Salesforce State of The Connected Customer 4th Ed

4TH E D ITI O N
STATE of the
CONNECTED
CUSTOMER
Insights from 15,000+ consumers and business
buyers worldwide on unprecedented shifts in
customer expectations and behavior
SALESFORCE RESE ARCH S TAT E O F T H E CO N N E C T E D C U S T O M E R 2
A Note from Our fourth "State of the Connected Customer" report provides a
snapshot of a world thrown into flux by ongoing economic, health,
Simon Mulcahy leadership, social justice, and climate crises. Personal and professional
lives have merged, and customers are calling on businesses to adapt.
Salesforce Chief Innovation Officer
Amid this uncertainty, we wanted to look at the new landscape of

customer engagement. What we found is that customer expectations
and behaviors have shifted radically, rapidly, and permanently; as
our physical world has shrunk, the digital imperative companies have
contended with for decades has reached an abrupt tipping point.
Customers demand digital-first convenience and are leaning on brands
to innovate like never before. They're seeking not just more personalized
experiences, but empathetic ones.
These crises impact more than companies’ digital endeavors; they

are laying bare an urgency to earn and build trust while supporting
and caring for all stakeholders – from employees and customers, to
shareholders, to society at large. As a company that views business as a
platform for change, we believe this must be viewed and acted upon as a
transformational moment.
As the world adapts and shifts, challenge can — and should — breed
opportunity, ingenuity and innovation; listening to the connected
customer at this critical time and pivoting to meet their expectations will
separate the businesses that emerge from this time stronger and more
resilient from those that struggle to adapt. I sincerely hope you find these
insights helpful as you navigate our new world.
Simon Mulcahy
What You’ll Find

in This Report Data in this report is from a double-blind survey conducted from July 16
through August 18, 2020. Respondents represent 27 countries across
For the fourth edition of the "State six continents. Data was weighted to accurately represent the general
of the Connected Customer" report, population. All respondents are third-party panelists. For further survey
Salesforce Research surveyed 12,000 demographics, see page 40.
consumers and 3,600 business buyers
worldwide to consider:
• How customer expectations and 3,600 12,000

behaviors are transforming amid business buyers consumers
surveyed worldwide surveyed worldwide
ongoing crises
• Which criteria customers use to
evaluate brands in an increasingly
online world
• Whether the rapid and extensive
shift to digital will impact
customer expectations in the
long term
• Why and how customers are
holding companies to account in
new and unprecedented ways
Due to rounding, not all percentage

totals in this report sum to 100%. All
comparison calculations are made from
exact numbers (not rounded numbers).
Salesforce Research provides data-driven insights

to help businesses transform how they drive
customer success.
Browse all reports at salesforce.com/research.
Contents
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05
01 | Customer Connections Are Essential amid Crises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06
02 | Understanding and Convenience Drive Differentiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
03 | The Digital Imperative Hits Its Moment of Truth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
04 | Customers Demand That Brands Demonstrate Their Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Look Ahead: Lessons From Across Sectors and Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Survey Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Executive Summary
An ongoing string of crises has
affected all facets of life, including 01 Customer Connections Are Essential amid Crises
The events of this year have upended the relationships between
a fundamental shift in how customers and brands. During a time when uncertainty and confusion
customers connect with brands. reign, brands have an opportunity to reinforce and rebuild trust with
The implications for companies new and loyal customers alike. Ninety percent of customers say how a
across industries cannot company acts during a crisis demonstrates its trustworthiness.
be overstated.
Empathy, personalization,
convenience, and digital
02 Understanding and Convenience Drive Differentiation
As each individual navigates change and uncertainty, empathy for and
support of customers’ unique needs, expectations, and challenges
transformation are the keys to
are as critical, as is providing a convenient, connected experience that
customer relationships. As these
eliminates unnecessary burdens in a stressful time. Fifty-four percent of
same customers reevaluate the
customers say it generally feels like sales, service, and marketing don’t
role of business in society, the
share information.
notion of stakeholder capitalism is
03
increasingly factored into The Digital Imperative Hits Its Moment of Truth
purchase decisions.
Digital-first behavior is here to stay as customers develop new habits
that will last for the long term. As digital engagement grows, customers
expect companies to digitize their operations for multichannel, high-
touch interactions. This relies in no small part on the use of personal
information, and customers are calling for enhanced transparency and
stewardship. Eighty-eight percent of customers expect companies to
accelerate digital initiatives due to COVID-19.
04 Customers Demand That Brands Demonstrate Their Values

Long-overdue reckonings with social, economic, and ecological ills
have come to the fore, and society is calling on businesses to do their
part in righting wrongs. A failure to heed responsibilities to more than
shareholders threatens bottom lines. Eighty-six percent of customers say
the societal role of companies is changing.
01 Customer Connections
Are Essential
amid Crises Unprecedented Change Is Happening in Real Time
Spurred by a global pandemic the likes Customers Who Say the Following Has Transformed During 2020
of which society has not experienced
in over a century, every facet of our
personal and professional lives has
changed. From how we interact with
each other, to how we get around, to —
63% 57%
for some of us — where we do our jobs,
our day-to-day experiences look quite
different than at the dawn of 2020.
The customer-brand relationship is not

Obtaining goods and services Engaging with companies
immune from this tidal wave of change.
Whether buying for themselves or on
behalf of their businesses, customers’
seemingly overnight shift to digital-first
lifestyles has implications that reach far
beyond our current crises.
62%
This new dynamic — not to mention the
accompanying economic uncertainty
62%
— poses extraordinary challenges to
businesses across sectors, but it also
Conducting their lives offline Conducting their lives online
presents an opportunity to rethink and
reset how they engage customers and,
ultimately, provide value.
See pages 29 and 30 for additional data segmentations.

