Four factors of trust. Deloitte HX TrustID

In today’s rapidly changing world, trust is becoming one of the key factors determining an organization’s success. In response to the growing importance of trust, Deloitte, a global consulting firm, has developed an innovative tool – HX TrustID. This advanced tool for measuring and building trust was created based on extensive research, including over 350,000 survey responses from customers and employees across nearly 500 brands.

Key Factors of Trust

HX TrustID identifies four key factors that make up trust: humanity, transparency, capability, and reliability. Humanity refers to empathy and fair treatment, transparency to openness in sharing information, capability to deliver high-quality products and services, and reliability to consistently keeping promises. These four elements are the foundation on which companies can build stronger relationships with customers, employees, and partners.

Core questions

Humanity : [Brand] demonstrates empathy and kindness towards me, and treats everyone fairly.
Transparency : [Brand] openly shares all information, motives, and choices in straightforward and plain language.
Capability : [Brand] creates quality products, services, and/or experiences.
Reliability : [Brand] consistently delivers on promises and experience.

Attribute questions

Humanity Attributes

1. [Brand] quickly resolves issues with safety, security, and satisfaction top of mind.
2. [Brand] values & respects everyone, regardless of background, identity, or beliefs.
3. [Brand] values the good of society and the environment, not just profit.
4. [Brand] takes care of employees.

Transparency Attributes

1. [Brand]’s marketing and communications are accurate and honest.
2. [Brand] is upfront about how they make and spend money from our interactions.
3. How and why my data is used is communicated in plain and easy-to-understand language.
4. [Brand] is clear and upfront about fees and costs of products, services, and experiences.

Capability Attributes

1. Products are good quality, accessible, and safe to use.
2. Prices of products, services, and experiences are good value for money.
3. Employees and leadership are competent and understand how to respond to my needs.
4. [Brand] creates long-term solutions and improvements that work well for me.

Reliability Attributes

1. [Brand] can be counted on to improve the quality of their products and services.
2. [Brand] consistently delivers products, services, and experiences with quality.
3. [Brand] facilitates digital interactions that run smoothly and work when needed.
4. [Brand] resolves issues in an adequate and timely manner.

NOTES: The survey is based on a 7-point scale (Strongly Disagree – Disagree – Somewhat Disagree – Neutral – Somewhat Agree – Agree – Strongly Agree). It is recommended to display the questions in random order to minimize respondent bias.

Trust as a Source of Competitive Advantage

Research shows that companies with high levels of trust perform up to 400% better than their competitors. Customers who trust a brand are 88% more likely to make repeat purchases, proving that trust is crucial not only for building loyalty but also for achieving better business outcomes. Additionally, 79% of employees who trust their employer are more motivated to work and less likely to leave the company.

Practical Application of HX TrustID

The HX TrustID tool enables organizations to identify their strengths and trust deficits, allowing them to take effective actions to improve relationships with key stakeholders. With a simple 7-point response scale and an open survey format, HX TrustID is easy to use and adaptable for different organizations. This tool is based on in-depth research, including focus groups, interviews with leaders, and analysis of cases where trust was either gained or lost.

Negativ / Low trust level	Strongly Disagree – Disagree
Neutral	Somewhat Disagree – Neither Agree nor Disagree – Somewhat Agree
Positive / High trust level	Agree – Strongly Agree

Humanity Factor = Positive – Negative

Transparency Factor = Positive – Negative

Capability Factor = Positive – Negative

Reliability Factor = Positive – Negative

Composite HX TrustID score = Humanity Factor + Transparency Factor + Capability Factor + Reliability Factor

Building Trust in Practice

HX TrustID not only measures trust levels but also provides practical guidance on how to build and maintain trust. This tool can be applied across various areas of an organization’s activities – from marketing and customer experience to cybersecurity, talent management, and sustainability. As a result, organizations can create stronger, trust-based relationships that contribute to long-term success.

The Importance of Trust Today

At a time when the inclination to trust is at a historically low level, tools like HX TrustID are becoming invaluable. They allow companies to better understand their position regarding trust and implement specific changes to improve it. Building a strong foundation of trust can become a key differentiator for an organization in the competitive landscape, leading to increased customer and employee loyalty and improved overall business performance.

HX TrustID is an innovative tool that could become the gold standard in assessing an organization’s effectiveness in building trust. Implementing this tool can bring significant benefits to companies aiming to create more loyal and engaged communities of customers and employees, as well as to achieve better market performance.