A new report on CX trends sheds light on the increasing expectations of consumers more than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic and how the stakes remain high for CX, especially because negative CX could have a profound and adverse impact on customers’ future purchase decisions.

The 2021 report, titled CX Leaders Trends and Insights: Consumer Edition, was conducted by Peoria, Arizona-based Execs In The Know, a network of senior professionals focused on excellence in CX. Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS), a customer service firm based in India specializing in business process management (BPM) and digital user experience solutions, was the report’s exclusive sponsor.

CX remains an area of significance for consumers, according to the study, with half of survey respondents indicating it is “very important” or “important” in shaping their opinion of a brand. This is because consumer expectations have changed, with customer service expected to use readily available digital tools to respond quickly to consumer needs.

“Today’s consumers are less patient, more empowered, and less brand-loyal than ever, and they won’t hesitate to share a bad experience,” said Andrew Kokes, senior vice president, global head of marketing at HGS. “In their minds, if one company delivers a frictionless experience across channels, then every interaction from another company should follow suit.”

The report also found that multichannel journeys form part of the vast majority of customer care engagements. While phone and email continue to be the centerpieces of these journeys, consumers are also open to new solutions, including those powered by artificial intelligence (AI). A move to self-help or unassisted solutions is possible as long as such solutions prove effective and easy to use, the report added, and if the solutions provide seamless navigation to a live agent when necessary.

Negative customer care experiences continue to be a weighty factor impacting the future purchase decisions of most consumers, the report pointed out. More than ever before, consumers feel that the failure of customer care to resolve their issues is the leading cause of negative experiences. Yet only 10% of consumers said resolving their customer care issues has gotten easier in 2021, compared to an average of 34% during the past three years. Consumers are also extremely consistent on where they think brands should invest, choosing “The Customer Care Experience” when asked where they would like to see brands implement change. Good customer care translates to greater loyalty, the report noted, suggesting that brands reassess their CX commitment and spend if they want to capture the biggest return on their investment.