carr-Gottstein
Carrs
City Market
City Markets
Cub Foods
Dillon’s Food Stores
Dominick’s
Dominick’s Fresh Stores
Farm Fresh
Food4less
Foods Co.
Fred Meyer
Fresh Stores
Fry’s Food & Drug Stores
Fry’s Marketplace
Genuardi’s
Gerbes Supermarkets
Grocery Warehouse
Hilander
Hornbacher’s
Jay C
Jewel
Jewel-Osco
Kessel Food Markets
King Soopers
Kroger
Lucky Stores
Marketplace
Owen’s Market
Pavilions
Pay Less Super Markets
Pricerite
Publix
QFC (Quality Food Centers)
Quality Food Centers (QFC)
Ralphs
Randalls
Sack & Save
Safeway
Save Rite
Albertson’s LLC
Albertson’s LLC
The Kroger Company
The Kroger Company
SUPERVALU
Albertson’s LLC
The Kroger Company
Safeway
Safeway
The Kroger Company
Winn-Dixie Stores
SUPERVALU
The Kroger Company
Safeway
Safeway
SUPERVALU
The Kroger Company
The Kroger Company
The Kroger Company
Safeway
The Kroger Company
The Kroger Company
Safeway
The Kroger Company
Albertson’s LLC
The Kroger Company
SUPERVALU
The Kroger Company
Albertson’s LLC
Albertson’s LLC
The Kroger Company
The Kroger Company
The Kroger Company
Albertson’s LLC
Winn-Dixie Stores
The Kroger Company
Safeway
The Kroger Company
The Kroger Company
Publix Super Markets
The Kroger Company
The Kroger Company
The Kroger Company
Safeway
Winn-Dixie Stores
Safeway
Winn-Dixie Stores
80
Screening Questionnaires
Save-A-Lot
Scott’s Food
Shaw’s
Shop ‘N Save
Shoppers Food Warehouse
Simon David
Smith’s Food & Drug Centers
Star Markets
Super Saver
Supervalu
Tom Thumb Food & Drug Stores
Vons
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market
Wal-Mart Supercenter
Winn-Dixie
Winn-Dixie Marketplace
SUPERVALU
SUPERVALU
Albertson’s LLC
SUPERVALU
SUPERVALU
Safeway
The Kroger Company
Albertson’s LLC
Albertson’s LLC
SUPERVALU
Safeway
Safeway
Wal-Mart Stores
Wal-Mart Stores
Wal-Mart Stores
Winn-Dixie Stores
Winn-Dixie Stores
81
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
APPENDIX D:
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
MEASUREMENT QUESTIONNAIRES
82
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
ACSI Private Sector Questionnaire
(For input to models in Figures 1 and 1a)
NOTE: The questionnaire for most companies used for the model in Figure 1 is shown first; followed by a
section of six questions to be substituted for Q4, Q5, Q6 for the expanded model in Figure 1a in which
product quality and service quality are measured separately.
In the questionnaire where the words [SCREENER INSERT] appear, the CATI (computer-assistedtelephone-interviewing) program inserts the name of the company, product, brand, service, store,
restaurant, hotel, etc., that the respondent has named in response to the screener questions. Within a
specific question, once the [SCREENER INSERT] has been mentioned, second or third mentions may be
more generic wordings for the product/service/outlet category.
(To begin/Next), think back to before you purchased your [SCREENER INSERT] and remember your
expectations about that particular [SCREENER INSERT]. I am going to ask you three questions about
your expectations. The first concerns your expectations of the overall quality of your [SCREENER
INSERT]; the other two questions consider your expectations of specific requirements of the
[SCREENER INSERT], and your expectations of potential problems with the [SCREENER INSERT].
Each time we will use a scale of 1 to 10, although the meaning of the scale will change slightly from
question to question.
Let’s begin:
Q1.
