A Twilio, customer engagement platform that provides personalized and real-time experiences for companies around the world, has just released the 1st edition of the Consumer Preferences report, that brings relevant information to understand today's consumer. According to the report, 91% of consumers, around the world, they expect engagement through their preferred channels and are willing to spend 32% (a figure that reaches 45% in Latin America) more on brands that allow them to communicate through these channels. On the other hand, only 54% of brands consistently demonstrate meeting this expectation, globally
The document, that brings the analysis of the responses of 3.900 consumers worldwide, including Brazil, provides a deep analysis of the main digital communication channels used by consumers, inclusive bringing regional and generational data, in addition to presenting insights to explain changes in consumer behavior and practical tips to improve communication with them, promoting engagement
Consumers are being bombarded with messages from companies across all communication channels: WhatsApp, e-mail, voice, SMS etc. It is imperative that brands reach customers not only through the right channels, but also with the right message and at the right time. Companies have access to data about their customers' preferences, but they do not use them to improve their campaigns. "Those who do this will win the hearts and minds of customers", says Vivian Jones, VP LATAM of Twilio
The report highlights the preferred communication channels by consumers, how brand communications influence consumer trust,and the speed with which consumers expect a company to respond to communications
In general, consumers prefer digital contact. O e-mail e o SMS/MMS continuam a ser os canais de comunicação mais populares a nível mundial, preferred by 79% and 49% of consumers, respectively. WhatsApp is very popular in countries like Brazil, where he is the preferred communication channel (77%) tied with email. Adapting the communication strategy to preferences significantly improves engagement, ensuring a public service where it is already more active
When choosing the best channels to boost engagement, it is possible to notice an increase in revenue. Furthermore, there is a greater customer retention, given that 40% of consumers claim they are more likely to make repeat purchases when brands use their preferred channels. Finally, there is a better customer acquisition, because when brands use preferred channels, 30% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase for the first time
Ignore these consumer preferences, on the other hand, it can be harmful, because ineffective communications drain resources and generate losses in sales and customers. 57% of consumers report feeling "sometimes, "frequently or always" frustrated when brands use the wrong channels to communicate with them
When we talk about generational preferences, the report indicates that each generation has distinct preferences, shaped by their experiences with technology. That is why 87% of baby boomers and 83% of Generation X members listed email as their preferred channel, compared to just 77% of Millennials and 70% of Generation Z. Younger users prefer social networks and messaging. An interesting fact is that Generation Z wants to talk on the phone. 34% of them are open to calls from companies, and they are the generation most likely to actually answer the phone. Millennials prefer WhatsApp, given that two in every five Millennials listed the messaging app as their preferred channel
Another important factor is that consumers, many times, they prefer different channels for different types of communication, in addition to considering the urgency factor of a notification or contact. Understanding this allows companies to develop an omnichannel communication strategy, that engages with what your audience wants and needs
Trust and response time
Consumer Preferences still focuses on the issue of consumer trust, pointing out that 66% of consumers did not purchase from any brand last year due to a lack of trust in the brand's communication and 49% of them claim they would trust brands significantly more if their messages or channels displayed some type of labeling, like the company's logo
Despite that, this reality is already changing, because many companies are already using messages that identify the brand. Last year, 56% of consumers received text messages with the brand highlighted and, of these consumers, 75% stated that this increased their confidence in communication. This number was even higher among Latin American consumers, reaching an impressive 88%
Furthermore, 88% of consumers who received a communication with brand identification reported an increase in trust, with this number rising 95% in Latin America. And to finish, 42% of consumers made repeat purchases from brands that used reliable communication methods, with this number reaching 53% in Latin America
Finally, we come to the issue of response time. The report indicates that 86% of consumers say that the ability to message a brand in real time increases the likelihood of completing a purchase, however, only 41% of them feel that brands often or always meet their response time expectations. As respostas lentas deixaram 65% dos consumidores sentindo-se frustrados e/ou irritados e 72% acreditando que seu tempo está sendo desperdiçado por uma marca
The ideal response window, Golden Hour call, it is from one hour to more than half (51%) of consumers. This is reflected in 40% of consumers making a repeat purchase and 25% making a first purchase due to a quick response
The report also contains many other data and insights, and can be checked at thelink.