Are Essential
amid Crises Amid Crises, Experience Remains a Key Differentiator
Despite the change that has swept The Experience a Company Provides Is
as Important as Its Product or Services
businesses and customers with
unprecedented speed and scale, customer
experience still reigns supreme as a key 85%
competitive differentiator. Combined with
79%
employee experience, other research has
found, customer experience also functions as
a revenue accelerator.*
80%
Business Buyer
Four-fifths of customers place the same Consumer

emphasis on flawless engagement as they
do on product quality — the same share as
during the economic expansion of 2018.
That figure includes 83% of millennials,
as well as 85% of business buyers, whose
high standards underscore the critical
nature of customer experience for B2B and
B2C companies alike.
Extraordinary experiences help companies

earn more than sales — they build
relationships. Fifty-three percent of
customers say they feel an emotional
connection to the brands they buy
from the most.

* "The Experience Equation," Salesforce in partnership with
Forbes Insights, October 2020.
Are Essential
amid Crises Digital Innovation Drives New Standard of Engagement
All companies — regardless of whether or Actions Customers Say Companies Should

Take in Response to COVID-19
not they delivered superior experiences
before — are now challenged to meet
an entirely new set of customer needs Total 64%
69%
Offer new ways to get
and expectations. And those needs and existing products/ 70%
expectations are largely digitally driven. services (e.g., digital
versions of traditionally 71%
88% of customers expect in-person experiences)

77%
companies to accelerate digital
initiatives due to COVID-19.
45%
54%
While a majority (54%) of customers 55%
Expand customer
believe companies should offer new engagement methods 61%
products and services in response
61%
to COVID-19, that’s significantly less
than the 69% who want companies
to translate the products and services
55%
54%
they’ve enjoyed all along into new
57%
formats (namely, digital versions of Offer new types of
in-person experiences). Gen Z has a products and services 53%
particularly strong craving for 46%
digital innovation.
Expanded methods of engagement —

Baby Boomer Gen Xer Millennial Gen Zer
including through digital channels — are
also popular in a socially distant world,
especially with younger generations.
Are Essential
amid Crises Customers Seek Brand Renovation
The surge in digital life isn’t the only Degree of Business Improvements Generally Needed,
According to Customers
customer upheaval companies must
navigate. This moment is by and large
Trustworthiness
the time for businesses to overhaul how
they operate, engage, and contribute to 60% 32% 7% 1%
society across a variety of fronts.
Environmental practices
78% of customers say this year’s
55% 34% 9% 2%
crises should be a catalyst for
business improvement.
Service and support
From how they treat the environment to 50% 41% 8% 1%

Major need
the service and support they offer to the
very nature of their business models, the Products Moderate need
vast majority of customers see a major 46% 44% 9% 1%
Minor need
or moderate need for improvement.
Social practices No need
The fundamental building block of
relationships, trust rises above all other 45% 42% 11% 2%
imperatives. Ninety-nine percent of

customers believe companies need to Technology
improve their trustworthiness. 44% 43% 11% 2%
Business models
35% 49% 14% 2%

Are Essential
amid Crises Trust Is Being Forged — or Not — with New Vigor
The criticality of building trust with Customers Who Agree with the Following Statements
customers isn’t new, but its importance
is magnified in the midst of a series of
82%
cascading crises. Today, customers aren’t 73%
just putting more emphasis on the
61%
importance of trust in their relationships 54%
with brands but also setting a higher bar 2019
for earning that trust.
2020
90% of customers say how a
company acts during a crisis A company’s It’s difficult for
reveals its trustworthiness. trustworthiness matters a company to
more than a year ago earn my trust
As norms and worldviews shift and the
31% 51%
actions of organizations come under
trust a company less trust a company more
more intense scrutiny, companies’
because of its response to because of its response to
actions have greater consequences this year's crises this year's crises
in the court of public opinion. These
actions can influence whether or not
existing customers choose to continue
their relationships with a brand and
whether or not new customers will
choose to start one.
See page 42 for additional data segmentations.

Are Essential
amid Crises Boomers and Zoomers Are Particularly Skeptical
While the majority of the population Customers Who Say the Following
generally trusts companies to be honest
and act with others parties' interests in 44%
mind, a significant minority — a third or Total
more in some cases — have their doubts. I don’t trust
42%
41%
companies to tell
These individuals don't only question the truth 39%
companies’ customer-centricity, but also
their performance as corporate citizens. 50%
48% of customers say they

generally trust companies. 45%
I don’t trust
41%
40%
A generational view proves valuable companies to act
with society’s best
for companies seeking to bolster trust, interest in mind 37%
and in surprising ways. Baby boomers,
44%
with their extensive life experiences, are
overall the most skeptical generation
when it comes to actions and 42%
motivations of companies. However, I don’t trust
36%
the youngest generation — Gen Z — isn’t companies to act 36%
with customers’
far behind. In fact, Gen Z customers
best interests 31%
are slightly more likely than baby in mind
boomers to doubt a company's honesty. 35%
Conversely, millennials are the most

trusting generation.

