What bridges companies build between customer expectations and the actual service experience
Christian Roeb, Managing Partner of TOP SERVICE Deutschland, in an interview as part of the ICUnet.Group Dialogue Series
The TOP SERVICE Germany Award makes service quality comparable and measurable. When you look at the award-winning companies, what “bridges” do they build particularly well between customer expectations and the actual service experience? And in your view, are there universal quality criteria for excellent service?
At TOP SERVICE Germany, we have been measuring precisely this gap since 2005. We do so using an approach that is unique in Germany: we survey not only customers but also management at the same time. The Focus Model, which we developed in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Christian Homburg of the University of Mannheim, allows us to compare these two perspectives. When we compare the data from our award winners with the panel average, three patterns emerge. First, they have a strikingly small gap between management assessment (self-assessment) and customer perception (external assessment). They know what their customers truly experience and therefore work purposefully on the right levers. Second, they keep their promises. That may sound trivial, but it is one of the strongest individual drivers of customer loyalty that we see in our data. And third, they use customer-related information systematically, not just reactively. They identify critical moments before they turn into complaints. All three patterns are measurable in the Focus Model and directly contribute to trust and loyalty. The foundation remains the same, even as the surface changes. For me, the key metrics by which we measure service are universal: satisfaction, trust, and loyalty. These translate into repeat purchases, additional purchases, and referrals. The specific drivers behind these are company- and industry-specific and shift over time. That is why we conduct comprehensive annual measurements and work with driver analyses. What runs through all industries: The dimensions of the Focus Model correlate directly with return on sales. Service excellence is not a soft metric, but a hard economic factor.
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In turbulent times, markets, expectations, and operating conditions are constantly changing. What organizational structures or routines distinguish companies that consistently deliver excellent service over the long term from those where quality tends to fluctuate?
In the Focus Model, there is a level we call “framework conditions”. It consists of two factors: top management commitment and corporate culture. This may sound abstract, but it is crucial in practice. Our data shows that the customer-oriented aspect of corporate culture has the strongest correlation with return on sales, even more so than any operational levers. Specifically, this means: Companies with consistently excellent service have embedded service as an attitude or a management priority, not just a department. There are regular scheduled meetings where customer issues are discussed in an interdisciplinary and cross-departmental manner. The goal is to keep the topic of customer orientation constantly top of mind for employees. On the front lines, there are brief exchange formats, and whoever speaks with the customer is also empowered to make decisions. Voice-of-the-Customer dashboards are visible to everyone, all the way up to the leadership team. Another thing I consistently see among the best: they also involve colleagues who rarely have customer contact. This can take the form of displays on the way to the coffee machine that show real customer feedback. Or categorization tasks from customer surveys that managers or the accounting department also help process. Best practices come in many forms. What they have in common is that they make customer focus everyone’s responsibility, not just the front line’s. When quality fluctuates, there’s usually a lack of coordination. Each department optimizes its own segment, but no one takes responsibility for the whole. The customer experiences the interfaces as disconnects. And the customer’s opinion is formed from the sum of all the puzzle pieces. We know from behavioral science that we humans remember negative experiences much better than positive ones. That is why it is so important to provide good service consistently and reliably. If you want to maintain service quality, you have to make it a routine. The companies that have consistently ranked at the top with us over the years have one thing in common: they treat customer focus like an operating system, not like a project.
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How are artificial intelligence and insights from behavioral science currently shaping the design of services, and where do you see the greatest potential for companies that want to make their services both more personalized and scalable?
I see two forces here that complement each other well. AI scales the foundation; behavioral science scales the impact. Today, AI handles authentication, status checks, and standard processes. That’s important, but it’s not the only key point. What matters most is what happens with the time that’s freed up. The best companies use it for the emotionally critical moments of the customer journey. Behavioral science clearly shows that customers don’t remember the average of an experience, but rather the peak or “moment of truth” and the end. That is exactly where humans should ideally be involved, not machines. In the Focus Model, this is reflected at the level of interaction between the company and the customer: processes, information, communication, and sales. All of this is being transformed by AI, but the impact on the customer – that is, satisfaction, trust, and loyalty – does not come from more technology, but from the right application at the right moment. For me, the greatest leverage lies in three points. Use AI for prediction to know which customer needs what kind of attention and when. Deploy people for meaningful interaction, because a personal phone call during a critical phase will still be unbeatable in 2026. And incorporate behavioral nudges into every stage, through language, timing, and channel selection. Those who view AI solely as a cost-cutting measure diminish the quality of service. Those who see AI as a way to free up time for human interaction enhance it. And here’s another important point: when you combine psychology – or behavioral science – with service, you can create truly distinctive service. Traditional automation using LLMs runs the risk of lacking psychological understanding, resulting in responses that are ineffective, generic, and interchangeable. Incorporating psychological insights, on the other hand, makes the dialogs feel much more human and resonates better with customers. What I mean by this will become even clearer in my workshop on April 29, 2026, as part of the Behavioral Science Academy in Cologne.
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Your award places a strong emphasis on customer feedback and perceived service quality. What can internal service units such as HR, Global Mobility, or Learning & Development learn from this, particularly in terms of viewing employees more as internal customers?
