2 Texas Companies Tie for Top Spot in 2014 Forgiveness Ratings

Based on a study of 10,000 U.S consumers, H.E.B. and USAA, both based in San Antonio, Texas, tied for the top spot in the 2014 Temkin Forgiveness Ratings, which rates 268 companies across 19 industries.

USAA’s banking business tied for the top spot, while its credit card and insurance businesses were the next two highest rated organizations.

There is a sizeable nine-point gap between these leaders and the next companies on the list.

Rounding out the top 15 companies in the ratings are Amazon.com, BMW dealers, Chick-fil-A, Apple (for software and retail), QVC, Costco, Lexus, Trader Joe’s, Fujitsu, and Publix.

Ten of the bottom twelve organizations in the Temkin Forgiveness Ratings belong to firms that show up twice Charter Communications, Comcast, and Time Warner Cable are in the bottom group for their Internet service and TV service businesses.

HSBC and Citibank are in the bottom group with their banking and credit card businesses. The remaining two companies at the low end of the ratings are Highmark and US Cellular.

“Forgiveness is an asset that companies earn from their customers,” states Bruce Temkin, managing partner of Temkin Group. “Every company makes mistakes, but the ones with high forgiveness ratings have customers who will work with them to more quickly and positively resolve the issues.”

In its fourth year of publication, the Temkin Forgiveness Ratings examines forgiveness levels for 268 companies across these 19 industries: airlines, appliance makers, auto dealers, banks, car rental agencies, computer makers, credit card issuers, fast food chains, grocery chains, health plans, hotel chains, insurance carriers, Internet service providers, investment firms, parcel delivery services, retailers, software firms, TV service providers, and wireless carriers.

Additional highlights of the 2014 Temkin Forgiveness Ratings include:

The industries with the highest average ratings are grocery chains, retailers, parcel delivery services, and auto dealers. TV service providers and Internet service providers are significantly lower than any other industry.

Led by retailers and banks, 16 of the 19 industries earned higher ratings in 2014 than they did in 2013. Rental cars and hotels are the only industries to decline.

Five companies improved their ratings by at least 20 points between 2013 and 2014: Apple Store, TD Bank, Cox Communications, ING Direct, and Best Buy.

Six companies earned ratings that declined by more than 12 points: Scottrade, Blackboard, Advantage RAC, Coventry Health Care, Avis, and Crowne Plaza.

The 2014 Temkin Forgiveness Ratings along with other ratings can be accessed at the Temkin Ratings website,www.TemkinRatings.com.