Spotlight: B2B Relationships Fall Short of Expectations

By and large, sales reps are falling short of business buyers’
84% of business buyers are more likely to buy from a
expectations by failing to demonstrate an understanding of
company that demonstrates an understanding of their
their unique circumstances, and by pushing products over
business goals.
solutions. In our latest survey of sales professionals, high
performers — who constitute just 9% of respondents and are As an economic downturn squeezes budgets and business
the most confident in their ability to close deals — were 24% buyers ruthlessly prioritize their investments, these trusted
more likely than their underperforming competition to say advisor relationships are all the more critical.
they connect with customers on a personal level.*
In B2B customer relationships, trust is built when sales

reps offer tailored solutions based on a demonstrated
understanding of a business’s unique challenges and goals.
* "State of Sales," Salesforce, September 2020.
Expectation Reality
85% 57%
of business buyers expect of business buyers say
sales reps to demonstrate sales reps often lack
a firm understanding of adequate knowledge of
their business their business
66% 63%
of business buyers of business buyers say
expect sales reps to most sales interactions
develop solutions rather focus on products
than pitch products rather than solutions
73%
of business buyers of business buyers say
expect a trusted most sales interactions
advisor relationship feel transactional
with sales reps
02 Understanding and
Convenience Drive
Differentiation
Like all relationships, those between
customer and company need to be
Service Experiences Are Paramount
nurtured to reach their full potential.
Thus, the role of customer service has
Customers Who Agree with the Following Statements
evolved from merely addressing acute
issues to fostering a sense of care.
A positive customer service
experience makes me more likely 91% Great customer service doesn’t just
to make another purchase
benefit trust and engagement — it
benefits the bottom line and can even
I will forgive a company for
restore lost trust. Ninety-one percent
its mistake after receiving 78%
excellent service of customers say they’re more likely to
make another purchase after a great
I have made purchase
service experience.
decisions based on the quality 71%
of customer service Great service experiences are
personalized, seamless, and quick —
This year’s crises have simple in theory but hard to
raised my customer 58% deliver in reality.
service standards
83% of customers expect to
engage with someone immediately
when contacting a company — up
from 78% in 2019.
52% of customers describe most

service interactions as fragmented.
See pages 29-33, 37, and 38 for additional data segmentations.
Convenience Drive
Differentiation
Personalization has become so
ubiquitous that most customers
Companies Fall Significantly Short of Customer Expectations
now expect nothing less from all of
their interactions.
Expectation Reality
52% of customers expect offers to
always be personalized — up from
49% in 2019.
68%
of customers
37%
of customers say In a time when every customer is
expect brands brands generally navigating their own set of uncharted
to demonstrate demonstrate
and evolving circumstances,
empathy empathy
personalization is a subset of something
bigger: holistic understanding and,
ultimately, empathy. If someone has
lost their job, for instance, it’s tone deaf
to send an offer for an expensive item
66% 34%
they eyed before. Similarly, if a business
owner has had to slash investments,
of customers expect
of companies it’s likely not the ideal time to push a
generally treat
companies to understand
customers as
product or service upgrade.
their unique needs and
unique individuals
expectations
Demonstrating 1-to-1 empathy on
a grand scale is no small order, but
customers are acutely aware of
the disconnect between their
expectations and reality.

Convenience Drive
Differentiation
Even brands with sterling reputations
Convenience Is Still King can flounder if they don’t make it easy
to do business. As the purchasing
power of digital natives increases, the
Customers Who Prioritize Extent of Customer Use of
Convenience over Brand or Interest in the Following definition of convenience is shifting, too.
All generations prioritize convenience

76% Self-service account portals
70%
over brand, but this is particularly
67% 69% 59% 23% 17%
true for Gen Zers — a cohort that can’t
Chatbots for simple customer service remember a time when anything wasn’t
43% 27% 30% on demand with a tap or swipe.
Recurring subscription services As a result, they are experimenting with

42% 26% 31% both established and emerging ways to
Pre-orders of new or out-of-stock items simplify purchases. Self-service account
Baby Gen Millennial Gen portals, popularized by retail banks, are
Boomer Xer Zer 39% 41% 20%
now used by more customers than not.
Curbside pickup
More cutting-edge offerings powered
30% 35% 35%
by artificial intelligence (AI) and
Automatic order replenishment automation are gaining traction, too.
28% 38% 33%
During the current public health crisis,
services that reduce risk — such as
Currently use
curbside pickup — are also on the rise.
Interested in using
83% of customers expect flexible
Not interested in using
shipping and fulfillment options
such as buy-online-pick-up-in-store.
See pages 31-33, 39, and 40 for additional data segmentations.
Spotlight: Connected Experiences Remain Elusive

Central to providing the trusted, empathetic, and convenient
76% of customers expect consistent interactions
experiences customers demand is connected engagement
across departments.
across their various digital touchpoints. Providing this is easier
said than done, particularly given customer expectations for 54% of customers say it generally feels like sales,
a united front of salespeople, customer service agents, service, and marketing don’t share information.
and other individuals armed with the same context
and information.
Since last year, customers have sensed a slight degree of

improvement from businesses in this regard, yet the majority
still say their standards of engagement are not being met.
Customer Journeys Continue Companies Make Limited Progress on

to Take Winding Roads the Path to Connected Experiences
Customers Who Agree with the Following Statements Customers Who Agree with the Following Statements
74%
71% 64% 66% 66% 65%
59%
54%
I’ve used multiple I’ve used multiple It generally feels like I’m I often have to repeat or
channels to start and devices to start and communicating with re-explain information to
complete a transaction complete a transaction separate departments, different representatives
not one company
2019 2020
See page 27-28, 31-33, and 39-41 for additional data segmentations.
03 The Digital Imperative

Hits Its Moment of Truth
Omni-Channel Engagement Breaks Customer Experiences by Design
Customers turn to an average of nine
channels to browse inventory, seek Top 10 Preferred Channels*
advice, and make purchases. Millennials 2020
claim to use more channels than other
generations, even Gen Z. 1 Email
2 1 Phone
76% of customers prefer different
channels depending on context. 3 1 In-person
What hasn’t changed since last year is as 4 Online chat
notable as what has. Email, phone, and

5 Mobile apps
in-person engagement remain customers’
favorites, and online chat — often in the 6 2 Messenger apps
form of website pop-up windows — and
mobile apps continue to round out 7 4 Text/SMS
the top five.
8 2 Online portals
In 2020, messenger apps like WhatsApp
and social media edged up in popularity. 9 NA Video chat
Text/SMS and video chat made their

10 Social media
debut on the list of customers’ 10 most-
preferred channels this year.
Increase in ranking from 2019 Decrease in ranking from 2019 No change
At the end of the day, each individual
has their own preferred means of
engagement. In a world in which 66%
of customers feel treated like a number,
providing options and continuity between
* Base: Customers who use the indicated channels.
different channels is a differentiator. 2020 data is weighted to best reflect country-level
populations, whereas 2018 and 2019 data were not.

Customers’ Digital Transformations Shift
It’s no secret that with much of the into High Gear, and for the Long Haul
physical world intermittently cordoned Customers Who Agree with the Following Statements
off to various degrees, customers are
spending increasing amounts of time
COVID-19 has elevated my
online. In fact, digital engagement expectations of companies’ 68%
has hit a tipping point this year, with digital capabilities
an estimated 60% of interactions I expect to spend more time
taking place online, compared to online after the pandemic 61%
than I did before
42% last year.
COVID-19 is changing my
68% of customers say they’re relationship with technology
60%
online more often than not.
This trend is expected to persist beyond Customers’ Estimated Split of Online and Offline Interactions with Companies
the pandemic. Fifty-eight percent of
online interactions offline interactions
consumers expect to do more online
shopping after the pandemic than 42% 58%
2019
before, and 80% of business
buyers expect to conduct more
business online. 2020 60% 40%
As consumers and business buyers alike

spend more time in their home offices 2021 60% 40%
and living rooms and less time in stores
and offices, their rising standards
have accelerated the timetable for
digital transformation.


Ethics Comes to the Forefront as AI Becomes Commonplace
The role of AI in everyday life is steadily
becoming more recognized and understood. Customers Open to the Use of AI to Improve Experiences
46% of customers can think of an

66% 64%
example of AI they use every day — 60%
up from 40% in 2019. Total 52%
Overall, 60% of customers are open to

the use of AI in customer engagement,
including 66% of millennials. That figure
60%
is down slightly from the 62% who agreed
in 2019, as a stubborn aura of distrust Baby Gen Millennial Gen
surrounds the technology’s potential. Boomer Xer Zer
Fewer than half (48%) of customers trust
companies to use AI ethically, and 54%
are concerned about its potential bias.
65%
of customers are
54%
of customers are
48%
of customers trust
concerned about concerned about companies to use
unethical use of AI bias in AI AI ethically

A Lack of Transparency Limits the Potential of Digital Engagement
Distrust in AI can be traced in large part
to the data that powers it. Since 2019, Consumers Who Agree with the Following Statements
more consumers have recognized the
benefit they get from sharing personal Most companies
54%
information, but nearly two-thirds still don’t use my
view its use cases as opaque. personal information 47%
to my benefit
Only 27% of consumers completely

Most companies aren’t
understand how companies use transparent about
63%
2019
their personal information. how my personal 2020
63%
information is used
Most worryingly, the share of consumers

who feel they’ve lost control over I feel like I’ve lost 46%
control over how my
their personal information has risen personal information 61%
dramatically over the course of just one is used
year. This is despite two years having
86%
passed since the implementation of
the European Union’s General Data of consumers want more
transparency over how their
Protection Regulation (GDPR), among personal information is used
other privacy legislation.
This dynamic presents a true

conundrum for businesses which are
also under pressure from these same
consumers to provide personalization,
empathy, and convenience that savvy
use of data makes possible.
Spotlight: Contact Tracing Offers a Turning

