The company running the express train that serves Oslo’s main airport at Gardermoen, Flytoget, topped the list of Norwegians’ favourite companies for the third year in a row. An annual research project by the Norwegian Business School BI (Handelshøyskolen BI) surveyed more than 7,000 consumers about their satisfaction levels with the businesses they regularly shop at and services they often use.
Flytoget recorded a satisfaction score of 86.2, up two points on its 2013 result. Chief Executive Linda Bernander Silseth credited the Flytoget staff, a mild winter and increased investment in railways for its good customer relations. “Now we have the best punctuality since 2006,” she told newspaper Dagens Næringsliv (DN) on Wednesday. “And punctuality equals satisfied customers.”
Online book retailer haugenbok.no ranked second with a score of 84.1, followed by car dealer Toyota (83.3), mobile phone provider OneCall (83.1) and electricity supplier Gudbrandsdal Energi (82.4). The most popular bank was Skandiabanken (82.4), supermarket was Meny (77.8), clothing chain was Dressman (72.3), furniture chain was Ikea (76.8) and sports store was XXL (72.4).
Researcher and project leader Pål Silseth said there has been a marked shift in satisfaction with real estate agents and car retailers, who have shed their “cowboy” images. “Cars were associated with people who were smooth and a bit quick in the turns,” he said. “They thought about the next sale instead of being concerned with whether the customer would come back. Toyota was the first to start targeted work on customer satisfaction 20 to 25 years ago. About 10 to 12 years ago the whole industry started to increase satisfaction. Now they are the best industry in Norway.”
newsinenglish.no staff
