With the uncertainties in the market post-lockdown, customer trust saw a drastic change. Explore how 10,000 US consumers responded and how AI is helping brands reduce customer churn rates.
Around 52% of consumers trust organizations to meet their expectations. Outside factors, such as societal and cultural factors and the economic climate, push trust higher or lower.
With AI becoming a staple for daily consumer interactions, organizations constantly implement ethical practices to enhance customer loyalty. A survey conducted by Qualtrics XM Institute revealed that out of 10,000 US consumers about their interactions with businesses, 52% of the respondents trust them to meet their expectations for the past 12 years.
Credit goes to AI-powered technologies that enable businesses to gain valuable insights from consumer sentiments for personalized experiences. However, before we discuss the factors that enhance customer loyalty, it is essential to understand the skeptics of the buyers post-lockdown.
How did customer trust evolve across industries post-pandemic?
Emphasizing the uncertainties during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the experts at Qualtrics revealed that in 2020, customer trust saw its biggest single-year drop. It dropped from 54% to 45%, where businesses and consumers alike were forced to adjust to a sudden and dramatic shift in their lives and work. Enlisted below are a few ways how they reacted:
- Just 28% had confidence in the organizations they do business with, compared with 57% of Baby Boomers. Gen Z’s purchasing power is growing, and their expectations differ from previous generations, suggesting that companies may need to adjust their strategies to earn trust among this important audience.
- Financial industries gained trust, but hotels still strive to recover from the pandemic.
- Besides that, banks gained more consumer trust in response to the economic expansion and pandemic recovery.
How to gain consumer trust in the future?
Highlighting some insights on gaining customer loyalty down the line, Bruce Temkin, head of Qualtrics XM Institute, said, “Consumers are still reeling from the past few years of rapid change and uncertainty. As AI becomes more prevalent in consumer interactions, trust will be more important than ever. By communicating clearly and providing exceptional service, companies can earn trust with people who will be more likely to become a repeat consumer and actively promote the business to their friends and family.”
“Companies need to explicitly and intentionally focus on trust in 2024, but focusing on both its rational and emotional elements. Act consistently, avoid over-promising, be transparent about what your consumers care about most, and accept responsibility when something goes wrong,” Temkin concluded.
In this ever-evolving digital world where consumers are skeptical about choosing a company for a product or service, it’s essential to be transparent. It is only possible by incorporating AI-powered interactions into systems and responding to their needs in real-time.
