{"id":47555,"date":"2021-06-01T05:01:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-01T12:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=47555"},"modified":"2021-06-01T18:33:16","modified_gmt":"2021-06-02T01:33:16","slug":"nearly-half-of-u-s-consumers-have-lost-trust-in-a-brand-this-past-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/nearly-half-of-u-s-consumers-have-lost-trust-in-a-brand-this-past-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Nearly Half of U.S. Consumers Have Lost Trust in a Brand This Past Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Quick take<\/strong>: 48% of U.S. consumers say misuse of their personal information has caused them to lose trust in a brand during the pandemic. Salesforce Global Innovation Evangelist Brian Solis shares survey findings and insights for nurturing customer relationships post-pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Consumers are ready to spend as the pandemic wanes \u2014 both the data<\/a> and a trip to any public place make that clear. But, something is holding them back; something more personal in this digital-first world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a recent Salesforce survey, nearly half of U.S. consumers say misuse of their personal information has caused them to lose trust in a brand during the pandemic, and 50% say it has been difficult to trust brands since the pandemic began. This is exactly the wrong time to lose trust and the right time to earn trustworthiness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a gap between consumers eager to spend and those who are also comfortable engaging deeply with the brands they\u2019re buying from, the question becomes, \u201chow can brands learn to build trust and long-term relationships with consumers in a post-pandemic era?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

New insights point to first-party data paired with great customer experiences as critical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since pandemic\u2019s onset, consumers struggle to regain trust<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

COVID-19 has accelerated digital interactions; in fact, Salesforce Commerce Cloud<\/a> supported over 3 million transactions a day in 2020 \u2014 up more than 100% YoY. This comes with opportunities to grow with new audiences. But it also comes with challenges. Digital transformation, poorly handled, can mean a greater chance for issues like gaps in customer service and misuse of personal information like data breaches and hyper-targeted marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Leveraging direct and in-person consumer interactions can help <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gathering data through direct interactions with customers is one way to build trust post-pandemic, according to the data. It\u2019s a chance to demonstrate digital empathy, to show customers that their data is being used to deliver better, more personal experiences. And as the physical and digital worlds merge, collecting data through  in-person customer interactions can positively build trust between brands and consumers. As the trust divide widens, giving consumers autonomy over their personal information could provide the foundation for strong brand relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Offer incentives, loyalty programs, and give back to strengthen relationships<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are concrete steps brands can take to build stronger relationships with their customers \u2014 especially as we see younger generations hungry to deepen their connections with companies.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Open Image Modal<\/span>\"actions<\/a>
Actions that have a positive impact on customer\/brand relationships<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n
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