The Latest Insights from the Crowd - Rob Pace, CEO of HundredX

One of the things we love the most about HundredX is having a proprietary database of over 5 million customer experiences spanning 75 industries. The unique breadth of our database provides us the opportunity to explore the consequences that result from the impact of one industry on other industries and business strategies. It’s a rare and relevant perspective our clients value for developing actionable insights.


On the topic of leadership strategies, the discussion around employees’ return-to-office (RTO) is especially pertinent. Recently, the FT posed an interesting question - will rising food and gas prices impact the pace of employees’ return to office? It’s a compelling question that hasn’t been high in the mix of the top considerations for CEOs as they formulate their return to office plans. 

 

Examining our customer experience data, we think the FT is likely onto something here. As shown in the chart below, not surprisingly, across-the-board we see the impact of price impacting consumers’ decisions. This trend has rapidly accelerated over the past six months suggesting consumers are no longer feeling as confident with their financial outlook as they were during the early stages of the pandemic given unprecedented levels of government assistance. 

We also have seen where dissatisfaction with price can dramatically shape behavior. One of the most prominent examples we observed ahead of time was rapidly escalating concerns by consumers about Netflix price increases followed by an associated decline in customer loyalty resulting in an over $60 billion drop in market capitalization. This is particularly true when there are viable options such as in streaming.

By analogy, looking at our data on the major cost items that will impact return to office, we see that feedback on price for both gas and quick fast casual related purchases have had a dramatic downward movement during the past several months (shown below). As the FT suggest, in a tight labor market this likely suggests yet another headwind for business leaders convincing their workforces of the relative benefits of return to office. A further slowing of the RTO has additional downstream implications for the office ecosystem of businesses including owners of office space, business-focused food services providers, and industries that benefit from commuters - including segments of the auto industry. On the other hand, the at home ecosystem will likely see a corresponding benefit.

Market pressures have ripple effects – yet their impact isn’t always clear. Having access to the right data breadth is a strategic asset.

The HundredX team combines decades of business, strategy, and investment expertise with a passion for doing good. The Company has built a first-of-its-kind, real-time market share and strategy development platform that provides a competitive edge for business leaders and investors. HundredX insights are powered by over 5 million pieces of ethically-sourced feedback provided by supporters of non-profits based on their experiences as consumers as a way to ‘give without spending’.  


“In business, I saw when leaders had access to actionable insights and prioritized customer experience, they always won.  Advising non-profits, I observed millions of passionate supporters, beneficiaries, volunteers, and employees that loved their given causes, understood they needed funding, but could not always write a check. HundredX unites these two worlds and serves as a new model to blend doing good with doing well in business." 

 

HundredX is the second act and brainchild of founder Rob Pace.  Rob previously was a senior Partner at Goldman Sachs as well as National Chair of a large non-profit.
Learn more about HundredX and our solutions by requesting a demo.

Strategy Made Smarter


HundredX works with a variety of companies and their investors to answer some of the most important strategy questions in business:

  • Where are customers "migrating"?
  • What are they saying they will use more of in the next 12 months?
  • What are the key drivers of their purchase decisions and financial outcomes?


Current clients see immediate benefits across multiple areas including strategy, finance, operations, pricing, investing, and marketing.


Our insights enable business leaders to define and identify specific drivers and decisions enabling them to grow their market share.


Please contact our team to learn more about which businesses across 75 industries are best positioned with customers and the decisions you can make to grow your brand’s market share.

Share This Article

Starbucks shows weakness as consumers feel worse about taste

06 May, 2024
Sure, lattes, mochaccinos, and cappuccinos are pricey, but they taste delicious. For many consumers, the great taste of coffee shop coffee made it worth the cost. But customers at Starbucks aren't so sure the tradeoff is worth it anymore. Examining more than 420,000 pieces of feedback across the Quick, Fast, Casual (QFC) industry, including over 21,000 on Starbucks, we find: Starbuck's Purchase Intent 1,2 is down 3% over the past six months, with most of that dip occurring over the past few months. By contrast, Dunkin' Donuts has remained within a tight range over the past six months, as did an average of other, smaller coffee chains. Customers increasingly see less value in Starbucks. Starbuck's Value perception 3 fell 5% over the past six months, compared to just 1% for Dunkin' Donuts. However, it also fell 5% for the average of the smaller coffee chains. Coffee drinkers feel significantly unhappier about Starbuck's quality and taste. Starbuck's Taste perception fell 4% over the past six months, while rising 1% for competitors. Likewise, its Quality perception dipped 3% over the same time period (and 8% over the year). Ultimately, Starbuck's perceived drop in taste is leading inflation-weary consumers to say they plan to spend less at the coffee chain, as the value just isn't as good.

Forbes Announces Best Brands for Social Impact List 2024 Powered by HundredX

06 May, 2024
Forbes Best Brands for Social Impact, Powered by HundredX

Mounjaro maintains top spot among GLP-1 drugs

06 May, 2024
Ozempic once dominated the headlines, but GLP-1 competitor Mounjaro is winning over customers. GLP-1 drugs, used for treating diabetes and aiding in weight loss, are relatively new on the market yet have surged in popularity over the last year. They're becoming so popular that J.P. Morgan estimates that 30 million people in the US may be using a GLP-1 drug by 2030. This statistic presents a significant potential for early drug creator Novo Nordisk (Ozempic, Wegovy), and perhaps an even bigger one for Eli Lilly (Mounjaro, Zepbound). HundredX data indicates Eli Lilly is in a position to win over Novo Nordisk as Mounjaro's Usage Intent widens against the competition. Ozempic may have name recognition, but customers feel more positively about Mounjaro's effectiveness and lifestyle impact, even if they aren't excited about its high price. Examining 1,500 pieces of customer feedback across Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovy, we find: GLP-1 users increasingly say they plan to use Mounjaro more, and Ozempic less . Mounjaro’s Usage Intent is up 19% since July, Wegovy’s is up 3%, and Ozempic has stayed within a tight range. Customers feel Mounjaro is more effective than competing drugs, but it’s harder to get . Mounjaro outperforms other GLP-1 drugs in effectiveness, lifestyle impact, and side effects. However, customers dislike its cost and availably more than competitors.
Share by: