The latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) – January 2026, published by the Institute of Customer Service, delivers some genuinely positive news for UK businesses. Customer satisfaction has reached its highest level since 2022, with improvements seen across every sector. In a challenging economic climate, this uplift reinforces a powerful truth: organisations that consistently invest in great customer experience continue to stand out.
At Performance in People, we’re especially proud to see several of our clients recognised within the UKCSI – a testament to their relentless focus on customers and service excellence.
Congratulations to Our UKCSI-Recognised Clients
We’d like to celebrate the achievements of the following organisations featured in the January 2026 UKCSI:
⭐ Holland & Barrett
⭐ Specsavers
⭐ Toyota
⭐ BMW
⭐ Kwik Fit
⭐ Lexus
⭐ Mercedes-Benz
These brands operate in highly competitive sectors, where customer expectations are constantly rising. Their inclusion in the UKCSI reflects strong performance across critical measures such as experience, trust, emotional connection and complaint handling.
While every organisation’s customer experience journey is unique, what unites these brands is a clear commitment to understanding customers, delivering consistency, and embedding customer-centric behaviours throughout their operations.
What the UKCSI 2026 Tells Us About Customer Satisfaction in the UK
The January 2026 UKCSI paints an encouraging picture of customer satisfaction nationwide:
💡 Overall customer satisfaction has increased year-on-year and is now at its highest level since 2022.
💡 All 13 sectors measured by the UKCSI have improved compared to the previous year.
💡 Customers are increasingly willing to pay more for excellent service, particularly where trust, personalisation and ease of access to support are evident.
💡 Feeling understood and cared for is a major driver of satisfaction, with organisations that “get it right first time” significantly outperforming their peers.
The report also highlights that organisations achieving above-average customer satisfaction typically see stronger financial performance – reinforcing the link between customer experience and commercial success.
The Role of Insight in Delivering Standout Customer Experience
High-performing organisations don’t leave customer experience to chance. The UKCSI findings show that the strongest brands excel at:
- Understanding how customers actually experience their services
- Identifying friction points and inconsistencies across channels
- Acting quickly on insight to improve frontline behaviours and processes
- Building trust through transparency, care and consistency
This is where independent, objective insight becomes invaluable.
At Performance in People, we work behind the scenes with organisations to help them see their customer experience through the eyes of their customers. Our mystery shopping programmes provide rich, real-world insight that helps businesses protect brand standards, strengthen emotional connection and drive continuous improvement.
A Shared Commitment to Customers
Being recognised in the UKCSI is not just about achieving a score – it reflects a culture where customers matter, and where service excellence is treated as a strategic priority.
We’re proud to support organisations like Holland & Barrett, Specsavers, Toyota, BMW, Kwik Fit, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus on their customer experience journeys, and to play a small part in helping them deliver the standards their customers expect.
As the UKCSI 2026 shows, customer satisfaction is rising – but so are expectations. The brands that continue to listen, measure and act will be the ones that lead the way.
If you’d like to understand how independent customer insight can support your organisation’s performance, we’d love to start a conversation. Contact us >
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by our team to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with Performance in People’s customer experience expertise.
Written by Abi McIntyre, Head of Creative Connect on LinkedIn
Abi leads brand, marketing, and creative communications, turning customer experience insight into clear, engaging content and campaigns.
