Dubai: A bad experience with an app? Then hit ‘Delete’.
Smartphones users are having a ‘zero tolerance’ policy with apps if they do not deliver up to expectations, according to a new Cisco report brought out by its subsidiary AppDynamics. And it’s the same with UAE consumers and their reaction to the apps stored on the phones.
When those expectations aren’t met, 74 per cent of UAE consumers will automatically blame the app and the brand no matter what the issue is. Users are in no mood to differentiate between problems within the app – such as pages loading slowly or security failures - or external factors like internet connectivity, slow payment gateways or technical issues with third-party services.
Brands and their apps have little or no manuever room because:
• 69 per cent of people surveyed in the UAE, believe it’s the responsibility of the brand to ensure that the digital service or app works perfectly; and .
• 98 per cent say they expect digital services to have reliable, consistent performance.
There are reasons for the short fuse on the part of users. Since the COVID-19 strike, consumer reliance on digital services has shot up exponentially. At the bare minimum, they expect a consistent delivery of what they are looking for from the apps.
Currently, 91 per cent of UAE consumers - 15 per cent higher than the global average - say their expectations of digital services have increased since the start of 2020. (The Cisco AppDynamics study was based on responses from 13,000 consumers in multiple markets.)
Just that ‘one shot’
Tolerance levels for indifferent app experiences will not get a brand far in the UAE - 73 per cent of consumers - 16 percent higher than the global average - state that brands have one shot to impress them with their digital experiences before they switch to another provider. Not just that
● 74 per cent say they simply don’t care who is responsible for problems with digital services, they just want them fixed and to work;
● 68 per cent consider it disrespectful to users for brands to offer a poor digital experience in this day and age; and
● 74 per cent believe most problems with digital services and applications are completely avoidable.
“Consumers are no longer willing to settle for anything less than a perfect digital experience,” said Linda Tong, Vice-President and General Manager of Cisco AppDynamics. “Technologists are now under more pressure than ever to deliver the ‘total application experience’ to users within their first interaction.”
No getting away
The Cisco research find that people are using 30 percent more applications today than they did before the pandemic. A whopping 95 per cent of UAE consumers say that digital services have become a critical part of daily life, with 98 per cent stating they helped them get through the pandemic in a positive way. Not just that, they are now loyal to brands based on how significantly they invested in digital services during the pandemic.
● 85 per cent say they feel grateful to the brands that invested in digital during the pandemic so they could get access to the services that they love and rely on; and
● 82 per cent say they feel more loyal to brands that went above and beyond with the quality of their digital service during the pandemic.
If brand apps can make sure they don't have a bad day - in terms of user experience - they have got it made - for good.