Point in the Data-Value Exchange
As the role of personal data comes under more intense Should businesses, nonprofits, and governments seize this
scrutiny from individuals worried about transparency, control, opportunity to demonstrate the immense good that can come
and ethical use, there is one area where they are more willing from transparent, ethical use of personal information, it could
and ready to share it — in the fight against COVID-19. mark a turning point in how customers view, manage, and
share their data.
Consumers generally want to be a part of the COVID-19
solution, and 71% understand the role their personal Ultimately, time will tell if this data-driven public health
information plays in the contact tracing efforts. initiative will lead to a mindshift on the parts of customers
and companies alike in their data-value exchanges.
71% of customers expect COVID-19 to change how
people think about their personal information.
Customers Lean into the Role of Data in Fighting a Pandemic
I understand the role of

personal information in 66%
contact tracing
I expect to share personal information

in order to return to my workplace and 57%
social settings
I am not comfortable sharing personal

information in order to return to my
24%
workplace and social settings
04 Customers Demand That

Brands Demonstrate
Their Values
As digital transformation revolutionizes
customers’ behaviors and preferences,
Corporate Values Impact Customer Acquisition and Retention
it’s not the only phenomena impacting
their buying decisions.
Consumers Who Say the Following Influence
Their Decision to Buy from a Company
56% of customers have reevaluated
the societal role of companies
Total 82% 85% 78% 73% 76% 72%
this year.
86%
87% Companies’ reputations are shaped
85%
83%
by the intersection of long-standing
83%
82% 81% issues that have been laid bare by the
80%
79% events of 2020, including the treatment
77% 77%
75%
76% of employees, actions against racial
74% 74%
73% 73% and economic injustices, community
70% 70% involvement, and the existential threat
of climate change.
Treatment of Treatment Environmental Actions Actions on Community
employees of customers practices on racial economic involvement In short, companies are being held
during this during this injustices injustices
to a higher standard, and in areas
year’s crises year’s crises
that boardrooms have largely not
considered. Although many may assume
Baby Boomer Gen Xer Millennial Gen Zer these sentiments exist solely among
younger generations, they are in fact
pervasive across all age groups.
See page 43 for additional data segmentations.


Brands Demonstrate
Their Values
Individuals know the power they wield
as consumers and business buyers when
Consumers Recognize Their Power to Influence Change
it comes to building the world they want
to see. Fifty-five percent of customers
Consumers Who Agree with the Following Statements
believe they have the power to influence
change in companies.
71%
In some instances, customers are cutting
61% 59% ties with brands until they’ve addressed
51% ethical shortcomings. Already, 62% of
customers claim to have stopped buying
from companies whose values didn’t align
with theirs. This trend is also influencing
B2B purchases.
75% of business buyers say

vendors’ ethics increasingly factor
I pay more I have stopped I have switched I have the power into their purchasing decisions.
attention to buying from a to a company to influence
companies’ company whose because its change in
values than I values didn’t values aligned companies There is evidence that changing customer
did a year ago align with mine with mine sentiment is impacting what it means
to be a business in the first place, with
the influential Business Roundtable
organization reversing its long-standing
support of shareholder primacy.*
See page 42 for additional data segmentations. * Business Roundtable. (August 19, 2019).
Business Roundtable Redefines the Purpose of a Corporation to
Promote 'An Economy That Serves All Americans' [press release].

Brands Demonstrate
Their Values
Ultimately, the rising calls for businesses
to stand for more than their financial
Younger Generations Set the Accountability Bar Higher
interests are a call for action, in addition to
Hire a workforce that reflects Use tech ethically, even if it words. Eighty-nine percent of customers
their communities reduces profits expect companies to clearly state their
14% 12% 10% 12% 19% 16% 13% 14% values, and 90% expect them to clearly
54% 47% 47% 41%
demonstrate those values.
56% 39%
46% 46%
As younger generations of customers claim

more say in the trajectory of their world,
46% 47% they’ll view the degree to which companies
42% 41%
34% 35% 37% are responsible for acting in the best
30%
interest of their communities, neighbors,
and environment — among other things —
Baby Gen Xer Millennial Gen Zer Baby Gen Xer Millennial Gen Zer as more important than their predecessors.
Boomer Boomer
Advocate for human Reduce carbon emissions

and civil rights
13% 14% 14% 10%

20% 17% 18% 17%
46% 38%
41% 37%
51% 52% 42% 42%
50% 52%
45%
41% 41% 41%
29% 31%
Baby Gen Xer Millennial Gen Zer Baby Gen Xer Millennial Gen Zer
Boomer Boomer
Not at all responsible Somewhat responsible Completely responsible
Look Ahead: Lessons from across Sectors and Industries

Customers navigate products, services, and experiences from Companies seeking to differentiate themselves are wise to
a variety of industries throughout their day-to-day lives, criss- look beyond their immediate competition and evaluate how
crossing between the personal and professional, digital and their capabilities stack up against other industries.
physical, essential and supplementary. As they do this, their
standards are being constantly influenced, with distinctions
between sectors often blurred in their minds.
62% of customers say their experiences with one

industry influence their expectations of others.
As Other Sectors Influence Customer Expectations, Competitive Fields Widen
Best and Worst Performing Sectors Across the Following Criteria, According to Customers*
Customer- Product Service/Support Responses to Social Environmental

