Consumers Seek Relationships That Go Beyond Just Selling: Study

• by Ray Schultz , Yesterday

Consumers want value. But they also want brands to appeal to reach emotionally, according to The 2021 Guide to Building Customer Trust, a study by a Khoros.

Of the consumers polled, 46% prefer to buy from brands were they build a relationship beyond “just selling me something.” Another 26% seek more transactional companies “where they sell something and I buy it.” And 46% are neutral on the topic.

But there are different levels of loyalty. Here's what drives brand loyalty in general:

• Good value for the money — 59%
• Ability to trust the brand — 58% 
• Best-quality product or service — 52%
• Good customer service — 51%
• Desire to recommend the brand to others — 46%
• Brand is authentic and genuine in consumer interactions — 36% 

But deep loyalty is fueled by these factors:

• Interacts consistently over time — 82% 
• Able to resolve questions without a phone call — 80%
• Feels human, rather than corporate — 80%
• Seems authentic, not artificial — 79%
• Makes my interactions feel personal — 76%

And how do customers define loyalty in terms of their own behavior?

• Buying a product or service regularly — 76%
• Using a brand for a long time — 68%
• Recommending a brand to others — 61%
• Feeling a deep emotional connection to a brand — 41%

Here are the types of digital connections that drive deep connections and loyalty:

• Shows personalized ads on social — 52%
• Has an online community — 52%
• Use social to share content you care about — 50%
• Connects you with other customers with similar user expertise — 49%
• Is active on multiple digital channels — 49%

That last stat would apparently include email. And email marketers should note the elements that they should include in their copy. 

AI can help brands generate loyalty. But it can also lead to negative experiences:

• Usable to resolve issue — 56%
• No option to speak to a human to resolve issues — 53%
• Interaction felt robotic, not human — 47%
• Lack of personalization and sophistication — 32%
• Interaction lacked empathy — 30%