Kitewheel recently revealed the findings of an independently commissioned study — “The State of the Customer Journey 2014” — that “examines the current breakthroughs and breakdowns in engagement with today’s connected consumer.”
“As new technologies and digital channels reshape the landscape of human interaction, the study reveals a significant disconnect between consumer expectation around experience and brand execution,” an introduction to the study reads.
Once consumers and marketing decision makers were surveyed, five areas of disconnect were discovered: mobile, social media, real-time e-commerce, omni-channel capability and brand loyalty.
The key findings of the report shared with MMW include:
- Real-time eCommerce presents a huge opportunity for brands. 91% of consumers feel an “in the moment” offer might influence their purchase. Yet only 32% of marketers have the tools in place to deliver upon this “real-time” promise in practice, with most offers arriving too late to make an impact.
- 76% of consumers use mobile devices to compare prices and read reviews while shopping, yet 51% of marketers are not currently managing mobile apps as a consumer touch point. 55% of consumers state frustrations in downloading an app that offers no functional difference from a business’ website.
- 68% of consumer respondents expect a response to tweets directed at a brand, and one in three expect a response within 24 hours. Yet 45% of marketers state it is unlikely that their company can respond to every one of these social media opportunities.
- 73% believe that loyalty programs should be a way for brands to show consumers how loyal they are to them as a customer; but 66% of marketers still see it the other way around.
To download the entire report and corresponding infographic, click here.