Accenture Song finds Kiwi brands still failing promises

Accenture Song has found that 69% of New Zealand consumers believe brands are not keeping their promises. The figure comes from its Brand Experience Gap study, which covered six sectors and 42 brands in New Zealand.

The research suggests a modest improvement from the previous year, when the figure was 72%, but it also points to persistent dissatisfaction with pricing, digital services and customer support. The study surveyed 2,364 respondents and examined the gap between what brands say they deliver and what customers say they actually receive.

Customer loyalty emerged as one of the clearest pressure points. Long-standing customers are increasingly frustrated when introductory offers go to new users while existing customers see little reward for staying. That pattern has contributed to what the report described as a "loyalty tax", with consumers feeling penalised rather than recognised for their tenure.

In response, many are turning to artificial intelligence tools to search for alternatives. The findings show 24% of respondents already use AI to detect deals, comparing offers across multiple providers to find better prices or more favourable terms. This suggests AI is moving beyond a research tool and becoming a practical part of household decision-making.

Price was not the only source of friction. Consumers also raised concerns about how products and services are structured, with some believing complexity is built into the experience rather than arising by accident. In the utilities sector, unpredictable energy bills were a notable complaint, reported by 25% of customers.

Banking also drew criticism, particularly over technology. While companies have pushed customers towards digital channels, many users do not believe the online experience has improved enough to justify the shift. Half of bank customers surveyed said they were frustrated with their bank's technology.

The criticism points to a wider issue in the relationship between businesses and customers. Digital tools may have reduced costs and changed service models, but many consumers believe these systems have been designed around corporate convenience rather than customer needs. Frustration appears to rise most sharply when people need help with a problem or want clarity on a bill, policy or process.

Automated support was another weak point. The study found that 18% of consumers were frustrated by getting stuck with automated chatbots, suggesting self-service systems still fall short when customers try to resolve more complex issues. The report argued that disappointment in these moments runs deeper than inconvenience because they shape how people judge a brand's reliability.

AI shift

The findings also indicate that AI is beginning to alter who controls the customer relationship. As consumers use generative AI tools to compare prices, interpret terms and identify better deals, brands risk third-party platforms increasingly sitting between them and their customers. That shift could become especially significant if AI tools move from helping users make decisions to acting on their behalf.

Storm Day, New Zealand Lead, Accenture Song, said the headline improvement in the survey was limited.

"New Zealand's Brand Experience Gap has improved since last year, but only just. Any gains are being offset by growing customer frustrations," Day said.

Day said AI was becoming a decisive factor in how customers discover and judge brands.

"Agentic AI is reshaping the customer journey. If your brand can't answer a question, third-party tools like ChatGPT - or worse, a competitor - will," Day said.

Consumers are already relying on AI in several practical ways, including comparing prices, interpreting policy language, translating jargon and checking whether a better deal exists elsewhere. That trend suggests AI is not simply an emerging technology issue for marketing teams, but a customer service and retention issue for companies across sectors.

Accenture Song linked the gap it measures to commercial outcomes for the first time in this year's study. It said companies that reduce the gap by one point can expect an average 2.3-point increase in Net Promoter Score, a commonly used measure of customer satisfaction and loyalty. While the material provided does not disclose the performance of individual brands, the claim points to a direct relationship between clearer delivery on brand promises and stronger customer sentiment.

The methodology covered both broad expectations and industry-specific benchmarks. Respondents were asked about universal brand values, such as whether a company was simple to deal with or made them feel valued, alongside sector-specific issues such as access to banking services across devices. The gap was then measured between what companies communicated and what customers said they experienced.

Day said the businesses making progress were those using technology to remove friction without stripping out human contact.

"Consumers are already using AI to compare prices, decode policies, translate jargon, and hunt better deals. They're increasingly expecting brands to proactively do this for them, with clear communication and greater transparency," Day said.

"The brands closing the gap and winning are the ones using technology like AI to simplify the customer experience, while keeping the experience human-led. That's how they build trust, deepen loyalty, and drive long-term growth," Day said.