Brand analysis
Nationwide continues to hog the top spot of the Financial Services in the UK table but something has changed this time around.
The world's largest building society has ranked first in this table since 2023, but this wave marks the first time ever it has had to share it. First Direct has added +4 to its Overall Effort Score vs last wave, a meteoric rise that rivals Nationwide’s performance.
It’s a strong set of results for Nationwide this wave, however, even by the company’s usual standards. The brand has added +1 to its Overall Effort Score and increased all four of its pillars. Most notably, Valuing the Customer is up by +3, Speed of Resolving Problems by +2 and the final two – Style of Communication and Knowledge & Expertise – are up by +1.
Nationwide is a brand that has truly embraced AI in its customer service. According to Microsoft UK Stories, by using GPT-4 within Azure OpenAI to help generate letters, Nationwide average response times have dropped from 45 minutes to 10-15 – an efficiency improvement of around 66%.
The company was recently recognised with the prestigious Best Use of Customer Insight award at the Institute of Customer Service Awards 2025. This achievement, made possible through its partnerships with Medallia Inc., the global leader in customer and employee experience, and Kantar, underscores the company's deep-rooted focus on the needs of its customers.
