State of the Connected Customer Executive Summary 5 Rising generations take for granted 01 Customer Expectations Hit All-Time Highs that they can order almost anything (See page 6) by just talking to a device. But their With more choice, more access to information, and less incentive to be loyal, today’s customers are firmly parents remember when mail-order in control of their relationships with companies. Consumers and business buyers alike seek differentiated catalogs were the norm. Suffice to experiences based on trust and understanding, and will shop around to find them. Eighty percent of say, technology is raising customer customers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services. standards at a breakneck pace. For businesses, there’s more focus 02 Companies Face a New Connected Mandate than ever on going beyond the (See page 10) expected product or service, to From product recommendations to proactive service, customers expect engagement that’s uniquely deliver a customer experience personalized. What’s more, customers are looking for interactions that are connected and that truly differentiates. contextualized at every turn. Seventy percent of customers say connected processes are very important to winning their business. But while expectations for personalized, connected experiences 03 Technology Sets New Benchmarks for Innovation are soaring, trust in companies to (See page 15) responsibly handle the data they As technology evolves at a head-spinning pace, customers have been conditioned to expect newer require is bottoming out. and better experiences. Customers are far more likely to view various emerging technologies as This report examines the revolutionary, rather than hyped, with artificial intelligence (AI) playing an increasingly prominent evolution of these expectations, role in their daily lives. Fifty-six percent of customers actively seek to buy from the most the technology that’s driving them, innovative companies. and the balance of trust between Customers Balance Personalization and Privacy Amid a Crisis of Trust customers and companies. 04 (See page 19) Delivering personalized experiences requires a data-driven, 360-degree view — but more than half of respondents are uncomfortable with how their data is used. Customers say companies can earn their trust by taking certain steps, such as giving them control over how their data is applied, and being transparent with how it’s used. Eighty-six percent of customers are more likely to trust companies with their relevant information if they explain how it provides a better experience. Salesforce Research