[Sponsored Report] Korean customers’ satisfaction with major industries in 2012

If the automobile manufacturing industry cannot target what clients want in addition to improving quality and service, the potential for customer satisfaction dropping in 2012 seems to be very high. It is expected that more cars will be imported due to the FTA with Europe and America.

More clients will have experienced high-level products and services, so clients will be passing on this information orally decreasing advantages for local companies. The companies must take active measures to adapt to changes in their environment. Also, if customers cannot accept that the price increase was reasonable or if the economic crisis from Europe expands and unstable economic conditions continue, customers will be restless. If the CS evaluation is based on their emotions, not based on the actual product quality and service, the CS level of the automobile manufacturing industry will decline.

The National Customer Satisfaction Index, or NCSI, of apartment construction in 2012 is expected to decline as the economic crunch customers feel due to the European economic crisis is expected to continue and this will have a negative impact on apartment prices. If the construction companies manage their clients continuously with free services and frequent communication with the apartment residents, then the decline of NCSI in the apartment industry could improve some, but there is no major change in the overall gloomy outlook for 2012.

In the case of the electronic industry, the industry is expected to create new customer value with “smart” concepts in both IT and home electronics. However, unlike the previous years the interaction between IT and home electronics and between IT machines will be emphasized. Furthermore, the “smart home” concept, which will integrate control of electronic appliances within the house, and the artificial intelligence concept of machines fulfilling the clients’ need according to different situations, will be emphasized to a higher degree.

In 2012, as Wi-Fi is applied widely even to home appliances and not only to IT appliances, the interaction between technologies will become more extensive.

The telecommunication service in 2011 was a positive year for diversification, but was a year where customers started to be more resistant to the price. The reason for the telecommunication cost increase was due to package products and an expansion in devices based on wireless data, such as smart phones and tablet PCs.

How much the three telecommunication companies work to reduce the prices will become crucial for the client satisfaction rate of 2012. Discount for combined products, new packages for clients and family members, discounts for long-time users and staff that can handle these issues expertly will be very important, as well as security-related infrastructure with telecommunication service improvement.

The recent market change in the telecommunication market has issues as to client satisfaction for new services and resolving the burden for telecommunication costs, but measures to overcome these issues are announced continuously so there is enough capability for telecommunication service NCSI to improve in 2012.

The financial industry in 2011 was a rosy year for both companies and clients. However in 2012, the expectation is rather dark.

In 2012, the economic crisis that started from Europe will lead to a slowdown in the financial industry and it is expected that the result of the banking industry will decrease and uncertainty will increase. The real estate market will enter a regression period and due to shrinking of company activities the actual income of households will decrease and the consumption sentiment will harden in 2012.

By Lee Ji-hyun [concordia@joongang.co.kr]