Salesforce State of the Connected Customer: For 89% of Italians, companies need to accelerate digital
" from the products they sell or the services they provide, companies are operating in a scenario they could not have imagined earlier this year, ”said Andrea Buffoni, Regional Vice President of Salesforce Marketing Cloud. "The drastic shift to digital channels is not the only challenge that companies face, it is also necessary for them to listen and respond to customer requests with empathy and understanding, with innovative products and services and by fundamentally rethinking their role in society. Connecting customers to various touchpoints - digital or not - to obtain a holistic understanding is the first step on the path to take to lead companies to greater resilience and significant growth. "
The survey was conducted globally, collecting information from over 15,000 consumers (650 in Italy) and corporate purchasing managers from 27 countries and divides the results across four generations of consumers: Baby Boomer, Generation X, Millennial and Gen Z. The novelty of this year's report is the interactive data by country and generation available on Tableau, with a specific focus dedicated to the impact that Covid-19 has had on consumers and managers of purchases. The events of this year have upset the relationships between customers and brands. At a time when uncertainty and confusion reign, the latter have the opportunity to strengthen and rebuild trust with new and already loyal customers alike.
The data
I n Italy 92% of consumers say that a company's behavior during a crisis demonstrates its reliability. As each individual faces change and uncertainty, the empathy and support shown by companies in order to meet their expectations make the difference. 57% of Italian consumers complain about the lack of information sharing between sales, customer service and marketing. A digital-first attitude is destined to remain and consumers are developing new habits that will last for a long time. As digital engagement grows, customers expect businesses to digitize operations for high-impact, multi-channel interactions. This is made possible in large part by the use of personal information, for which customers ask for greater transparency and management skills. I n Italy, 68% of consumers say that the COVID-19 emergency has increased their expectations about having digital relationships with companies."The time has come to give an account of social, economic and ecological problems and society asks companies to do their part to correct what is not yet working. Failure to respect responsibilities towards not only shareholders threatens profits ». 87% of Italian consumers say that the social role of companies is changing. In everyday life, consumers come into contact with products, services and interact with companies for personal and professional reasons, digitally and physically, to buy the essential and the superfluous. “In this process their standards are constantly being influenced, with the distinctions between sectors often confusing and unclear. Companies seeking to differentiate themselves are oriented to look beyond direct competition and to evaluate how to deal with other sectors as well. Globally, 62% of consumers say that their experiences with a specific industry affect their expectations of others ".
