Indians expect digital acceleration, transparency from companies: Salesforce

The Covid-19 pandemic has elevated digital capability expectations for a majority of Indians, even as they seek better transparency and stewardship with the increase in digital engagement and data collection, a survey showed. 

In a report titled The State of the Connected Customer, CRM giant Salesforce said that online interactions with businesses in India have increased from 47% in 2019 to 60% in 2020 so far. A little over 70% of the respondents in the country expect companies to accelerate digital initiatives. 

Image Credit: Salesforce

The social, economic and ecological ills have now come to the fore, the report said, adding that 95% of Indian consumers in the survey acknowledged that the societal roles of companies are changing. 

“A massive shift to digital channels isn’t the only challenge that leaders have to grapple with. They also need to listen and respond to customer demands for empathy and understanding, innovative products and services, and a fundamental rethinking of the role of business in society,” Vala Afshar, chief digital evangelist at Salesforce, said.

According to 94% of Indian respondents, the way a company acts during a crisis demonstrates its trustworthiness. 

Even as 54% of Indian respondents said they preferred personalised products and services, 43% said that sales professionals do not share enough information about their products. 

Read: Salesforce bets on return to-workplace solutions market with Work.com 

Globally, 62% of respondents admitted that the lines between different sectors are being blurred and the experience with one industry influences their expectations of others. 

The company surveyed over 15,000 consumers and business buyers in 27 countries, including 650 respondents from India, for the study.