Before you purchased [SCREENER INSERT], you probably knew something about this particular
[SCREENER INSERT]. Now, think back and remember your expectations of the overall quality of
the [SCREENER INSERT]. Please give me a rating on a 10-point scale on which “1” means your
expectations were “not very high” and “10” means your expectations were “very high.”
How would you rate your expectations of the overall quality of [SCREENER INSERT]?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
(ROTATE Q2 AND Q3)
Q2.
(Again/At that same time), you probably thought about things you personally require from a
[SCREENER INSERT], such as [INSERT PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES]. Using a 10-point scale on
which “1” now means “not very well” and “10” means “very well,” how well did you expect your
[SCREENER INSERT] to meet your personal requirements?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
83
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
Q3.
(Again/At the same time), thinking about your expectations before you purchased (or your recent
experiences with) [SCREENER INSERT] . . . you probably thought about how often things could
go wrong with the [SCREENER INSERT] regarding such things as [INSERT PRODUCT
ATTRIBUTES]. Using a 10-point scale, on which “1” now means “very often” and “10” means
“not very often,” how often did you expect that things could go wrong with your [SCREENER
INSERT]?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
Next, I want you to think about your actual experience with your [SCREENER INSERT]. I am going to
ask you five questions, the first deals with your overall experience with [SCREENER INSERT]. The next
two questions deal with how well the [SCREENER INSERT] met your personal requirements, and how
often things go wrong with [SCREENER INSERT]. The other two questions are about specific
characteristics of the product or service…
Q4.
First, please consider all your experiences in the past [INSERT TIME PERIOD FROM
SCREENER] with your [SCREENER INSERT]. Using a 10-point scale, on which “1” means “not
very high” and “10” means “very high,” how would you rate the overall quality of your
[SCREENER INSERT]?
1 TO 10 __________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
(ROTATE Q5 AND Q6)
Q5.
Now thinking about your personal requirements for a [SCREENER INSERT], such as [INSERT
PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES], please tell me how well your [SCREENER INSERT] has actually met
your requirements. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” now means “not very well” and “10”
means “very well,” how well has your [SCREENER INSERT] actually met your personal
requirements?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Q6.
Don’t know
Refused
Now please think about how often things go wrong with the [SCREENER INSERT], regarding
such things as [INSERT PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES]. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” now
means “very often,” and “10” means “not very often,” how often have things actually gone wrong
with your [SCREENER INSERT]?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
84
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
Q7
(OPTIONAL QUESTION ABOUT CHARACTERISTICS OF PRODUCT/SERVICE)
1 TO 10 __________
11
12
Q8
Don’t know
Refused
(OPTIONAL QUESTION ABOUT CHARACTERISTICS OF PRODUCT/SERVICE)
1 TO 10 __________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
Now I want you to consider the value of your [SCREENER INSERT] in terms of both (ROTATE: PRICE
AND QUALITY/QUALITY AND PRICE).
(ROTATE Q9 AND Q10)
Q9.
(FIRST/NEXT) Given the quality of your [SCREENER INSERT], how would you rate the price that
you paid (or prices that you pay) for [SCREENER INSERT]? Please use a 10-point scale on
which “1” means “very poor price given the quality” and “10” means “very good price given the
quality.”
1 TO 10 __________
11
12
Q10.
Don’t know
Refused
(FIRST/NEXT) Given the price that you paid (or prices that you pay at) for your [SCREENER
INSERT], how would you rate the quality of your [SCREENER INSERT]? Please use a 10-point
scale on which “1” means “very poor quality given the price” and “10” means “very good quality
given the price.”
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
Satisfaction includes many things. Let’s move on and talk about your overall satisfaction with your
[SCREENER INSERT].
Q11
First, please consider all your experiences to date with your [SCREENER INSERT]. Using a 10point scale on which “1” means “very dissatisfied” and “10” means “very satisfied,” how satisfied
are you with your [SCREENER INSERT]?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
85
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
Q12.
