Clark has always believed companies that treat their employees well also treat their customers well and do better over time. Now, he has actual proof. Each quarter, the University of Michigan releases research on industries and companies in those industries, detailing how consumers feel about them. Whenever a company’s customer satisfaction rating goes down in the Michigan survey, the company suffers down the road. It usually happens about two years after the statistics are released or after two companies merge. The supermarket industry, for example, has been in the survey for 10 years. And for 10 years, it has been named the best. That company is Publix. As a result, Publix is spreading from Florida and the Southeast to all over the nation. On the other hand, supermarkets that ranked at the bottom of the list are now all in financial trouble. In the retail biz, Costco and Kohl’s tied for first place. Wachovia ranked very high among the giant banks out there, while other mega banks did very poorly. If you want the best service, go to a credit union or smaller bank, according to the survey. But the industry with the lowest score of any on this survey was health care insurance. We simply loathe this industry, and something must change. For all of the results, click here.