Hundred of executives from around the world were polled recently, and almost half claimed their companies don’t deserve their customers’ loyalty.

The survey, conducted by New Jersey-based Strativity, was part of a yearlong study of attitudes toward customer loyalty and customer experience management among customer service executives and marketing executives. Approximately 165 surveys were submitted by executives from the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Africa, with a wide range of company sizes represented.

A full 54 percent of respondents claimed that their company did not conduct a “true dialogue” with its customers.

According to the study, “a large portion of executives are still lacking the basic understanding of why should customers buy from their company versus from the competition.”

It should be stressed that not all the subjects were airline employees. Nevertheless, the findings are alarming if even some of the attitudes uncovered have made their way to airline boardrooms.

“Although the subject of customer service and customer experience is high on the ‘declared’ agenda, the reality is far from it,” the report concludes.