Innovation Centricity Quality Quality 2020 Crises Responsibility Responsibility
1 Technology 1 Healthcare 1 Healthcare 1 Healthcare 1 Healthcare 1 Healthcare 1 Nonprofit

Top 3
2 Automotive 2 Travel & hospitality 2 Technology 2 Technology 2 Technology 2 Nonprofit 2 Healthcare
3 Communications 3 Retail 3 Consumer goods 3 Communications 3 Consumer goods 3 Consumer goods 3 Manufacturing
10 Nonprofit 10 Manufacturing 10 Financial services 10 Financial services 10 Financial services 10 Media 10 Communications
Bottom 3
11 Travel & hospitality 11 Financial services 11 Media 11 Media 11 Travel & hospitality 11 Financial services 11 Financial services
12 Government 12 Government 12 Government 12 Government 12 Automotive 12 Automotive 12 Media
*Based on answers of “completely describes."

APPENDIX
The experience a company 85% 79% 83%

provides is as important as its
products/services 79% 81% 75%
80% 73% 78%

I expect consistent interactions
across departments
75% 78% 77%
I expect all company 74% 64% 69%

representatives to have the same
information about me 65% 68% 63%
66% 65% 67%

I often have to repeat or
re-explain information to
different representatives 65% 67% 56%
73% 48% 65%

I expect connected experiences
53% 59% 57%
67% 48% 63%

I expect companies to
anticipate my needs 54% 58% 61%
It generally feels like I’m 60% 50% 56%

communicating with separate
departments, not one company 52% 56% 53%
60% 48% 49%

I generally trust companies
45% 48% 46%
Business Buyer Consumer Baby Boomer Gen Xer Millennial Gen Zer

This year’s crises should be a catalyst 81% 78% 80%
for business improvement 77% 78% 75%
I expect companies to take 81% 70% 79%

a larger role in caring for society
than I did last year 74% 76% 76%
COVID-19 has elevated 80% 59% 76%

my expectations of companies’
digital capabilities 65% 70% 68%
COVID-19 has transformed how I 74% 54% 70%

obtain goods and services 61% 66% 66%

conduct my life offline 61% 64% 66%
I expect to spend more time online 74% 51% 69%

after the pandemic than I did before 58% 65% 59%

conduct my life online 58% 63% 67%
COVID-19 is changing my 74% 50% 66%

relationship with technology 56% 63% 61%
This year’s crises have raised my 72% 52% 64%

customer service standards 55% 60% 54%

engage with companies 52% 60% 54%
I’ve reevaluated the role of 73% 46% 64%

businesses in society since the
beginning of the year 52% 59% 57%
I’ve become more trusting 65% 43% 58%

of a company due to its
response to this year’s crises 47% 52% 48%
I’ve become less trusting 36% 26% 34%

of a company due to its
response to this year’s crises 58% 31% 38%
Customers Who Agree More with Each Statement
I expect
companies Most It generally seems Most
to accelerate I prefer Convenience Most sales customer like sales, service, companies Convenience is I expect sales
digital initiatives personalized is more interactions I’d rather buy support and marketing treat me as more important representatives
due to products or important are product- from a small interactions teams don’t share a unique than product to pitch
COVID-19 services than brand focused business are seamless information individual choice products
89%
84%
75%
71%
66% 65% 63%
62% 58% 59%
54% 56%
46% 47% 47%
43% 41%
34%
31% 30%
11%
16%
34% 25%
29%
35% 37%
38% 42% 41% 44%
46%
54% 53% 53%
57% 59%
69% 66%
70%
I expect I prefer Brand is more Most sales I’d rather buy Most customer It generally seems Most Product I expect sales
companies to standardized important than interactions from a large support like sales, service, companies choice is more representatives
slow digital products or convenience are solution- business interactions and marketing treat me like a important than to develop
initiatives due services focused are fragmented teams are number convenience solutions
to COVID-19 coordinated
Business Buyer Consumer

I expect companies to accelerate I prefer personalized Convenience is more Most sales interactions are I’d rather buy from a small
digital initiatives due to COVID-19 products or services important than brand product-focused business
89%
87% 88% 86%
79%
74% 74% 74%
68% 70% 70% 71% 71%
67%
61% 62% 61%
57% 55% 52%
13% 22% 11% 14% 26%

21%
26% 26% 29% 29%
33% 32% 30% 30%
39% 38% 39%
43% 45% 48%
I expect companies to slow digital I prefer standardized Brand is more important Most sales interactions are I’d rather buy from a large
initiatives due to COVID-19 products or services than convenience solution-focused business
It generally seems like sales, Convenience is more I expect sales

Most customer support service, and marketing teams Most companies treat me important than product representatives to pitch
interactions are seamless don’t share information as a unique individual choice products
57% 55%
52% 49%
47% 47% 47%
43% 44% 41%
50% 38%
32% 35% 35% 32% 30% 31% 32% 32%
43% 45%
48% 51%
53% 53% 50% 53%
57% 56% 59%
62% 62%
65% 68%
68% 70% 69% 68% 68%
Most customer support It generally seems like sales, Most companies treat me Product choice is I expect sales
interactions service, and marketing teams are like a number more important than representatives to develop
are fragmented coordinated convenience solutions
Degree of Business Improvements Needed, According to Customers

