Consumers are wary as we head into what Salesforce calls the Fourth Industrial Revolution. They are worried about their privacy. But they also want highly personalized experiences and are willing to share data to get them.
In a survey of 6,723 people across the globe, Salesforce found that 59% believe their personal data is vulnerable to a security breach, and 54% don’t believe companies have their best interests in mind. Those numbers are higher for baby boomers and lower for millennials.
Overall, 84% say being treated like a person, not a number, is very important to winning their business. 75% of millennials want instant, on-demand engagement. But only 53% of the boomers do.
That said, 60% overall worry about their data being compromised due to AI. Yet most also realize that good can come from AI (for the millennials it’s 75%), and say it’s acceptable that firms use AI to improve the customer experience. However, only 46% of boomers believe this, compared with 68% of the millennials. At the same time, 35% of the millennials and boomers don’t trust AI. GenXers are slightly more trusting — only 32% feel the same way.
Want to win their trust? Then fulfill these customer desires:
- Give me control over what information is collected about me — 92%
- Be transparent about how my information is used — 91%
- Show their commitment to protecting my information — 91%
- Have a strong privacy policy — 90%
- Ask for my explicit consent to use my information — 88%
- Vow not to share my information without permission — 88%
Source: Schultz, R. (2018, September 7). Consumers Say: Treat Us Like People, Not Numbers. MediaPost.