Photo Credit: Me!

The Harris Poll released its latest Reputation Quotient® Report, and while it contains the expected data about the importance and business benefits of good reputation, I was struck by the diversity of the top ten companies in the study. The list includes several of my favorite companies–both personally as a consumer and professionally as a customer experience analyst–but when I cite these examples, people can be quick to provide reasons why these firms are unlike their own businesses and “have it easy.”

This year’s list demonstrates why that dismissal is an excuse. The heterogeneity of the top ten most respected companies illustrates how easy it is to overlook the hard work of creating a great customer experience, building an ethical and customer-centric corporate culture and leading in a way that resonates with employees and consumers. The top ten firms in the 2016 poll are Amazon, Apple, Google, USAA, The Walt Disney Company, Publix Super Markets, Samsung, Berkshire Hathaway, Johnson & Johnson, and Kellogg Company.

To learn more about why it is an excuse to dismiss the success of USAA, Disney, Amazon and Google and what these firms can teach us about customer experience, loyalty, advocacy and reputation, please continue reading on my Gartner blog.