Consumers are not as concerned as we believe they are for their privacy and have begun to accept that companies get advertisements and offers as long as those messages are relevant, according to a new study by Accenture Interactive.
After interviewing more than 2000 clients in the US and the UK, Accenture Interactive found that 86% of respondents in both countries acknowledged they were concerned about how Web sites might be tracking their activity, but the 85% of the respondents also acknowledged that they understood it to be a necessary tactic in order to get proposals to clients.
Additionally, 64% of all respondents acknowledged that it was more important to receive offers of some value and interest, while 36% said they wanted follow-ups to cease entirely. In the US alone, the percentages varied slightly, with 61% in favor of personalization and 39% advocating for privacy.
“Relevance is a key part of the new consumer experience. On an imperative requirement, “said Glen Hartman, global director of digital consulting at Accenture Interactive to the AdExchaner website. “The idea of being able to offer more relevant information to the consumer is a part of the customization that has many nuances. The relevance is given when there is a possible intention to buy. “
One element behind this turn, Hartman acknowledged, is trust. Consumers trust that if they give up some of their privacy, companies will give them something valuable in return. If they do, companies will win a loyal customer, but if not, consumers will feel cheated and go elsewhere.
While 64% of respondents, for example, said they were willing to receive some type of text message with an offer when they were on the way to a store or shop, 88% also said that companies should give their customers the Flexibility in controlling how your personal information is used.
“Consumer cycles have changed,” Hartman said, noting that social media allows consumers to interact with you-to-you brands. “In social channels there are many interactions and recommendations among equals, especially because people rely on these types of sources. If consumers get involved through a mobile phone or Facebook, it is because they feel more comfortable and because they are experiences that everyone likes. “
The Accenture study also found that 93% of US consumers are more willing to buy a product from a company that has a presence in social media, and 75% said the same thing about a company that uses mobile applications. And while consumers are finding themselves more comfortable interacting with businesses through social networks and mobile devices, they are also finding themselves more comfortable when they benefit from that constant communication.
Sixty-five percent of US consumers agreed to compare product prices on their phones or tablets while shopping at a store, and 55 percent said they would look for an online product first, go to a store to see it in person, and then return home Where they would buy it online.
This trend of ” showrooming ” is becoming a real challenge for companies, in particular distribution. But Hartman referred to it as a challenge facing companies, such as being able to design multi-channel marketing and multi-device.
“The connections between channels need to be strengthened and become more relevant,” he said. “We have to be able to improve when it comes to getting more data and our ability to analyze. Only then will we be able to create an authentic multi-channel customer experience. “