A lot. Employees are an organization’s most demanding customers. They see the values posted on the wall, and they see who is truly heard in meetings. The gap between these two is the true measure of service quality. HR, Global Mobility, and Learning & Development are internal service providers. The logic of our focus model applies internally as well. Impact on the customer becomes impact on the employee. Interaction becomes the employee experience. The controls and framework are identical anyway. Specifically, this means: Instead of a process map, we need an employee journey with moments that stick. The eNPS becomes a true performance metric, not just an annual survey. Closed-loop applies internally as well, because anyone who provides feedback deserves feedback on their feedback. And an internal service catalog should clearly state what HR can and cannot promise. As we know from the Service Profit Chain, excellent customer focus does not work without high internal service quality. And the topic of employees has gained significantly in importance again in recent years. That is why we have expanded our Focus Model and developed our own employee survey model. It combines the classic themes of employee satisfaction with the question of how consistently customer-centricity is actually practiced internally. This is particularly relevant for Global Mobility. An expatriate goes through many experiences in a short period of time, from obtaining a visa and moving to adapting to a new work routine. Any experience that doesn’t go smoothly becomes a service story. Customer expectations for an assignment are high because the family is usually involved as well. That is precisely why this area is an important test of an organization’s service maturity. What I always tell HR managers: Measure the gap between management’s perspective and employees’ perspective as consistently as the best service providers do with their customers. That is where the real levers lie.
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In international organizations in particular, different expectations regarding service often clash. Where do companies underestimate the impact of cultural differences on how service is perceived, and what does this mean for globally distributed teams?
Service quality is shaped by culture. What we in Germany consider good service may be perceived as inappropriate in another culture. This is often underestimated. Two things stand out to me in particular, which I’ve become aware of through my work as a lecturer. First, the difference between directness and respect. In Germany, a clear statement is seen as a sign of respect for the other person’s time. In many Asian cultures, it is seen as disrespectful. Same behavior, opposite effect. Second, the handling of mistakes. In some cultures, an open apology is part of good service; in others, it undermines authority. Anyone who rolls out a global complaint management system based on the German model will produce exactly what they want to avoid. For globally positioned teams, this means: Local service standards must be explicitly permitted, as long as they adhere to the core principles. Cultural intelligence belongs at the core of the organization, not in the soft skills catalog. And when it comes to relocation or intercultural teams, early investment pays off. Correcting things later is always more expensive. The real bridge is not language or the process. It is the ability to recognize one’s own concept of service and not confuse it with the global standard.
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What do you value most about ICUnet? What sets ICUnet’s service apart, and how has ICUnet managed to consistently rank at the top of TOP SERVICE Deutschland for so many years? What makes ICUnet unique, and what are your wishes for the company on its 25th anniversary?
What impresses me most about ICUnet is its consistency. ICUnet has been working on improving itself for years, and that shows in the data. In 2023, ICUnet was in the Excellence Group. In 2024, it ranked 6th in the B2B category and won the industry award for best mobility service provider. In 2025, they achieved an impressive 7th place among the best B2B companies. And now, in 2026, they’ve even made it to 4th place, along with the industry award once again. This isn’t a fluke. It’s an organization that works with its results and learns from them. Even more interesting to me than the rankings are the open-ended responses from customers in the latest survey. One customer describes it this way: “Personal support – ICUnet is significantly less impersonal than comparable providers.” Another highlights the “professional handling of criticism and proactive problem-solving.” Three words run through these responses: expertise, reliability, trust.
In the Focus Model, we measure exactly how such qualities translate into satisfaction, trust, and loyalty, ultimately leading to repeat purchases, additional purchases, and referrals. The core goal is to turn customers into fans. Which drivers have a particularly strong impact in a given year is always company-specific. That is precisely why we measure as comprehensively as we do. The figures behind these findings confirm this picture. When asked whether ICUnet is interested in building long-term customer relationships, the company scores a 95. That is a top score. In terms of keeping promises and employee helpfulness, the scores are 91 each. What strikes me most is that these are precisely the factors that drive customer loyalty in a B2B context. So ICUnet isn’t strong by chance, but strong in all the right places. For me, three things define the core of ICUnet’s service. A genuine intercultural competence that isn’t just a marketing slogan, but part of the DNA of this family-run business – if one can still call it that as a public company. A palpable team spirit, which ICUnet itself calls “Orange Spirit” and which truly resonates externally. And a clear purpose – “connecting people across borders” – that resonates in nearly every piece of customer feedback. What’s unique is the combination of deep technical expertise and a genuine culture of relationship-building. One customer sums it up: “Very convincing, high-quality services. A strong partner during implementation and roll-out.” That is precisely the difference between suppliers and partners. Co-creation instead of standard solutions.
What else comes into play – and isn’t listed in any table – becomes apparent the moment you come into personal contact with ICUnet. Some time ago, we held a joint event where the employees stood out in a particularly positive light thanks to their evident dedication and passion. Even the welcome felt warm and familiar. Since then, I’ve had a sense of what it must be like at the headquarters in Passau, where this culture originated.
Added to this are the few but memorable encounters with Dr. Fritz Audebert himself, the founder and CEO. You immediately sense his aura, his personality, and how passionate he is about his work. He moves through his industry with a global network, full of passion and clear focus. An exciting entrepreneurial personality. People like this shape a company, and you can see that at ICUnet down to the smallest details. On the occasion of its 25th anniversary, I wish ICUnet continued success in building bridges where others see barriers. May the Orange Spirit carry the company through the next 25 years. And may the passion that Dr. Audebert and his team radiate remain as infectious as it is today.
Congratulations and many thanks for the trusting and long-standing collaboration!