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Over 90% of UAE customers say experience is as important as products – survey

The Salesforce’s ‘State of the Connected Customer Report’ reveals how trust, personalisation and digital-first experiences are central to customer needs

by Gulf Business

June 9, 2022

Salesforce, a global CRM company, has released the fifth edition of its State of the Connected Customer report that shares insights from nearly 17,000 consumers and business buyers across 29 countries, including 650 from the UAE, on the new digital-first customer engagement landscape.

Key insights of the report include:

As customers navigate a rapidly changing world, questions of trust, values, and integrity are increasingly impacting their relationships with companies. 89 per cent of UAE respondents believe trust becomes more important in times of change.

Customer engagement is decidedly digital-first, but brands are under pressure to merge online and offline interactions into personalised experience as in-person interaction re-emerges. 82 per cent of UAE respondents have purchased products in new ways since 2020.

As priorities and behaviours shift, established brand loyalties are undergoing tests of strength. 74 per cent of UAE consumers have switched brands at least once in the past year.

Customers report — Customers who say the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services

Companies must make customer support a priority if they want to win repeat business. 94 per cent of respondents from the UAE agree positive customer support experience makes them more likely to make a repeat purchase.

This new digital-first world has changed the norms of commerce, work and everyday life, prompting customers and brands to re-establish how they connect.

As customers continue to shift their preferred experiences with brands to online channels, brands must re-imagine digital-first experiences that engage customers in a way that is flexible, thoughtful, and provides a personal touch.

“In times of change, such as we are in today, it is imperative to understand your customers’ needs and expectations and make them your guiding light. Only by understanding each individual customers’ needs can companies earn, build, and maintain customer trust, which is the ultimate currency of engagement,” said Thierry Nicault, area vice president – Middle East and North Africa, SalesForce.

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