Discovery ranked in the top two of Ask Afrika Orange Index

Discovery Bank Overall Champion

“Overall, our banking sector delivers an outstanding customer experience, with banking brands occupying six of the top 10 spots in the Ask Afrika Orange Index,” said Dr Sarina de Beer, global product director at Ask Afrika. “Banking brands also improved their ranking in the Most Authentic Brands category by nine index points, compared to an average of five points for all sectors that improved their ratings.”

Considered the most comprehensive CX study in the country, the Ask Afrika Orange Index measures metrics such as customer satisfaction, emotional satisfaction and loyalty. South African consumers were interviewed about their real experiences and expectations with 200 brands across 26 industries. The research design involved 154 variables, had 31 core indicators, and tested customer experience interactions across 21 contact channels. To ensure the results truly reflect reality, the dataset is independently audited annually by audit firm BDO and statistical consultant and sampling expert Dr. Ariane Neethling.

Time is our most precious asset, and perseverance is the key to success

The global pandemic has prompted a period of deep reflection, with people reassessing how they spend their time — where, with whom, and for what purpose.

As consumers reflect on the finite value of their time, businesses must do the same, reassessing their purpose, customer engagement and talent strategies.

According to Dr. de Beer, time is an ever-present and inherent factor in the customer experience. Whatever the reason, the time a customer spends with a business is time they could not spend on anything else. Keeping the customer’s feelings about that time consistent is the common denominator that shapes everything in this space. Retention is achieved over time, as is advocacy and Net Promoter Score (NPS*).

Dr Sarina de Beer, Global Product Director, Ask Afrika

“It sounds complicated, but it does impact customer expectations. It also means that customer expectations are constantly changing and may even be too volatile for certain models or metrics. Think about gap analysis, besides being a bit ‘old fashioned’ in academic terms, where do you pick your baseline? What are the expectations and by whom? The customer’s best experience will set the tone for his expectations until they experience something different,” De Beer continued.

“That’s the benefit of independent benchmarking. In 2001, the Ask Afrika Orange Index measured just seven industries and 26 companies, whereas this year it measures 200 brands across 26 industries. Not only can companies get their own customer experience results, they can also compare their results with those of similar competitors, or look at the results of businesses in other categories.”

Humans need humans to feel human

In their never-ending quest for relevance, brands must tap into the human experience to connect with consumers on an emotional level. The foundation begins with a strong brand culture and purpose. Everyone, whether employees or customers, must feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves, that they are buying into something, not just something.

Customer needs and expectations for CX change as the environment changes. Data shows that artificial intelligence (AI) has become a reality in many people’s daily lives, which is essential to a successful CX strategy. “It takes humans to feel human to be human, and businesses that successfully deliver CX understand that all of their interactions across the omnichannel experience must be felt and experienced as human, even if the specific interaction is digital or conducted through AI,” De Beer mentioned. “Both CX and brand strategies must be centered around this authentic expression of humanity in order to achieve business success.”

Human interaction infuses empathy in a genuine way, and the personal touch in every customer interaction creates a deep emotional connection. Customers want to be seen and heard, and this needs to happen through real conversations, whether in person or through digital channels.

The rise of authentic happiness

Amid today’s economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, people are recalibrating their pursuit of happiness and lowering their expectations. Data for 2024/5 shows a growing focus on investing time, resources and energy in finding balance and building new relationships based on hope, trust and connection. This shift will inevitably impact customer expectations in how they interact with businesses.

“Customers increasingly seek positive experiences when interacting with brands. When they associate a brand with happiness, they are more likely to make repeat purchases and recommend it to others,” said De Beer.

CX has strategic value to business success

“It is important to understand that the Ask Afrika Orange Index is not just a tactical measure that simply provides a ranking for each industry. The survey is a localized, strategic measure that guides and supports leadership decisions on customer relevance,” De Beer explained. “Ultimately, the Ask Afrika Orange Index is more than just an assessment tool, it is a catalyst for growth and innovation, enabling businesses to deliver superior value to their customers and remain at the forefront of their industry.”

The strategic value of the survey is clear, as in the 23 years of the Ask Afrika Orange Index, only 16 brands have been named overall winners.

“Companies with a good long-term CX strategy in place frequently top the list. This ties back to what I mentioned earlier about consistency being the key factor. Banks and private banks took first place five times, food retail brands five times, clothing retail brands five times, and automotive brands four times. These four sectors accounted for over 80% of the overall wins!” De Beer concluded.

The top 10 Ask Afrika Orange Index for 2024/25 are as follows:

1. Discover Bank
2. Explore Private Banking
3. Rand Commercial Bank (RMB)
4. African Bank
5. Investec Bank
6. Mercedes Benz
7. Lexus
8. Woolworths Food
9. Audi
10. Nedbank Private Bank

The 2024/25 Ask Afrika Orange Index industry winners are:

Companies seeking more information on their brand’s CX performance in the Ask Afrika Orange Index can contact Maria Petousis at az.oc.akirfaksa@airam.

*Net Promoter Score: NPS is a market research metric based on a single survey question asking respondents to rate how likely they would recommend a company, product, or service to a friend or colleague.