Which companies join PayPal, Yamaha and Amazon as customer relationship leaders?

PayPal, Yamaha and Amazon are the best consumer-facing brands in Europe when it comes to building relationships with customers.

According to new research commissioned by technology giant Ricoh, 70 percent of European consumers say the best brands are those who treat them as individuals,

The findings from a survey of 3,600 consumers in 23 countries highlights the demand for personalised services, and for businesses to ensure they have the digital solutions to meet and exceed evolving customer requirements.

Ricoh Europe has devised a ‘Triple R’ rating where consumers rank how brands build quality relationships with them before (Reach), during (Respond) and after (Retain) purchase.

Out of consumer-facing brands operating across Europe, those deemed excellent in each of the three areas are:

• PayPal
• Yamaha Motor
• Amazon.com
• Apple
• Samsung Electronics
• Adidas
• eBay
• Microsoft
• Alphabet (Google)
• Sony         
• Walt Disney
• BMW Group
• H&M
• Marks & Spencer
• Nokia
• Carrefour
• Philips
• Pandora
• Siemens
• Facebook
   

The research also reveals that 57 percent would spend more with brands that make them feel valued, further emphasising the need for businesses to communicate in a more bespoke way.

David Mills, CEO, Ricoh Europe, said: “Consumers see Triple R brands as being at the top of their game when it comes to providing a fast and tailored service. This makes the need for optimised internal processes and the right technology essential to giving customers what they want. The research we commissioned shows fifty seven percent of consumers would also spend more with brands that make them feel like valued customers. This heightens the fact that driving business growth must be intimately linked to making interactions easy and ensuring consumers feel appreciated.”