Navy Federal ranked No. 4 U.S. brand for customer experience

KPMG annually names top 10 based on consumer surveys

Published July 20, 2020 by Sydney Lake

Big Four accounting firm KPMG announced Monday it has named the Vienna-based Navy Federal Credit Union No. 4 on its annual list of top 10 U.S. brands for customer experience excellence.

The KPMG U.S. Customer Experience Excellence report identifies top-performing brands and industries in terms of customer experience based on a survey of approximately 11,000 U.S. consumers. In light of COVID-19, KPMG reported that brands that used technology, including artificial intelligence, to move the customer experience online performed better in the survey.

USAA, H-E-B and Chick-fil-A remained in the top three spots on the list this year, with Navy Federal Credit Union placing fourth. In-N-Out Burger, Publix, Wegmans and Charles Schwab were new to the list. The 2020 top 10 U.S. brands, as reported by KPMG are:

USAA, San Antonio, Texas
H-E-B, San Antonio, Texas
Chick-fil-A, Atlanta
Navy Federal Credit Union, Vienna
Edward Jones, St. Louis
In-N-Out Burger, Irvine, California
Costco Wholesale, Issaquah, Washington
Publix, Lakeland, Florida
Wegmans, Rochester, New York
Charles Schwab, San Francisco

“Leaders in our 2020 index are purpose-led companies with deep connective customer relationships, offering online experiences that are immersive, emotionally connective and safe,” Julio Hernandez, KPMG LLP U.S. customer advisory practice lead, said in a statement “With the move to online accelerating due to COVID-19, the nature of the relationship between brands and their customers has changed, bringing the need for commercial cadence to the forefront.

“Our analysis also shows a move to the age of ‘buying into’ from ‘buying from,’ as customers are seeking companies that make a difference environmentally and socially.”

Established in 1933, Navy Federal is the world’s largest credit union, with more than 9 million members around the globe. The credit union across its 330 branches employs more than 18,000 people, holds $112.09 billion in assets and serves nearly 9 million members. Last year, the Navy Federal added more than 1 million members and opened 20 branches.

President and CEO Mary McDuffie in late 2019 pledged to add another 20 branches this year and work to improve the customer experience. Navy Federal is also in the midst of a $100 million expansion of its Frederick call center, expected to create more than 1,400 jobs. In January, Navy Federal made the top 500 companies on Forbes Magazine’s third annual America’s Best Employers for Diversity list. Only 19 Virginia companies were named to the list this year.

KPMG’s survey asked participants to evaluate integrity, resolution, expectations, time and effort, personalized experience and empathy. The top 10 U.S. brands outperformed the market for integrity and empathy, according to KPMG.