Introduction State of Marketing 7 Customer Experience Is the Brand Battlefield Over the past 18 months, 64% of marketing Customers Will Walk If Experiences Aren’t Personalized leaders say their company has become more focused on providing a consistent experience In a separate study of over 7,000 consumers and business buyers worldwide, a majority of across every channel as a result of changing customers said they would switch brands or vendors if communications weren’t personalized.* customer expectations. This begs the obvious question, “Why?” The short answer is that customers increasingly expect consistent, personalized experiences — and their loyalty is on the line. This applies to consumers and business buyers alike. While more than half (52%) of consumers are likely 52% 65% to switch brands if a company doesn’t make an effort to personalize communications to them, of consumers are likely to switch of business buyers are likely 65% of business buyers say the same about brands if a company doesn’t to switch brands if a vendor vendor relationships.* personalize communications to them doesn’t personalize communications to their company Marketers have historically walked a thin line between wanting to personalize communications but not wanting to pry too far into customers’ personal data. But the tides are changing, and consumers are more willing to trade data for better experiences. Among Millennial consumers, 58% will share personal data in exchange for product recommendations that meet their needs (as will 52% of Gen X consumers). Business buyers also want deeper relationships; 89% expect companies to understand their business needs and expectations.* * “State of the Connected Customer,” Salesforce Research, October 2016. Salesforce Research