{"id":1076,"date":"2022-06-08T20:36:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-04T20:36:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=1076"},"modified":"2023-10-25T11:38:11","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T11:38:11","slug":"five-customer-trends-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/five-customer-trends-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Major Customer Trends in South Africa: How They Impact Your Business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today\u2019s customer has a lot on their mind. In a rapidly changing world, questions of trust, values, and integrity are front of mind. But what impact does that have on the way they engage with your business? We went right to the source to find out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our 2022 State of the Connected Customer<\/a> report reveals what makes more than 13,000 global consumers and 4,000 business buyers tick.<\/b> It\u2019s our fifth edition, and more than 650 respondents live right here in South Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Africa is set for an epic year. According to Statista<\/a>, the digital economy will boom by 24.8%. It\u2019s an exciting year for us too. We\u2019ve established a legal entity in South Africa and appointed Zuko Mdwaba, Area Vice President and Country Leader, and Linda Saunders, Head of Solution Engineering, to lead the region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But let\u2019s face it, none of that would be possible without our customers. So, let\u2019s take a look at the five top trends that matter most to customers in South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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State of the Connected Customer Report<\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Learn about attitudes to trust and loyalty, how to balance personalisation with privacy, and the best ways to engage with customers at every touchpoint.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\tDownload Now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t
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1. A trust-based economy is moving to the forefront<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve had a bumpy ride these past few years. From the global pandemic to extreme weather caused by climate change, trust in the government is spiralling<\/a>. But 94% of respondents in South Africa said trust becomes even more important in uncertain times. That means customers are increasingly looking to businesses to do the right thing and build great experiences based on trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With only 37% agreeing that they generally trust businesses, there\u2019s work to be done. While most people reported they \u2018completely\u2019 or \u2018mostly\u2019 trust companies to act with integrity, the trust section of our survey indicates uncertainty from customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other areas of the survey, a markedly larger proportion of customers provided a definitive yes or no response. When asked about trust, approximately 50% of customers were reluctant to commit to saying they completely trust companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem doesn\u2019t lie with sales. A whopping 99% of customers expect sales reps to act as trusted advisors, and only 20% don\u2019t feel like they can trust the sales team. Instead, customers are concerned by bigger issues around privacy, responsible use of personal data, and honest communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what are the five top ways you can build trust?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. 84% want to see greater transparency and better communication.<\/span> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. 76% want to be treated as a person, not a number.<\/span> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. 76% want greater assurance that you\u2019re using their data responsibly, and 85% think this is more important than ever.<\/span> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. 76% expect issues to be resolved quickly and proactively with great communication throughout.<\/span> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. 72% want a consistent experience across all touchpoints.<\/span> <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    When it comes to building trust as an organisation, customers are more likely to engage with companies that actively demonstrate good values and prioritise health and safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Building brand loyalty matters more than ever<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Thanks to digitalisation, the world is our oyster. While that\u2019s great for customers, it means building brand loyalty is more important than ever \u2013 and customer relationships can be influenced by unexpected factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    While it\u2019s not surprising that 84% of buyers think about how you treat customers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n