Articles from American Customer Satisfaction Index

In addition to the government shutdown, economic data blackouts, and volatile tariff rate changes, there is another, yet mostly unnoticed, threat to the very functioning of U.S. economy: high profits, record-breaking stock returns, and weakening customer satisfaction.

Economic pressures, cost increases, and shifting customer expectations create challenges for the industries measured in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Insurance and Mortgage Lenders Study 2025.

Overall customer satisfaction with convenience stores remains the same — 76 (on a scale of 0 to 100) — but there’s been a major shakeup at the top of the leaderboard.

Consumers are raising the bar for what they expect from their home electronics and appliances, and shiny new features will only impress them so much.

The U.S. automobile industry reached its highest level of vehicles sold in five years, yet there are risks with drivers now staring at longer periods of larger payments — something that has impacted customer satisfaction.

U.S. overall customer satisfaction has dropped for three consecutive quarters according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®). As of the second quarter of 2025, the national ACSI score is down 0.1% to 76.9 (on a scale of 0 to 100), which is roughly the same level it was 12 years ago. Its trajectory back then pointed to a much higher level, albeit not without some volatility.

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Entertainment Study 2025, video streaming stumbles 1% to a score of 78 (on a 100-point scale). Social media (74) and subscription TV (70) are unchanged, and online sports betting and iGaming debuts with an ACSI score of 76.

Amid rising food prices and shifting consumer preferences, the restaurant industry is facing a dilemma of “super size” proportions.

New technology promises a smarter future, but customers aren't impressed yet.

American Customer Satisfaction Index:

After winning over customers last year, travel industries are facing a familiar challenge: keeping them happy.

Between increasing demand, the need for infrastructure improvements, cybersecurity threats, sifting through clean energy options, and the desire to provide affordable rates for customers, energy utility companies have a lot on their plates. Yet, despite being pulled in so many different directions, the industry has managed to minimize the cost to customer satisfaction.

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As the Biden administration highlights record gains in citizen satisfaction with federal services and the incoming Trump administration promises sweeping efficiency reforms, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) introduces a new "Efficiency Gap" metric that provides critical insights into federal government performance through citizen experience data.

American Customer Satisfaction Index:

Citizen satisfaction with U.S. federal government services reaches a 7-year high, climbing 2.2% to a score of 69.7 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Federal Government Study 2024. With this increase, the industry has experienced its largest 4-year gain (net 9.9%) since the ACSI began measuring citizen satisfaction in 1999.

The holiday season will be here before you know it, and retailers are preparing for a big year.

Mortgage rates may have fallen to a two-year low, but lenders have some work to do to improve customer satisfaction.

The race for convenience store superiority is tight, but Wawa comes out on top with an industry-leading score of 82 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Convenience Store Study 2024.

While televisions and PCs are turning up the volume on customer satisfaction, household appliances are left with some work to do behind the scenes.

Driver satisfaction with the automobile industry inches forward 1% to a score of 80 (out of 100) as inventory levels return to normal.

The sharp recovery in the quality of U.S. economic output over the past two years as measured by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) is now stagnating. At the national level, customer satisfaction is down 0.1% in the second quarter of 2024 to a score of 77.9 (on a 0-100 scale). Even though there has been a large increase in customer satisfaction over the past two years, it is not much higher now than it was in 2013.

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Search and Social Media Study 2024, user satisfaction with search engine and information sites overall is stable with an ACSI score of 80 (out of 100). All the individual search brands tracked by the ACSI see satisfaction score increases or maintain their prior performance, and industrywide, search brands score higher on nearly all customer experience benchmarks measured.

Restaurants may be having their biggest year yet, but inflation is making dining decisions much more complicated.

The fiber rollout may be slow and concentrated in urban areas, but it’s customers’ preferred choice when available.

Customer satisfaction with wireless service overall climbs 3% to a score of 76 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Wireless Phone Service and Cell Phone Study 2023-2024.

Less than two years ago, customer satisfaction in the United States was at its lowest point in 20 years. The decline began about a decade ago and was exacerbated by inflation, supply chain problems, and shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Since then, things have changed dramatically.

If last year’s industrywide customer satisfaction improvement pointed to the travel industry returning to normal, then this year’s marks confirm it: Travel is back!

Following four years of flat performance, residential customer satisfaction with the energy utilities industry rises 4% to an ACSI score of 75 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Energy Utilities Study 2023-2024, as improvements across the customer experience outweigh concerns about rising utility rates.

Americans are feeling much more confident about financial services these days.

The outlook for the Retail Trade sector is promising, with overall customer satisfaction surging 4% to a score of 78.0 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Retail and Consumer Shipping Study 2023-2024.

In 2023, and especially in its final quarter, the U.S. economy showed remarkable vigor: Gross domestic product (GDP), labor markets, consumer spending, household income, productivity, and the stock market all improved at a healthy rate. The rate of inflation dwindled close to its long-term average and customer satisfaction surged to an all-time high.

Citizen satisfaction with U.S. federal government services continues to improve, advancing 2.9% to a score of 68.2 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Federal Government Report 2023. This positive momentum builds upon an even larger gain last year, when citizen satisfaction jumped a whopping 4.6%.

Fueled by strong consumer demand, U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) grows 4.9% in the third quarter of 2023 — well above most predictions and driven by a 4% increase in consumer spending. Customer satisfaction — a major driver behind consumer spending — posts its largest increase in 25 years.

The holiday season is quickly approaching, and retailers better be on alert because most consumers share the same philosophy: This is not the year to put your holiday shopping off until the last minute.

