FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Lifestory Research is an independent consumer research company that conducts surveys of product and service quality, customer satisfaction, brand opinions, and buyer behavior. We engage with consumers to better understand their opinions, perceptions, and expectations about products, brands, and services in a variety of industries. We are a science driven agency that ignites relationships between companies and their audiences.
Below are some frequently asked questions (FAQ) and answers:
How does Lifestory Research conduct its America’s Most Trusted® research?
To identify America’s Most Trusted®, Lifestory Research conducts an ongoing annual survey in which people anonymously assess the trust they have in brands they encounter during their active search for specific products. Lifestory Research surveys people by mail, telephone, e-mail, and online panels. Our objective is to provide accurate and reliable insights by using well-established social science research practices. America’s Most Trusted® is a consumer-based research program based on the opinions of thousands of people familiar with the brands in the study. Please visit the Survey Methodology page to learn more.
What is a trust index score?
Lifestory Research uses a Net Trust Quotient "Index" Score to determine how people see different brands. To determine this Index, Lifestory Research asks survey respondents to rate various aspects of their perceptions of a brand. These vary by industry but include such areas as perceptions of quality, trustworthiness, reputation, etc. Based on these consumer responses, we determine the importance of each area and how each contributes to brand trust. Net Trust Quotient Scores are calculated based on how consumers evaluate trust in a specific brand. The consumer ratings are combined to create an overall numerical Index score, which determines which companies or brands receive an America’s Most Trusted® designation and award. Please visit the Survey Methodology page to learn more.
What brands are included in the America’s Most Trusted® study?
The aim of the study is to examine brands that are pervasive and well-known among consumers. The study by no means includes all brands. To determine the inclusion of a brand, we first undertake brand awareness studies in which we seek to identify what are the best-known brands in America. Since the study investigates trust within different industry categories, we ask people to identify the brands they know within a specific product category. For example, we will ask consumers to tell us all the brand names of computers they know. Over 750 brands are included in the study within the product categories, which include home builders, active adult resort builders, faucets, windows, dishwashers, refrigerators, laundry appliances, heating ventilation and cooling systems (HVAC), house paints, bed mattresses, residential brokerages, computers, vacuums, and televisions. These product categories are all related in one way or form to home. Brands associated with houses are a central historical feature of the study.
Do brands pay to be included in the America’s Most Trusted® study?
No, brands do not pay to be included in the study. Brands included in the research program are based on the opinions of the people we survey. Our goal is to ask people to evaluate brands many people know, so the brands included in the final brand trust ratings are those who told us in our surveys that the brand is well-recognized (and trusted).
What is the time period included in evaluating brands in the America’s Most Trusted® study?
The America’s Most Trusted® study is an annual study in which each month of the year the Lifestory team administers the survey to thousands of people. Brands, like people, grow and change with time, so once a year, we calculate the trust opinions from the past 12 months and announce the most trusted brands.
I don’t trust a high-ranking brand in the America’s Most Trusted® study, how can this be?
The ranking results and trust ratings are based on the opinions of thousands of people. While we understand that not all people share the same opinion, the aim of the America’s Most Trusted® study is to reflect the overall opinion of consumers. While most people may indicate a high level of trust in a brand, we recognize that some people will not evaluate a brand as trustworthy.
How do brands obtain approval to use the America’s Most Trusted® awards?
Lifestory Research has strict guidelines for advertising claims, and every advertising claim related to a study is required to adhere to these specific standards. Only the highest-ranked performers in pre-defined categories can license the use of the Lifestory Research America’s Most Trusted® awards in advertising. No promotional use or advertising can be made of the survey results without the express prior written consent of Lifestory Research.
I want to put a link to your site on my site. Is that okay?
You are welcome to link to any of our insights or pages from your site. We encourage it.
Do you allow news agencies to repost or report the results of America’s Most Trusted® awards?
Yes, news organizations and journalists are allowed to report on the study’s results. Companies and brands listed in the study results are not allowed to reuse any materials or marks without the express prior written consent of Lifestory Research.
May I reproduce your material on my website?
No. Using our material without our permission is trademark and copyright infringement, even if your site is noncommercial, and even if you give us credit. You are welcome to link to any of our articles from your site, but you may not reproduce the content of our pages on your site, nor may you distribute the text of our articles via email forwards or mailing lists or by posting them to message boards or blogs. (All of these actions constitute infringement.)
How can I complete the survey used in the America’s Most Trusted® study?
We appreciate your interest in participating in our surveys. The America’s Most Trusted® study is based on a random selection of people. Randomization is a foundational approach in social science research that reduces biased responses. We do not allow anyone to request participation in the study. Participants are randomly selected and invited to participate in the study.
Is brand trust the same as customer satisfaction?
Trust is a forward-leaning experience reflecting the propensity to consider a brand as you shop for products and services. Satisfaction is a post-judgment of a product or service. As this suggests, trust and satisfaction are not the same thing. One can trust a brand without first having used or experienced a product the brand offers. Trust can be formed through direct experience (and customer satisfaction). Still, it can also be formed by direct experiences (learning, engaging) and through the opinions of others (friends, family, valued others). Since trust can be created through many pathways, it provides a broad brand measure of value.
How are America’s Most Trusted Star Ratings Determined?
The calculation of the Star Ratings is based on the quantitative index scores reported for each brand product category in the America’s Most Trusted study. The range of index scores (high and low) within a product category is determined and then used to generate a star rating.
A 5-star rating are brands within a product category with an index score in the top 10 percent of the range and are seen by consumers as the “most trusted” of all brands in the studies product category. Only the highest-ranking company in each category receives an award for America’s Most Trusted. A 4-star rating are brands with an index score of 10 percent below the most trusted brands and 10 percent above the average brands which consumers see the brand as “trusted by many.” A 3-star rating are brands with an index score 10 percent above the category average and 20 percent above the lower rating level, placing the brands in the “average trust” of brands in the category. Brands in the survey and the category with an index score 20 percent below the category average receive a 2-star rating.
The Lifestory Research 5-star ratings are not used as a determinant of the America’s Most Trusted awards. The ranking and awards are based on the index scores derived from the survey responses from the study. Please visit the Survey Methodology page to learn more.