Considering all of the expectations that we have discussed, to what extent has your [SCREENER
INSERT] fallen short of your expectations or exceeded your expectations? Using a 10-point
scale on which “1” now means “falls short of your expectations” and “10” means “exceeds your
expectations,” to what extent has your [SCREENER INSERT] fallen short of or exceeded your
expectations?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Q13.
Don’t know
Refused
Forget your [SCREENER INSERT] for a moment. Now, I want you to imagine an ideal [INSERT
GENERIC NAME FOR SCREENER INSERT]. (PAUSE) How well do you think your
[SCREENER INSERT] compares with that ideal [INSERT GENERIC NAME FOR SCREENER
INSERT]? Please use a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not very close to the ideal,” and “10”
means “very close to the ideal.”
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
Next, I want you to think about any communication you may have had with the company that produced
your [SCREENER INSERT] regarding complaints about your experience.
Q14.
Have you complained to the company about your [SCREENER INSERT] within the past [INSERT
SCREENER TIME PERIOD]?
1
2
3
4
Yes
No
Don’t know
Refused
{IF Q14 = 1, ASK Q14A; OTHERWISE GO TO Q15}
Q14A. How well, or poorly, was your most recent complaint handled? Using a 10-point scale on which
“1” means “handled very poorly” and “10” means “handled very well,” how would you rate the
handling of your complaint?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
86
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
Q15.
The next time you are going to [INSERT PURCHASE/USE/SHOP AT] a [SCREENER INSERT],
how likely is it that it will be a [SCREENER INSERT] again? Using a 10-point scale on which “1”
means “very unlikely” and “10” means “very likely,” how likely is it that it will be a [SCREENER
INSERT] again?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
{IF Q15 = 6-10, ASK Q16; OTHERWISE GO TO Q17}
Q16.
Let us imagine that [SCREENER INSERT] raises its prices. If other [COMPANIES/SUPPLIERS]
remain at the same prices, how much can [SCREENER INSERT] raise its price before you
definitely would not choose a(n) [SCREENER INSERT] the next time you purchase a [INSERT
GENERIC NAME FOR SCREENER INSERT ]?
Please provide your answer in percentages up to 25%
0 TO 25__________
26
101
102
103
26% or higher
Never would [PURCHASE/USE/SHOP AT] any other [SCREENER INSERT]
Don’t know
Refused
{IF Q15 = 1-5, ASK Q17; OTHERWISE GO TO QD1 CONTINUE/END}
Q17.
Let us now imagine that [SCREENER INSERT] lowers its prices. If other [COMPANIES/
SUPPLIERS] remain at the same prices, how much must [SCREENER INSERT] lower its price
before you would definitely choose a(n) [SCREENER INSERT] the next time you purchase a
[GENERIC NAME FOR SCREENER INSERT]?
Please provide your answer in percentages up to 25%
0 TO 25__________
26
101
102
103
26% or higher
Never would [PURCHASE/USE/SHOP AT] any other [SCREENER INSERT]
Don’t know
Refused
87
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
NOTE: FOR THE EXPANDED MODEL IN FIGURE 1A, SUBSTITUTE THIS INTRODUCTION AND
QUESTIONS 4P, 4S, 5P, 5S, 6P, 6S FOR QUESTIONS 4, 5, 6.
Up to this point I have asked you about your expectations prior to your recent experiences with [your]
[SCREENER INSERT]. Now I am going to ask you several questions about your ACTUAL
EXPERIENCES with [your] [SCREENER INSERT]. Some deal with your experience with the product itself.
Others are about your experience with service for that product.
Q4P.
First, please consider all your experiences in the last [INSERT TIME PERIOD FROM
SCREENER] with your [SCREENER INSERT]. Using a 10-point scale, on which “1” means “not
very high” and “10” means “very high,” how would you rate the overall quality of your
[SCREENER INSERT]?
1 TO 10 __________
11
12
Q4S.
Don’t know
Refused
Now please consider all your experiences in the last [INSERT TIME PERIOD FROM
SCREENER] with service for your [SCREENER INSERT]. Using a 10-point scale, on which “1”
means “not very high” and “10” means “very high,” how would you rate the overall quality of
service you have received for that [SCREENER INSERT]?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
(RANDOMIZE Q5 AND Q6 SERIES)
Q5P.
Now thinking about your personal requirements for a [SCREENER INSERT] such as [INSERT
PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES], please tell me how well your [SCREENER INSERT] has actually met
your requirements. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” now means “not very well” and “10”
means “very well,” how well has your [SCREENER INSERT] actually met your personal
requirements?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Q5S.
Don’t know
Refused
Now thinking about your personal requirements for service for your [SCREENER INSERT], such
as [INSERT SERVICE ATTRIBUTES], please tell me how well service for your [SCREENER
INSERT] has actually met your personal requirements. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” now
means “not very well” and “10” means “very well,” how well has service for your [SCREENER
INSERT] actually met your personal requirements?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
88
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
Q6P.
Now please think about how often things go wrong with the [SCREENER INSERT], regarding
such things as [INSERT PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES]. Use a 10-point scale on which “1” now
means “very often,” and “10” means “not very often,” how often have things actually gone wrong
with your [SCREENER INSERT]?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Q6S.
Don’t know
Refused
Now please think about how often things go wrong with the service for your [SCREENER
INSERT], regarding such things as [INSERT SERVICE ATTRIBUTES]. Using a 10-point scale
on which “1” now means “very often,” and “10” means “not very often,” how often have things
actually gone wrong with the service for your [SCREENER INSERT]?
1 TO 10__________
11
12
Don’t know
Refused
89
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
ACSI Federal Government Services Questionnaire
(For input to model in Figure 3)
QA.
Not counting the Postal Service, have you had experience with any U.S. Government Federal
agencies in the past year? By experience we mean looking at the agency’s Web site, talking with
agency personnel by phone or in person, receiving the agency’s printed materials or brochures,
visiting an agency site or office or receiving a check or a benefit. (READ IF NECESSARY: Have
you had experience with any U.S. government Federal agencies in the past year?)
1
2
Yes
No
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
{IF QA=1, ASK QB)
QB
Which government agencies have you had experience with in the past year? (ACCEPT UP TO 3
MENTIONS)
(INSERT LIST OF ALL FEDERAL AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS)
REF
________________________________________________________________________
QC.
Did your experience with (the) (INSERT SCREENER AGENCY MENTIONED) in the past year
involve using its Web site, talking with personnel by phone or in person, receiving printed
materials or brochures, visiting the agency’s site or office, or receiving a check or a benefit?
(ACCEPT UP TO 6 MENTIONS)
1
2
3
4
5
6
Web site
Phone or in person contact
Receiving printed materials or brochures
Visiting agency site or office
Receiving a check or a benefit
Other (SPECIFY)
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
90
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
Q1
Before you used services from the (INSERT SCREENER AGENCY), you probably knew
something about the (SCREENER AGENCY). Now, think back and remember your expectations
of the overall quality of the (SCREENER AGENCY)’s services. Please give me a rating on a 10point scale on which “1” means your expectations were “not very high” and “10” means your
expectations were “very high.”
How would you rate your expectations of the overall quality of services from the (SCREENER
AGENCY)?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
Q2
How difficult or easy was it to get information about the (SCREENER AGENCY)’s services?
Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “information was very difficult to get” and “10” means
“information was very easy to get,” how difficult or easy was it to get information about the
(SCREENER AGENCY)’s services?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
Q3.
Was the information about (SCREENER AGENCY)’s services clear and understandable? Using
a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not at all clear and understandable” and “10” means “very
clear and understandable,” how clear and understandable was the information?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
Q4
How timely and efficient was the (SCREENER AGENCY) in providing the services you wanted?
Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not timely and efficient” and “10” means “very timely
and efficient,” how timely and efficient was the (SCREENER AGENCY) in providing the services?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
Q5
How difficult or easy was it to obtain services from the (SCREENER AGENCY)? Using a 10point scale on which “1” means “very difficult” and “10” means “very easy,” how difficult or easy
was it to obtain the services you wanted from the (SCREENER AGENCY)?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
91
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
{IF QC = 2 OR 4, ASK Q6-Q7; OTHERWISE GO TO Q8}
Q6
How courteous were the (SCREENER AGENCY) personnel? Using a 10-point scale on which
“1” means “not at all courteous” and “10” means “very courteous,” how courteous were the
(SCREENER) personnel?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
Q7
How professional were the (SCREENER AGENCY) personnel? Using a 10-point scale on which
“1” means “not at all professional” and “10” means “very professional,” how professional were the
(SCREENER AGENCY) personnel?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
{IF QC = 1, ASK Q8-Q9; OTHERWISE GO TO Q10}
Q8
How logically organized and easy to use is the (SCREENER AGENCY)’s Web site? Using a 10point scale on which “1” means “not logically organized and difficult to use” and “10” means “very
well organized and easy to use,” how difficult or easy to use is the (SCREENER AGENCY)’s
Web site?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
Q9.
Is information from the (SCREENER AGENCY)’s Web site useful in terms of being current,
accurate, helpful, and relevant? Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not at all useful” and
“10” means “very useful,” how useful in information from the (SCREENER AGENCY)’s Web site?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
Q10
Please consider your most recent experiences with the (SCREENER AGENCY)’s services.
Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not very high” and “10” means “very high,” how
would you rate the overall quality of the (SCREENER)’s services?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
92
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
Satisfaction includes many things. Let’s move on and talk about your overall satisfaction with the
(SCREENER AGENCY)’s services.
Q11
First, please consider all your experience with the (SCREENER AGENCY)’s services. Using a
10-point scale on which “1” means “very dissatisfied” and “10” means “very satisfied,” how
satisfied are you with the (SCREENER AGENCY)’s services?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
Q12
Considering all of your expectations, to what extent have the (SCREENER AGENCY)’s services
fallen short of your expectations or exceeded your expectations? Using a 10-point scale on
which “1” now means “falls short of your expectations” and “10” means “exceeds your
expectations,” to what extent have the (SCREENER AGENCY)’s services fallen short of or
exceeded your expectations?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
Q13
Forget the (SCREENER AGENCY) for a moment. Now, I want you to imagine an ideal
organization that offers the same types of services. (PAUSE) How well do you think the
(SCREENER AGENCY) compares with that ideal organization? Please use a 10-point scale on
which “1” means “not very close to the ideal,” and “10” means “very close to the ideal.”
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
Next, I want you to think about any communication you may have had with the (SCREENER AGENCY)
regarding complaints about your experience.
Q14.
Have you complained to the (SCREENER AGENCY) in the past year?
1
2
Yes
No
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
{IF Q14 = 1, ASK Q14A; OTHERWISE GO TO Q15}
Q14.
How well, or poorly, was your most recent complaint handled? Using a 10-point scale on which
“1” means “handled very poorly” and “10” means “handled very well,” how would you rate the
handling of your complaint?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
93
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
________________________________________________________________________
Q15
How confident are you that the (SCREENER AGENCY) will do a good job providing the services
that you used in the future? Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not at all confident” and
“10” means “very confident,” how confident are you that the (SCREENER AGENCY) will do a
good job in the future?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
Q16
If asked, how willing would you be to say positive things about the job the (SCREENER
AGENCY) is doing in administering the kinds of services you used? Using a 10-point scale on
which “1” means “not at all willing” and 10 means “very willing,” how willing would you be to say
positive things about the (SCREENER AGENCY)?