Satisfaction is rising dramatically for U.S. health care on both the insurance side and the provider side.

It’s been a banner year for the household appliances industry.

The numbers are in, and it’s full steam ahead for the auto industry.

In the second quarter of 2023, customer satisfaction in the United States skyrockets, gaining 0.7% to a score of 74.1 (on a 0-100 scale), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®). This is the largest one-quarter gain in satisfaction in nearly 15 years and follows three small consecutive upticks in satisfaction beginning in the second half of 2022.

There are roughly 302 million social media users in the United States — and if you were to combine these platforms into a single entity, there’s a good chance most folks would swipe right.

If satisfaction is any indication, customers are hungrier for restaurants than they have been in years.

When it comes to connectivity, there is no contest: Fiber internet beats non-fiber service hands down.

Customer satisfaction with wireless service overall improves 1% to a score of 74 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Wireless Phone Service and Cell Phone Study 2022-2023.

Customer satisfaction in the United States improves for a third consecutive quarter, edging up 0.3% to 73.6 (on a 100-point scale) in the first quarter of 2023. The gain extends a positive streak in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) that reverses the trend of several years of declining customer satisfaction.

Good news for the travel industry: Not only are folks giving in to wanderlust again, but they’re enjoying all the accommodations along the way.

Residential customer satisfaction with the energy utilities industry is steady at 72 (on a scale of 0 to 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index Energy Utilities Study 2022-2023. Satisfaction with natural gas service is unchanged at 75 and remains ahead of electricity, which increases 1.4% to 72.

While overall customer satisfaction with the Retail Trade sector slips 0.5% to a score of 74.7 (out of 100), that doesn’t tell the whole story.

After deteriorating dramatically over the past five years, customer satisfaction in the United States is showing signs of recovery. In the fourth quarter of 2022, U.S. customer satisfaction increases by 0.3% to a score of 73.4 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s (ACSI®)100-point scale. In addition, inflation is down, and GDP is up — albeit modestly.

Customer satisfaction in the Manufacturing/Nondurables sector takes steps in the right direction.

Americans’ frustration with credit unions persists.

Nationwide customer satisfaction remains low, but there has been a tiny 0.1% uptick to 73.2 (on a 0-100 scale) this quarter. Nevertheless, no matter how small, it is an increase, which has been a rarity for a long time now. In fact, this is only the second time during the past 16 quarters ACSI has increased. Consumer spending remains weak as well, but it did grow by 1.4% in the third quarter.

One word best describes customer satisfaction in the insurance segment: stable.

Customer satisfaction with personal computers – including desktops, laptops, and tablets – is stable at 79 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Household Appliance and Electronics Study 2021-2022.

Satisfaction with the auto industry is moving in reverse.

Customer satisfaction in the U.S. continues to fall. Not only has it declined for three consecutive quarters; it has plunged by 5% since 2018—the largest descent in the 28-year history of ACSI. It now stands at 73.1 (on a 0-100 scale) and has slumped in 12 of the past 15 quarters.

Among the three e-business industries – social media, online news and opinion, and search engines and information – only social media shows improved customer satisfaction, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) E-Business Study 2021-2022.

Customers continue to prefer full-service over fast food restaurants, and the gap is widening.

Streaming services can breathe a sigh of relief – for now.

Customer satisfaction with wireless service overall retreats 1.4% to a score of 73 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Wireless Phone Service and Cell Phone Study 2021-2022.

Customer satisfaction in the U.S. is now at its lowest level in 17 years, sliding 0.1% to a score of 73.2 (out of 100) in the first quarter of 2022, according to the national American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®).

Customers have started to scratch their travel itch once again, but expectations aren’t being met.

Residential customer satisfaction with the energy utilities sector overall creeps up 0.3% to 72.2 (on a scale of 0 to 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index Energy Utilities Study 2021-2022.

Overall customer satisfaction in the United States continues to decline. It is now at a troublesome low, slipping 0.5% to 73.3 (out of 100) in the fourth quarter of 2021 – a level not seen since 2005 – according to the national American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®).

Satisfaction with U.S. federal government services has never been worse.

Customer satisfaction in the Manufacturing/Nondurables sector remains shaky.

Americans’ dissatisfaction with most financial services has halted – at least for now.

Overall customer satisfaction in the U.S, tracked by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®), remains essentially flat at 73.7 (out of 100) in the third quarter of this year.

Things are looking up for health insurers. After slipping 2.7% last year, member satisfaction with health insurance inches up 1.4% to a score of 73 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Insurance and Health Care Study 2020-2021.

Customer satisfaction with personal computers – including desktops, laptops, and tablets – reboots, inching up 1.3% to 79 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Household Appliance and Electronics Study 2020-2021.

Satisfaction with the auto industry is stuck in neutral.

Overall customer satisfaction in the U.S., tracked by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®), showed no change – not even at the first decimal – in the second quarter of this year.

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) E-Business Study 2020-2021, year-over-year user satisfaction with all three e-business industries – social media, news and opinion, and search engines and information – is unwavering.

Customer satisfaction with full-service and limited-service restaurants was already reeling before the pandemic turned both industries upside down. Yet, even in the face of billions of dollars in lost revenue, there’s reason to feel encouraged.

When COVID-19 forced Americans to stay home, many turned to streaming, taking solace in their ability to binge-watch entertainment of all shapes and sizes. But it was only a matter of time before fatigue set in.

Overall customer satisfaction, tracked by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®), fell in the first quarter. It has now dropped in nine of the past 10 quarters and puts ACSI at its lowest level in 15 years (73.6 out of 100).