How satisfied are shop owners and branch managers with their location in a shopping center? SES Spar European Shopping Centers, Austria’s leading mall operator, sought clear answers – and got them. In a large-scale satisfaction study conducted by TQS Research & Consulting KG in April and May 2025, more than 600 shop partners across 13 SES shopping centers shared their views. The verdict: Four out of five rated their overall satisfaction with SES as “very good” or “good.”
Top Grades for SES Centers
A total of 627 shops participated in the online survey, representing a strong response rate of nearly 80%. Only individuals with direct, on-site experience—store operators and branch managers—were surveyed.
The results are telling: 82% of participants rated SES with top marks (“very good” or “good”), resulting in an average score of 1.7 (on a 1–5 scale, where 1 is best). Especially high marks were given for the cooperation with local center management (1.6), center marketing efforts (1.7), and the overall image and reputation of the centers (1.7).
When asked what matters most to them in a shopping center, shop partners cited the center’s image (1.7), shop turnover (2.2), and customer footfall (2.3) as the top three factors.
Local Management Earns High Praise
One standout result: the performance of SES’s local center management teams. Respondents highlighted their reliability, accessibility, transparent communication, and expert technical support. For shop partners, this day-to-day, personal contact is the key to a strong, trusting relationship.
CEO Christoph Andexlinger comments: “Our mission is to create vibrant spaces that resonate with customers,” said Christoph Andexlinger, CEO of SES. “To achieve this, we must also provide our shop partners with an optimal environment—so they can present their offerings in an appealing, inviting setting. A key success factor is the accessibility of our center management teams on site. We are truly pleased with the high level of satisfaction our partners have expressed toward our teams.”
The survey was conducted using CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interviews) methodology by TQS Research & Consulting KG. The insights reaffirm SES’s commitment to collaborative growth and operational excellence.
