Brand trust directly impacts the success of your business. CMB’s research across 70 major brands, revealed that companies with high trust scores see increased customer consideration and satisfaction. The essential elements to building trust were also derived through this research and analysis of responses from 1,400 U.S. adults,
The research combined quantitative and qualitative approaches to gain deeper insights into trust dynamics. Beyond traditional survey methods, we employed AI-enhanced smart probing techniques that increased respondent engagement.
Organizations see measurable benefits and build advocacy when customers trust their brand. One qualitative respondent stated that “the brands that I trust – I continue to return to year after year because I trust them and I feel like they deserve that. [If] I’m going to spend my hard earned money anywhere, then I’m going to spend it on a brand or with the brands that I know will back me up and make me feel special and cared for. And that’s all you really want when you are supporting a business or a brand. You just want to feel like you’re a valued customer.” Solidifying the continued trust of your consumers yields brand loyalty, which is the foundation of business impact and outcomes.
The study conducted uncovered a clear correlation between trust scores and increased consideration among potential customers, paired with greater satisfaction among current ones. We also discovered that this connection is built in various sectors differently, and it is imperative for brands to take action to ensure they are taking a holistic approach to their brand trust strategy.
Technology integration, particularly AI, introduces new considerations for brand trust. Examples like Meta’s changes to content moderation highlight how technology decisions can impact stakeholder confidence. Different industries face varying trust challenges, with social media platforms particularly affected by questions around content moderation and algorithmic transparency.
Get the details on your industry’s brand trust dimensions here.
Through factor analysis and machine learning techniques, the research team developed a method that helps companies understand the importance of specific trust factors and identify specific opportunities for improvement.
Six key dimensions that contribute to brand trust.
While these factors were consistent across industries, the importance of each factor varied significantly. For example, some categories were more driven by integrity or customer-first, while others were more strongly impacted by dependability or transparency. Whether you are in customer experience, product management, or marketing, teams that understand which factors are more likely to impact buyers in their industry will be able to target resources and develop their strategies more effectively.
Find out here how each trust factor applies to your industry.
Organizations whose brand or competitive set was included in the research are able to calculate trust scores across six key dimensions. Leveraging simulation tools, they can model how improving specific dimensions might affect their overall trust standing.
Rather than providing off-the-shelf benchmarks, CMB emphasizes “dynamic benchmarking,” which creates benchmarks tailored to a brand’s specific target audience and competitive set, ensuring the data is current, relevant, and more meaningful for the brand’s unique context. This approach also makes it possible to conduct supplementary research with additional brands while still leveraging the overall model.
Measurement alone proves insufficient without corresponding action.
While many brands conduct regular brand tracking with a single brand trust measurement, this may not be sufficient to drive action. Rather than conducting regular measurements without a strategic approach, companies benefit most from establishing more robust trust metrics, identifying areas for improvement, and measuring again after implementing specific changes.
Successful organizations use trust scores and benchmarking data to guide targeted improvements. By connecting measurement directly to action, organizations can make meaningful progress in building and maintaining customer trust.
Building customer trust requires understanding trust across multiple dimensions, with emphasis varying by industry and market position. Companies that understand their specific trust drivers and take concrete steps to strengthen these areas create lasting competitive advantages.
Success comes through careful measurement, targeted improvement, and consistent delivery on promises. Organizations focusing on building trust position themselves for sustainable growth and customer loyalty in an increasingly complex business environment.