Despite all the talk about consumer experience and the increasing emphasis brands have put on it, Accenture is out with a global survey that shows that in many instances brands are falling short in
the CX space and consumers are frustrated.
According to the survey consumers who had a frustrating shopping experience are three times more
likely than satisfied consumers to not buy from the retailer or brand again. Conversely, companies that consistently exceed customer expectations can profit handsomely.
The research is based on a survey of more than 20,000 consumers across 19 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, South America and Africa. Respondents were
deemed to be frustrated if they said that their most-recent shopping (i.e., browsing and/or purchasing) experience didn’t meet their expectations and/or if they found any aspect of the shopping
experience frustrating.
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Forty-two percent of the respondents fell into the “frustrated” bucket.
Another finding: Nearly half (47%) of frustrated respondents said they would avoid doing business with the retailer or consumer goods brand, showing that a
frustrating experience can significantly damage brand loyalty.
But 47% of all the respondents said they would be willing to pay more for an
experience that exceeds their expectations every time, with frustrated customers almost twice as likely as satisfied consumers to say they’d be willing to pay more for such an
experience.
“Despite digital technologies fueling an explosion in opportunities to engage and interact with consumers throughout
their browsing and shopping experience, many retailers and brands still struggle to deliver a seamless experience across the integrated marketplace,” stated Laura Gurski, senior managing
director and head of Accenture’s Consumer Goods and Services practice. “Meeting or exceeding expectations calls for a complete rethink, all the way from developing new
concepts through manufacturing to the store shelf and beyond. And with so many consumers willing to pay more for an experience that exceeds expectations, there’s a potential pot
of gold for those that get it right.”
