DALBAR Announces Nationwide as Winner of Sixth Consecutive Customer Experience Excellence Award

Recognition Affirms Sustained Leadership in Retirement Plan Participant Service Across Multiple Channels

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nationwide has once again proven its unwavering commitment to exceptional customer service, earning its sixth consecutive DALBAR Customer Experience Excellence Award. The award recognizes Nationwide's outstanding achievement across several client contact channels, including phone, website and mobile sites, demonstrating the company's comprehensive approach to delivering exceptional retirement plan participant experiences.

"Retirement plan participants place tremendous trust in us, and exemplary service is central to honoring that responsibility," said Carah Brody, Vice President of Business Operations for Nationwide Retirement Solutions. "These recognitions validate the intentional investments we've made in our people, our processes, and our digital experiences to create interactions that are clear, responsive, and truly participant focused. We will continue to raise the bar on participant service and experience because it's central to our goal to help more savers prepare for and live a dignified retirement."

"Nationwide continues to exemplify what true service excellence looks like in action," said Julie Dell'Olio, Director at DALBAR. "Their sixth consecutive win reflects a deep-rooted culture of customer-centricity and operational excellence. What sets them apart is their ability to innovate while maintaining the human touch that participants value most. This level of sustained performance sets a benchmark for the entire retirement services industry."

Earning the DALBAR Customer Experience Excellence Award requires meeting exacting standards through a comprehensive, year-long evaluation process. The assessment examines customer interactions across all touchpoints—from phone support to digital platforms—measuring both service quality and consistency. Nationwide's continued success in this rigorous evaluation demonstrates their position as an industry leader in participant experience and service delivery.

Nationwide Retirement Solutions helps secure financial futures for approximately three million participants in 30,000 retirement plans with $250 billion in assets, across full-service recordkeeping, investment solutions, and pension risk transfer¹. Nationwide remains No. 1 in public 457 plans (based on the number of plans)² with an average tenure of 29 years.¹ The company also continues to maintain significant presence in private 401(k), nonprofit 403(b) markets, and pension risk transfer.

For 50 years, Nationwide has remained committed to continually improving its retirement solutions and service experience to better support individuals preparing for and living in retirement. The company offers a diversified portfolio of solutions that complement its traditional recordkeeping and education services. Nationwide's goal is to help participants prepare for retirement by providing investment solutions and services designed to support long-term growth, risk management and income planning. These offerings include mutual funds, managed accounts, pension risk transfer capabilities, fixed and stable value solutions, and lifetime income options.

Visit nrsforu.com for more information about the tools and services Nationwide provides to retirement plan participants

About DALBAR, Inc.

Since 1976, DALBAR has been a leading independent financial services market research firm, recognized by both the industry and government. Now celebrating 50 years of service and impact, DALBAR continues to specialize in uncovering the needs, behaviors, and concerns of investors, plan participants, and financial professionals. The firm provides actionable insights to help organizations strengthen their products, services, and communications. As an authority in audits, evaluations, ratings, and due diligence certifications, DALBAR awards are widely regarded as a hallmark of excellence, setting the standard for quality across the financial services community. Follow us on LinkedIn.

For more information visit www.dalbar.com or contact us at [email protected]

¹ Nationwide Financial (Dec. 31, 2025)
² PLANSPONSOR 2025 Recordkeeping Survey

Media Contact: Michelle Slute
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SOURCE DALBAR, Inc.