Trustworthiness
Business Buyer 59% 32% 7% Baby Boomer 61% 31% 6% Millennial 60% 32% 7%
Consumer 60% 32% 7% Gen Xer 60% 33% 6% Gen Zer 55% 34% 9%
Environmental practices
Service/support
Products/services
Technology
Social practices
85%
Business model
Major need Moderate need Minor need

Business Buyer Consumer Baby Boomer Gen Xer Millennials Gen Zer
44%
37% 37% 39% 40% 37%
It’s easy for a company It’s easy for a company
to earn my trust to earn my trust
It’s hard for a company It’s hard for a company

to earn my trust to earn my trust
56%
63% 63% 61% 60% 63%
A positive customer service 89% 93% 91%

experience makes me more likely to
make another purchase 92% 92% 85%
82% 87% 79%

I expect to solve complex problems
by speaking to one person
83% 84% 75%
I expect to interact with 84% 87% 81%

someone immediately when
I contact a company 83% 85% 72%
78% 77% 79%

I will forgive a company
for its mistake after receiving
excellent service 78% 79% 73%
I have made purchase 79% 70% 73%

decisions based on the quality
of customer service 69% 73% 64%
72% 73% 70%

I’ll chose not to buy from
a company with long
customer service wait times 70% 70% 64%

87% 79% 88%
I expect flexible shipping/
order fulfillment options
83% 84% 89%
I expect consistent 80% 73% 78%

interactions across
departments 75% 78% 77%
I expect all company 74% 64% 69%

representatives to have the same
information about me 65% 68% 63%
73% 63% 72%

I expect brands to
demonstrate empathy
66% 67% 70%
76% 62% 70%

I expect companies to understand
my unique needs and expectations
63% 67% 67%
I often have to repeat or 66% 65% 67%

re-explain information to
different representatives 65% 67% 56%
69% 51% 63%

engage me proactively
54% 58% 51%
73% 48% 65%

I expect connected experiences
53% 59% 57%
67% 48% 63%

anticipate my needs
54% 58% 61%
It generally feels like I’m 60% 50% 56%

communicating with separate
departments, not one company 52% 56% 53%
66% 47% 59%

I feel an emotional connection to
the brands I buy from the most
49% 52% 54%
82% 82%
78% 75% 78% 78% 76%
72%
63% 64% 66%
53%
I have used multiple methods I have used multiple devices I have used multiple methods I have used multiple devices
of communication to start and to start and complete of communication to start and to start and complete
complete a single transaction a single transaction complete a single transaction a single transaction

68% 56% 67%
I expect flexible shipping/order
fulfillment options
61% 63% 62%
71% 53% 68%

I have switched to a company
because its values aligned with mine
59% 62% 64%
82% 70% 77%

I pay more attention to companies’
values than I did a year ago
71% 73% 72%
90% 89% 88%

clearly state their values
88% 88% 90%
90% 91% 90%

I expect companies to clearly
demonstrate their values
90% 89% 84%
89% 85% 88%

The role of companies in
society is changing
85% 86% 83%
71% 52% 59%

I have the power to influence
change in companies
51% 57% 49%
86% 80% 84%

A company’s trustworthiness
matters more than it did a year ago
81% 83% 75%
90% 90% 90%

How a company acts during a crisis
reveals its trustworthiness
89% 89% 88%
82% 85% 80%

Businesses that are silent about
injustices make those injustices worse
82% 82% 81%
Degree to Which the Following Factors Influence Buying Decisions

A great deal/somewhat A little Not at all
Baby Boomer 79% 16% 4%

Treatment of Business Buyer 88% 10% 2%
employees Gen Xer 84% 13% 4%
during this
year’s crises Millennial 86% 11% 3%
Consumer 82% 14% 4%
Gen Zer 87% 11% 2%

Business Buyer 89% 9% 2%
Treatment of Gen Xer 86% 11% 3%
customers
during this Millennial 88% 9% 2%
year’s crises 85% 12% 3%
Consumer
Gen Zer 83% 13% 3%

Gen Xer 81% 15% 4%
Environmental
practices Millennial 82% 13% 4%
Consumer 78% 17% 5%
Gen Zer 81% 16% 3%

Actions Gen Xer 74% 18% 8%
on racial
injustices Millennial 78% 15% 7%
Consumer 73% 18% 9%
Gen Zer 77% 15% 8%

Actions on Gen Xer 78% 17% 5%
economic
injustices Millennial 79% 16% 5%
Consumer 76% 18% 6%
Gen Zer 77% 18% 5%

Gen Xer 75% 19% 6%
Community
involvement Millennial 77% 18% 6%
Consumer 72% 21% 7%
Gen Zer 70% 23% 7%
Degree to Which Customers Believe Companies Are Responsible for the Following
Completely responsible Somewhat responsible Not at all responsible

Reducing Gen Xer 41% 42% 17%
carbon
emissions Millennial 50% 37% 14%
Consumer 43% 40% 17%
Gen Zer 52% 38% 10%

Reporting their Gen Xer 39% 46% 14%
environmental
impacts Millennial 49% 40% 11%
Gen Zer 54% 36% 10%

