Forrester Announces Brenntag and e& as 2025 Customer-Obsessed Enterprise Award Winners for EMEA
In a celebration of customer-centric excellence, Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR) has named Brenntag and e& as the winners of the prestigious 2025 Customer-Obsessed Enterprise Award for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). This award honors organizations that embed customer focus into their leadership, strategy, and operations to drive exceptional business outcomes, sustained growth, and enhanced customer loyalty. Both companies will be celebrated at the CX Summit EMEA, a premier event for customer experience (CX) and B2C marketing leaders, taking place in London and digitally from June 2-4, 2025.
Celebrating Customer-Centric Excellence
The Customer-Obsessed Enterprise Award recognizes organizations that go above and beyond to prioritize customer needs at every level of their operations. This year, Forrester highlights two standout companies—one from the B2B sector and the other from the B2C sector—that exemplify what it means to be truly customer-obsessed.
Brenntag, a global leader in chemicals and ingredients distribution, and e&, a global technology group, have demonstrated unparalleled dedication to understanding and serving their customers. Their efforts not only drive business success but also foster deeper customer relationships and employee engagement.
Brenntag: Elevating Customer Experience Across 72 Countries
As a global powerhouse operating in 72 countries, Brenntag has made customer-centricity the cornerstone of its business strategy. The company has implemented several innovative initiatives to ensure customers remain at the heart of its operations.
One such initiative is the CX Ambassador Program, which has trained over 500 employees in delivering exceptional customer service. Additionally, Brenntag established the CX War Room Task Force, a cross-functional team dedicated to identifying and resolving customer complaints promptly. These efforts reflect Brenntag’s commitment to creating a culture that prioritizes meaningful customer interactions over mere transactions.
“At Brenntag, we continually strive to provide truly personalized and impactful customer service,” said Malc Magee, Director of Customer Experience at Brenntag Essentials EMEA. “By listening closely to our customers’ needs, we’ve been able to develop a culture that goes far beyond transactions. When customers realize that we truly listen, act, and care about their experience, we build long-term relationships.”
Brenntag’s relentless focus on customer satisfaction has not only strengthened its brand reputation but also driven measurable business growth across its diverse markets.
e&: Transforming Customer Journeys Through Innovation
On the B2C front, e& has redefined customer experience by aligning its technology business with the evolving needs of its customers. Over the course of three years, e& undertook a comprehensive transformation journey, ensuring that its strategy was seamlessly integrated with the customer journey.
Through proactive listening and feedback collection, e& identified pain points and opportunities to enhance the customer experience across all touchpoints. Initiatives like the monthly “Customer Hour”—where the entire organization discusses customer feedback—and the “Beyond the Desk” program—which immerses managers in the customer’s perspective—have played pivotal roles in this transformation.
These efforts have yielded tangible results, including a significant increase in revenue and improved customer satisfaction scores.
“At e&, we believe that active listening is the foundation for high customer satisfaction,” said Chris Lipman, Chief Customer Experience Officer at e& UAE. “With initiatives like the monthly ‘Customer Hour’ and the ‘Beyond the Desk’ programs, we ensure that customer satisfaction remains our focus at all levels. By putting ourselves in our customers’ shoes, we can better understand their challenges and deliver solutions that truly meet their needs.”
A Model for Customer-Centric Success
Both Brenntag and e& serve as shining examples of how prioritizing customer interests can lead to sustainable growth and operational excellence. Their achievements underscore the importance of embedding customer obsession into every aspect of an organization’s culture and decision-making processes.
“We congratulate both e& and Brenntag on winning Forrester’s Customer-Obsessed Enterprise Award in EMEA,” said Martin Gill, Vice President and Research Director at Forrester and host of the CX Summit EMEA. “These companies are role models for considering customer interests in every decision, not just in individual customer interactions. This makes companies more successful.”
Join the Celebration at CX Summit EMEA
The CX Summit EMEA is a must-attend event for digital leaders seeking to learn best practices and gain actionable insights into customer experience strategies. With sessions led by industry experts and thought leaders, the summit offers invaluable opportunities to explore innovative approaches to CX and B2C marketing.
This year’s event will feature Brenntag and e& as keynote speakers, where they will share their journeys toward becoming customer-obsessed enterprises. Attendees will have the chance to learn firsthand how these organizations overcame challenges, implemented transformative strategies, and achieved remarkable results.
Why Customer Obsession Matters
In today’s competitive landscape, businesses that prioritize customer experience outperform their peers. According to Forrester research, customer-obsessed companies enjoy higher customer retention rates, increased revenue, and stronger brand loyalty. By aligning their strategies with customer needs, organizations can create lasting value for both their customers and stakeholders.
Brenntag and e& exemplify the power of customer obsession, proving that when businesses put their customers first, they unlock new opportunities for innovation, growth, and success.
