As the customer experience rises to top priority, large companies are taking CX action to meet demand—new research from disruption-focused digital CX firm TELUS International reveals that close to three-quarters (72 percent) of enterprise executives will be spending more on digital CX in 2023 than they did in 2022, with 68 percent increasing their digital CX budgets by up to 25 percent.
The survey, conducted with research partner Statista, explores where 250 enterprise leaders throughout the U.S. and Europe plan to invest in digital CX technology in 2023, and the key driving factors behind those decisions. Results suggest that customer service quality (27 percent) and supporting long-term and sustainable customer loyalty (18 percent) will be key focus areas for leaders this year. Additionally, respondents noted that customer relationship management systems (42 percent), artificial intelligence (34 percent) and customer analytics (33 percent) will be the top digital CX investments for 2023.
“While the pandemic has heightened the need to create new, differentiated, personalized and frictionless omnichannel customer experiences, today’s economic climate is further driving the need for businesses to have a robust CX strategy in place,” said Maria Pardee, chief commercial officer at TELUS International, in a news release. “In times of economic uncertainty, customers are more cautious about where they’re spending their money, and a positive customer experience that integrates elements like AI-powered chatbots, mobile apps and united web interfaces can help brands stand out from the crowd, leading to increased brand loyalty and customer retention.”
Additional findings include:
- Work from home and remote desktop solutions enabling their teams to connect and engage with customers easily and securely remain an investment priority (27 percent) despite an increasing number of employees returning to offices.
- Data security and compliance (38 percent), limitations in tech infrastructure (36 percent) and budget constraints (35 percent) are the biggest obstacles to achieving their digital CX goals in 2023.
- Cloud technology, data protection and AI were viewed as the top digital CX trends in 2023.
- Transparency and data security (35 percent) topped the list of qualities they are looking for in a digital CX partner, followed by experience (33 percent), cost (33 percent), innovation (32 percent) and having customer-focused, personalized solutions (30 percent).
TELUS International, in partnership with Statista, surveyed 250 enterprise leaders throughout the U.S. and Europe to explore where they plan to invest in digital CX technology in 2023, and the key driving factors behind those decisions. Feedback came from the U.S. (100 respondents), the UK (38 respondents), Germany (38 respondents), France (38 respondents) and Ireland (36 respondents). The survey was conducted from October 26 to November 11, 2022.