Australian Customers Want Convenience, Recognition
Acquia’s second annual report reveals many local brands are failing to meet customer expectations
Sydney – 14 November 2019 – Customers in Australia and abroad overwhelmingly agree that brands are falling short when it comes to delivering a good customer experience (CX). They’re clear about the fact that personalisation is the key to good CX. In common with fellow consumers around the world, four in five Australians say brands that know them best will earn their loyalty and repeat business.
According to the results of the second annual global survey by Acquia, almost three quarters of Australians feel they’re treated as generic customers, not as individuals with their own preferences and needs, when they engage with brands online. Two-thirds say their experience with brands online needs to be made easier – a clear warning to Australia’s business sector that action is needed fast.
Australian marketers concur with local consumers that brands aren’t meeting customer experience expectations. Four in five marketers stated that when they think of their total experience with a brand, its marketing is mostly ineffective.
In many companies, the lack of personalisation is preventing brands from delivering excellent customer experiences. Technology that promises to improve that experience is almost universally supported, with 87 percent of customers stating technology should make their experiences with brands better.
Conversely, Australians are turning their backs on brands which disappoint them or exploit their personal data – 70 per cent say they often abandon a brand or switch to a competitor when the online experience is poor. The survey findings suggest that’s happening frequently, with 42 per cent of Australians stating they find it difficult to find the information they need on brand web sites.
To stay in what’s become a hyper-competitive game, marketers must ensure they’re consistently delivering satisfying customer experiences.
The findings of Acquia’s annual global survey on the state of the CX highlight the gap between money spent on marketing technology and revenue lost to failed customer conversions and retention. The report examines CX from the perspective of both consumers and marketers. More than 6000 consumers and 600 marketers across Australia, Europe and North America provided input for the annual report, “Deliver the CX They Expect: Customer Experience Trends.”
“Australian customers have spoken out loudly and clearly about the ‘customer experience gap’. Local companies that want to grow sales and profits need to step up and meet their expectations,” said Chris Gibbs, Acquia general manager, Asia Pacific and Japan. “Investing in marketing and CX technology which can facilitate seamless, cross-channel, personalised experiences will be a critical success factor, in 2020 and beyond.”
About the Survey
“Deliver the CX They Expect: Customer Experience Trends” report was commissioned by Acquia and conducted by Regina Corso Consulting between July 15 and 26, 2019. Respondents to the online survey were 6,013 consumers – 1,000 from Australia, 1,002 from France, 1,001 from Germany, 1,006 from Mexico, 1,001 from the United Kingdom and 1,003 from the United States) and 600 marketers (100 from Australia, 100 from France, 100 from Germany, 100 from Mexico, 100 from the UK and 100 from the U.S.). The consumers were all 18 and older and the sample is balanced by age and gender for each country. The marketers were director-level and above from companies with annual revenue of US$10 million or more.
About Acquia
Acquia is the open digital experience company. We provide the world’s most ambitious brands with technology that allows them to embrace innovation and create customer moments that matter. At Acquia, we believe in the power of community - giving our customers the freedom to build tomorrow on their terms. To learn more, visit acquia.com.
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