Salesforce, the global leader in CRM, has released its new State of the Connected Customer report*, uncovering how AI, digital transformation, and macroeconomic trends are reshaping customer expectations and behaviours across the buying lifecycle.
Research highlights include:
Economic and technological shifts are changing customer priorities, behaviours, and expectations. The pressure is on for brands to step up.
- More than half (53%) of customers in Singapore expect companies to understand their needs as they change.
- More than eight in 10 (85%) customers in Singapore expect faster service and 78% expect better personalisation as technology advances. - Over three quarters (78%) of customers in Singapore expect consistent interactions across departments and 76% expect to interact with someone immediately when they contact a company.
Experience remains crucial amidst bargain seeking. Brands have ample opportunity to compete on more than price.
- More than six in 10 (62%) of consumers in Singapore switched brands at least once in the past year.
The quest for better deals is the leading reason for switching brands but the demand for product quality follows closely behind.
- More than eight in 10 (85%) consumers in Singapore say the experience a company provides is just as important as its products and services. However, many companies fall short – 66% of customers in Singapore say most companies treat them as a number rather than a unique individual.
Customers have a variety of feelings about the rise of generative AI. However, in all 25 countries surveyed, “curiosity” is among the top three. In Singapore, the top three customer sentiments around generative AI in Singapore are curiosity, excitement and hope.
Trust is paramount as AI expands. Customers expect transparency as companies ramp up their use of AI.
- Two thirds (66%) of customers in Singapore say advances in AI make it more important that companies are trustworthy. At the same time, 79% of customers in Singapore are concerned about companies using AI unethically.
- Nearly nine in 10 (87%) customers in Singapore say it’s important to know whether they're communicating with AI or a human.
- About six in 10 (64%) customers in Singapore say greater visibility into AI's use would deepen their trust.
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| Source: Salesforce State of the Connected Customer report. Forty-three percent of respondents mostly or completely distrust companies to use AI ethically. |
“Rising customer expectations means companies can’t afford to stand still when it comes to customer service. Technologies such as AI hold immense potential for businesses to keep up with changing needs and preferences. But this also raises pressing concerns around the ethics of AI,” said Sujith Abraham, Senior VP and GM for Salesforce ASEAN.
“The trust imperative is now more important than ever. Companies that will succeed are those that demonstrate they are approaching the technology thoughtfully, grounded in transparency and security, in order to win the trust of their customers.”
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Download the State of the Connected Customer report at https://www.salesforce.com/resources/research-reports/state-of-the-connected-customer/
*Data is from a double-blind survey of 11,000 consumers and 3,300 business buyers conducted from May 3 through July 14, 2023. Data was collected from respondents in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the UAE, the UK, and the US. Additional methodology and survey demographic details can be found in the report. Respondents included 650 consumers and 150 business buyers from Singapore.
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