On May 9th, the BECX - Best Customer Experience Awards ceremony for the 2023 edition took place. A total of 23 awards were given to companies from various sectors that stood out for providing an excellent experience to their customers.

The ceremony, organized by NOVA IMS in partnership with the Portuguese Association for Quality, was particularly significant as the BECX project celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. “This project is led by two public institutions – NOVA IMS and the Portuguese Association for Quality – both non-profit and exclusively focused on promoting good business practices in the field of customer experience,” highlighted Manuel Vilares, founder of NOVA IMS, who coordinates the project alongside Pedro Simões Coelho.

Over the past decades, the project has tracked the evolution of society and the economy. This characteristic was emphasized by Miguel de Castro Neto, Director of NOVA IMS, during the ceremony: “The BECX project has evolved significantly over the past 25 years, as the dimensions relevant to evaluating and rewarding companies have also changed. For example, the impact of digital channels today is incomparable to the reality of 1999, the year BECX was created.”

The project not only identifies and rewards companies with the best practices in customer relationship management but also provides a scientific methodology and a comprehensive dashboard. This allows participating companies to access a wealth of information and recommendations to improve their customer experience, thus enhancing their competitiveness. In this context, Paulo Sampaio, President of the Portuguese Association for Quality, states: “Customer experience is becoming increasingly important for organizations. Ultimately, companies want satisfied customers, and adopting good practices in this area helps promote organizational excellence.”

From Energy to Telecommunications: Meet the 2023 BECX Award Winners

To identify the companies that excel in providing excellent customer service, the BECX project relies on representative samples of customers from each studied company. For the 2023 edition, over 8,500 interviews were conducted, analyzing multiple parameters such as customer loyalty, emotional responses, and the effort required for interaction with the companies.

Here are the 2023 award winners in the "Best Customer Experience" category:

In the "Best Digital Experience" category, the 2023 BECX award winners are:

The Impact of BECX Awards on Company Activities

Several award-winning companies have been recognized in previous editions of the BECX project. Águas de Coimbra, for instance, has been distinguished for 13 years. “It is, naturally, an achievement that fills us with pride and responsibility, as it reflects the positive experiences our customers have with our company,” says Alfeu de Sá Marques, Chairman of the Board.

He points out some key factors contributing to the positive customer evaluations: “We know that the high quality of the water we supply is a crucial factor in this positive perception. Additionally, the investments in technological innovation, customer service quality, and increased digital presence support the longevity of our excellent performance.”

OZ Energia, awarded in the "Best Customer Experience" category in the Bottled Gas sector, explains the reasons behind their recognition: “This award (we have received nine distinctions in the last 11 years) results from the synergy between the OZ Energia team and our distributor network, and the trustful relationship they maintain with their direct customers, ensuring each interaction is always a positive experience.”

Teresa Barreira, member of the Executive Board of CA Seguros, highlights not only the importance of the awards received within the BECX project but also the access to the project's tools. “The data provided by the study's dashboard are crucial for analyzing the factors that directly affect customer satisfaction. It is essential to identify the elements that contribute to a positive experience as well as those that can lead to a negative one,” she explains. As an example, she says: “Tracking the evolution of the ‘Multichannel’ indicator shows the investments we have made in digital channels, with the launch of platforms that help customers manage their insurance, such as the CA Seguros App, CA Seguros Online, and WhatsApp.”

This perspective is shared by BPI Vida e Pensões, another entity awarded in the "Best Digital Experience" category. Isabel Castelo Branco, CEO of the organization, comments: “BECX is a national benchmark in evaluating customer experience, so this recognition confirms the success of our business model and the trust our customers place in our products. However, we believe there is always room for improvement in customer relations. Thus, our goal for the future is to innovate in solutions and processes, in collaboration with Banco BPI, using the potential of new technologies.”

It should be noted that BECX is based on solid scientific foundations, established by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) since 1994 and the European Customer Satisfaction Index (ECSI) since 1999, incorporating decades of experience in measuring customer satisfaction and experience.