JACKSONVILLE, FA: Putting customers first may seem a straightforward business proposition, but new research has shown that brands that put customers' needs ahead of their immediate marketing goals generate higher customer satisfaction.

According to research firm MarketingSherpa, nearly 60% of highly satisfied customers believe that a company they are satisfied with "often or always" use marketing that puts their needs ahead of the company's business goals.

With just 16.1% of highly unsatisfied customers sharing that view, MarketingSherpa said that represents a relative difference of 269% between the two.

Furthermore, around 92% of satisfied consumers say they are likely or very likely to continue to purchase from brands they like compared with 29.4% of those who feel unsatisfied with a brand, the survey of 2,400 consumers revealed.

"By using marketing to serve customers and prioritising customer needs before short-term business and marketing objectives, companies will gain a long-term competitive advantage and sustainable business success as indicated by the increases in purchase intent and loyalty we measured in the study," said Daniel Burstein, Senior Director of Editorial Content at MarketingSherpa.

"The satisfied customers produced by customer-first marketing and business practices are so vital to marketers because satisfied customers are more likely to engage and less likely to disengage across a range of channels," he added.

Underlining his point, the survey also showed that more than half of consumers (56%) regard customer-first marketing as important or very important.

Another half (51%) of highly satisfied customers say they're very likely to give companies a chance to correct a mistake by contacting customer service to find a resolution. These same satisfied customers are also reported to be more likely to recommend a company to others.

Also of note, the survey found that 52% of satisfied customers often or always engage with TV ads, closely followed by email marketing (50%).

And print ads also continue to have value, the survey suggested, because half (50%) of satisfied customers engage with direct mail, as well as in-store circulars (48%) and magazines (45%).

Data sourced from MarketingSherpa; additional content by Warc staff