The Customer Satisfaction Index released yesterday by SMU’s Institute of Service Excellence (ISE) showed that despite customer satisfaction levels remaining statistically unchanged, policies such as return and exchange rules were among the attributes rated most poorly by respondents. The retail sector scored 72.6 points, a 0.6 per cent increase from last year. Some 6,900 locals and tourists were surveyed for the index between January and April this year. The info-communications sector obtained a score of 70.4 points, up 1.1 per cent from the same period last year. "Customers who rated exchange and return policies poorly are associated with lower satisfaction and loyalty scores," said Chen Yongchang, SMU’s ISE Head of Research and Consulting. "Addressing the issue may be a source of competitive advantage for companies."