[RECORD NUMBER 1-10]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
94
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
Demographics
Now, we need to ask a few demographic questions for the ACSI consumer profile...
QI1.
Within the past six months have you purchased any products or services via the Internet?
1
2
Yes
No
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
QD1.
What is your age, please?
[RECORD NUMBER OF YEARS 18-84]
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
QD2.
What is the highest level of formal education you completed? (READ CODES 1-5)
1
2
3
4
5
Less than high school
High school graduate
Some college or associate degree
College graduate
Post-Graduate
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
QD3.
Are you of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin?
1
2
Yes
No
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
QD4.
Do you consider your race(s) as: (READ CODES 1-5, ACCEPT UP TO 5 MENTIONS)
1
2
3
4
5
6
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
Other race
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
95
Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires
QD5.
What was your total annual family income in 2007? (READ CODES 1-7)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Under $20,000
$20,000 but less than $30,000
$30,000 but less than $40,000
$40,000 but less than $60,000
$60,000 but less than $80,000
$80,000 but less than $100,000
$100,000 or more
DK
REF
________________________________________________________________________
QD6.
Gender (By Observation)
1
2
Male
Female
________________________________________________________________________
PROG. NOTE: Move in DMA from sample
________________________________________________________________________
PROG. NOTE: Move in MSA CODE from sample
________________________________________________________________________
PROG. NOTE: Move in STATE from sample
________________________________________________________________________
PROG. NOTE: Move in MET STATUS CODE from sample
________________________________________________________________________
96
Response & Cooperation Rates
APPENDIX E:
RESPONSE AND COOPERATION RATES
97
Response & Cooperation Rates
DISPOSITION OF SAMPLED TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND
RESPONSE AND COOPERATION RATES (2006/07 ACSI)
U
UNIVERSE OF SAMPLED TELEPHONE NUMBERS
1,436,448
Noneligible housing units
Disconnect/out of service
290,777
Business
65,108
Secondary line
170
Computer/FAX
52,716
Number changed
76
Wrong phone number
883
Cellular phone
NEU
1,035
TOTAL NONELIGIBLE HOUSING UNITS
410,765
Noneligible respondents
Noncustomer of any companies or government
services
Filter
5,156
Other noneligible respondent
NER
14,138
877
TOTAL NONELIGIBLE RESPONDENTS
20,171
Quota-filled, so respondent noneligible for
interview
QFC
Customer of quota-filled company
250
QFCB
Scheduled for callback, but company quotas filled or
interview period ended
62,099
QF
TOTAL QUOTA-FILLED
62,349
EU
ELIGIBLE UNIVERSE OF SAMPLED TELEPHONE
NUMBERS
98
943,163
Response & Cooperation Rates
Interviewed customers
I
Complete interview, measured company
I
Completed interview, short/nonmeasured company
I
Total Completed Interviews
P
Partial interview
I+P
TOTAL INTERVIEWS
33,926
1,772
35,698
250
35,948
Refusals
RQ
TOTAL QUALIFIED CUSTOMER REFUSAL
3,038
Unknown eligibility/no contact with potential
household or customer—noncontact
UE
Refusal before screening for eligible customer
respondent
280,026
UE
No answer after repeated calls (4), different times of
day over multiple days/ can’t determine if housing unit
526,535
UE
Answering machine/voice mail for repeated calls (4)
over multiday period
58,427
UE
Busy or no answer, all calls (4)
24,503
UE
Non-English speaking/hard of hearing
14,686
UE
TOTAL UNKNOWN ELIGIBILITY
U
UNIVERSE OF SAMPLED NUMBERS
NEU
LESS NON-ELIGIBLE UNITS
NER
LESS NON-ELIGIBLE RESPONDENTS
-20,171
QF
LESS QUOTA FILLED RESPONDENTS
-62,349
EU
ELIGIBLE UNIVERSE OF SAMPLED PHONE
NUMBERS
943,163
904,177
1,436,448
-410,765
99
Response & Cooperation Rates
Using the codes shown in the left column of the preceding table, survey cooperation and
response rates are calculated according to American Association of Public Opinion
Research reporting standards. (American Association of Public Opinion Research, 2008).
Based on completed (not partial) interviews, the cooperation rate for those screened and
identified as customers is:
COOPERATION RATE = I/(I+P+RQ)
COOP = (35,698)/(35,698+250+3,038) = 91.6%
RESPONSE RATE = I/(I+P+RQ)+e(UE)
where e is the incidence of identified customers in households able to be screened.
For ACSI, e is the product of two estimates eh and ec. eh is the proportion of residential
households among telephone numbers of unknown eligibility (UE) and ec is the proportion
of customers in households able to be reached.
The best estimate of eh is 0.47 (Kennedy et al., 2008).
The estimate of ec is:
ec = (I+P+RQ)/(I+P+RQ+NER)
ec = (35,698+250+3,038)/(35,698+250+3,038+20,171) = 0.659
e = eh x ec = 0.47 x 0.659 = 0.310
However, knowing that the cooperation rate is 91.6%, rather than 100%, a response rate is
now calculated where both e and COOP rates are applied to the quota-filled cases (QF)
and consider that amount to be completed interviews. By applying e and COOP, we have
accounted for the fact that some of the respondents would have refused or broken off the
interview. The response rate then is:
RESPONSE RATE (AAPOR RR(3)) = (I+COOP(QF))/(I+P+RQ+QF+e(UE)) =
RR(3) = (35,698+(0.916)(62,349))/(35,698+250+3,038+62,349+(0.310)(904,177))
= 24.3%
100
Response & Cooperation Rates
RESPONSE RATES FOR INTERNET INTERVIEWS (2007 ACSI)
E-Commerce Interview Results
20,816
Users who came to the site (6.1% of those sent e-mail invitations).
4,502`
Did not qualify as customers
10,902
Respondents who were screened out because interviews for the
company from which they had purchased were already completed.
5,412
Qualified respondents.
3,685
Qualified respondents who completed the interview, including the
demographic questions (68.1%).
4,525
Completed company interviews (an average of 1.2 company
interviews per qualified respondent).
E-Business Interview Results
4,308
87
Users who came to the site (7.7% of those sent e-mail invitations).
Did not qualify as customers
1,792
Respondents who were screened out because interviews for the
company from which they had purchased were already completed.
2,429
Qualified respondents.
2,321
Qualified respondents who completed the interview, including the
demographic questions (95.6%).
2,969
Completed company interviews (an average of 1.2 company
interviews per qualified respondent).
101
Sample Profile
APPENDIX F:
SAMPLE PROFILE
102
Sample Profile
2007 ACSI CUSTOMER SAMPLE
Demographic Characteristic
2006 American
Community Survey,
U.S. Bureau of the
Census
(%)
2007 ACSI
Customers
(%)
29
40
30
14
41
43
20
11
11
17
16
7
18
—
(2006)
9
9
9
16
14
10
19
17
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian
Asian
Other
74
12
1
4
8
86
6
2
1
4
Ethnicity
% Hispanic/Latino
15
5
Gender
Male
Female
49
51
38
62
(25 and over)
16
30
27
17
10
3
21
32
25
19
Age
18-34
35-54
55 and over
Income
Under $20,000
$20,000-30,000
$30,000-40,000
$40,000-60,000
$60,000-80,000
$80,000-100,000
$100,000 or more
Refused/don’t know
Educational attainment
Less than high school graduate
High school graduate
Some college
College graduate
Postgraduate
103
| File Type | application/pdf |
| File Title | Microsoft Word - method08.doc |
| Author | Julie Trombly |
| File Modified | 2012-12-07 |
| File Created | 2008-06-16 |