SIA scores on events and experience: Jack Morton

Singapore Airlines (SIA) is the top-rated brand when it comes to delivering events and experiences to Chinese consumers, according to Jack Morton’s first global Experience Brand Index.

Royal Caribbean, which is ranked the best brand for events and experience by US consumers, emerges top on the ‘employees’ touchpoint for Chinese consumers, while Starbucks is deemed to offer the best in-store experience.

The survey was carried out late spring this year with 6,000 consumers across the US, UK and China.

SIA has long been known as the purveyor of outstanding customer experience. It was named the World’s Best Airline in the Skytrax’s World Airline Awards this year. The airline also recently launched an in-flight Chinese dining concept called Shi Quan Wei Mei (食全味美) for its routes to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, the report notes Royal Caribbean’s continuous investment in events and experiences, both onboard and off. The cruise line has robotic bartenders that serve cocktails to its guests at its Bionic Bar on sailings from South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Overall, however, social content proves to leave the biggest impact on nine out of 10 industries studied in China. Beverages is the exception in this regard, while Visa scores the highest among Chinese consumers for social content. The report notes that Visa has made inroads into China and may prove to be a challenger to UnionPay. The US brand has partnered with digital giants such as WeChat Pay and Alipay besides creating strong communities on WeChat, Sina Weibo and Youku.

Chinese consumers nevertheless remain harder to please as 60% of those surveyed said brands rarely live up to promises compared to the global average of 50%. Besides better experiences, brands should in fact also deliver on integrity. An overwhelming 83% of Chinese consumers agreed to this statement: “I care about how brands behave toward customers, employees and their communities”.

“Consumers demand brands do more than promise a great experience—they expect proof. Brands that back their words with concrete action, reap bigger rewards,” said Josh McCall, CEO and chairman, Jack Morton, noting the higher scores of brands that display those qualities on the index.