Survey finds customers like Reynolds American

Customer satisfaction with Reynolds American Inc. increased by 4 percent to a score of 81 out of 100, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index by the University of Michigan. The study was released today. Reynolds edged Philip Morris USA as the industry leader, whose score of 80 was unchanged from 2011.

Overall customer satisfaction with tobacco products was up for a third consecutive year to an average score of 79. This year's increase completes the cigarette industry's recovery from a sharp downturn in customer satisfaction reported in the 2008 index when new tobacco taxes drove up retail prices.

“In the midst of a weaker economy, price plays a role in both slowing consumption and keeping the cigarette industry’s satisfaction lower relative to other nondurable categories,” according to Claes Fornell, founder of the index. “At the same time, tobacco users continue to view the quality of cigarettes to be quite high.”