Experience, not price, defines brand loyalty, Havas CX Index

Havas CX has released its seventh annual X INDEX Report, highlighting a growing disconnect between what brands promise in advertising and what consumers experience in practice.

The global study points to a shift in consumer tolerance. Despite ongoing concerns around inflation and tariffs, consumers are less forgiving of poor experiences than of higher prices. Fifty-five percent of respondents say they have stopped buying from a brand due to price increases, while 59 percent report abandoning a brand after a single bad experience.

Rising expectations shape customer loyalty

The findings suggest that rising expectations are reshaping how loyalty is earned. Consumers increasingly judge brands on the consistency and quality of the experiences they deliver, rather than on pricing alone.

David Shulman, global chief executive officer of Havas CX: "In today’s environment, customer expectations are higher than ever before. For brands, loyalty can only be earned by delivering unwavering consistency, authentic personal connection, and experiences that create lasting emotional memories."

Inside the X INDEX methodology

The 2025 X INDEX Report is based on responses from more than 59,000 consumers across eight global markets. The study evaluated 580 brands, measuring performance across a broad range of customer experience criteria.

The report identifies three actions that brands should prioritize to improve customer experience outcomes and close the gap between promise and delivery.

Consistency across channels emerged as the leading driver of customer experience. Consumers expect the same quality whether interacting online or in-store. Consistent quality accounts for 25 percent of the X Index weighting in the UK, 22 percent in the U.S., and 21 percent in Germany.

Personalization also plays a central role. Brands that focus on individual customer needs rank among the ten most impactful customer experience criteria across all eight markets included in the study.

The role of emotional connection

The X INDEX findings underline that customer experience is driven as much by emotion as by function. Emotional factors represent 34 percent of overall customer experience performance, compared with 33 percent attributed to functional factors.

The report also ranks brand performance by market, identifying the top five brands in each region. These rankings highlight organizations that lead in consistency, personalization, and emotional connection.

Sebastien Houdusse, chief strategy officer, Havas CX: "The data speaks volumes: brands can no longer afford to let promises outpace reality. It’s time to close the gap, because in a world where every experience counts, delivering on your word is the foundation of lasting loyalty."

According to Havas CX, the X INDEX is designed to help brands translate insight into action. By identifying where experience falls short of expectations, the framework aims to support organizations in strengthening customer relationships and long-term loyalty.

www.havascx.com

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