Research from Salesforce has found more than half (52%) of all interactions between local customers and businesses this year were digital, compared to just 36% last year.

Its State of the Connected Customer report, which includes 650 respondents from Australia and New Zealand, suggests customers expect a similar level of interaction in 2021.

"Businesses across Australia and New Zealand are navigating a landscape they couldn’t have imagined at the beginning of this year - the way they now build relationships with customers has fundamentally changed," said Jo Gaines, Area Vice President Sales, Salesforce Australia.

"Australia and New Zealand have seen massive shifts to digital channels during the past few months, channels that are going to be increasingly favoured by local customers."

Now businesses must prove they can continue to deliver products, services and support through those channels, as well as the meet heightened expectations from a mass consumer migration, Gaines added.

The report also suggests factors like empathy, personalisation, convenience, and digital transformation are the keys to post-Covid customer relationships. 

Per the report, the top customer digital interaction/capability needs in ANZ are:

• 72% believe businesses should be offering them new ways to get products and services
• 59% want companies to expand the way they can engage with their business
• 54% want better education on products/services that can meet their new needs
• 54% want front-line employees given new ways of being able to interact with them

In terms of specific sentiment amongst consumers in ANZ:

• 84% expect flexible shipping/order options. This is potentially a reflection on both a shift to more shopping being done online, as well as apprehension about Xmas delivery. 
• 83% expect consistent interactions with a company to be consistent, regardless of which department they were dealing with.
• 79% of local respondents said how a company deals with them is just as important as the products and services they offer.
• 80% said experiences with small businesses feel more personal to them.