Reporting Gen Xer 38% 43% 18%
their carbon
emissions Millennial 48% 37% 15%
Gen Zer 50% 34% 15%

Using tech Business Buyer 49% 40% 11%
ethically, Gen Xer 37% 46% 16%
even if it
reduces Millennial 46% 41% 13%
profits Consumer 38% 45% 17%
Gen Zer 47% 39% 14%
Degree to Which Customers Believe Companies Are Responsible for the Following
Completely responsible Somewhat responsible Not at all responsible

Hiring a Business Buyer 44% 48% 8%
Gen Xer 34% 54% 12%
workforce that
reflects their
Millennial 42% 47% 10%
communities
Gen Zer 41% 47% 12%

Investing in the Gen Xer 33% 55% 12%
communities
where they do Millennial 43% 48% 10%
business Consumer 34% 54% 12%
Gen Zer 45% 42% 14%

Advocating for Gen Xer 31% 52% 17%
human and
civil rights Millennial 41% 46% 13%
Gen Zer 45% 41% 14%

Recruiting Gen Xer 31% 54% 18%
a diverse
board of Millennial 41% 48% 11%
directors Consumer 33% 52% 15%
Gen Zer 46% 42% 12%
SURVEY
DEMOGRAPHICS
Survey Demographics
Customer Type Country
Australia..............................................................4%
Business Buyers............................................... 23%
Belgium...............................................................4%
Consumers....................................................... 77%
Brazil....................................................................4%
Denmark............................................................<1%
Finland...............................................................<1%
Generation France..................................................................4%
Baby Boomers (born 1946-1965)...................31% Germany..............................................................4%
Gen Xers (born 1965–1980)........................... 28% India.....................................................................4%
Millennials (born 1981–1996)........................ 32% Ireland.................................................................4%
Gen Zers (born after 1996).............................. 9% Italy......................................................................4%
Japan...................................................................4%
Netherlands........................................................4%
Gender New Zealand.....................................................<1%
Male.................................................................. 57% Norway..............................................................<1%
Female.............................................................. 42% Philippines...........................................................4%
Other...................................................................1% Poland.................................................................4%
Singapore............................................................4%
South Africa........................................................4%
South Korea........................................................4%
Spain....................................................................4%
Sweden................................................................4%
Switzerland..........................................................4%
Thailand...............................................................4%
United Arab Emirates.........................................4%
United Kingdom.................................................4%
United States..................................................... 8%
Learn more about connected customers and business transformation
Tableau Dashboards The Experience Equation

Segment key findings by demographics New research developed in partnership with Forbes
and geographies in our interactive Insights shows how customer and employee
Tableau dashboards experiences influence growth.
EXPLORE THE DATA > GET THE REPORT >
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marketing, commerce, IT, and analytics
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4TH E D ITI O N

Amid this uncertainty, we wanted to look at the new landscape of

These crises impact more than companies’ digital endeavors; they

What You’ll Find

• How customer expectations and 3,600 12,000

Due to rounding, not all percentage

Salesforce Research provides data-driven insights

01 | Customer Connections Are Essential amid Crises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06

02 | Understanding and Convenience Drive Differentiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

03 | The Digital Imperative Hits Its Moment of Truth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

04 | Customers Demand That Brands Demonstrate Their Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Look Ahead: Lessons From Across Sectors and Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

04 Customers Demand That Brands Demonstrate Their Values

The customer-brand relationship is not

See pages 29 and 30 for additional data segmentations.

Four-fifths of customers place the same Consumer

Extraordinary experiences help companies

See pages 27 and 28 for additional data segmentations.

All companies — regardless of whether or Actions Customers Say Companies Should

88% of customers expect in-person experiences)

Expanded methods of engagement —

From how they treat the environment to 50% 41% 8% 1%

imperatives. Ninety-nine percent of

improve their trustworthiness. 44% 43% 11% 2%

35% 49% 14% 2%

See pages 34 and 35 for additional data segmentations.

See page 42 for additional data segmentations.

more in some cases — have their doubts. I don’t trust

48% of customers say they

Conversely, millennials are the most

See pages 27 and 28 for additional data segmentations.

Spotlight: B2B Relationships Fall Short of Expectations

In B2B customer relationships, trust is built when sales

* "State of Sales," Salesforce, September 2020.

52% of customers describe most

See pages 39 and 40 for additional data segmentations.

All generations prioritize convenience

Recurring subscription services As a result, they are experimenting with

Spotlight: Connected Experiences Remain Elusive

Since last year, customers have sensed a slight degree of

Customer Journeys Continue Companies Make Limited Progress on

03 The Digital Imperative

What hasn’t changed since last year is as 4 Online chat

notable as what has. Email, phone, and

Text/SMS and video chat made their

03 The Digital Imperative

online more often than not.

As consumers and business buyers alike

See pages 29 and 30 for additional data segmentations.

03 The Digital Imperative

46% of customers can think of an

Overall, 60% of customers are open to

03 The Digital Imperative

Only 27% of consumers completely

Most worryingly, the share of consumers

This dynamic presents a true

Spotlight: Contact Tracing Offers a Turning

• How customer expectations and 3,600 12,000