7 characteristics of the modern customer

The rising popularity of customer experience (CX) is parallel with the rise of consumer empowerment.

Customers are now in control of when, where, and how they want to interact with a brand—and brands don’t have many opportunities to get it right.

Here are seven characteristics of modern customers that affect their perceptions of customer experience.

1. Customers reign supreme. They control the experience they want; they research,explore, and share.

2. Customers are ALWAYS connected. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on any internet-enabled device. 85% of Americans own a smartphone today, compared to 35% in 2011. (Pew Research Center)

3. Customers expect personal interactions. 3 out of 5 consumers are likely to buy from a company that has personalized their experience. (Movable Ink)

4. Customers won't wait for items they want. When US consumers experienced out-of-stock items, only 13% waited for the item to come back in stock, while 39% switched brands or products and 32% switched retailers altogether. (McKinsey)

5. Customers trust influencers over brands. 43% of Gen Z consumers trust influencers over brands to learn how to use a product or service. (Oracle and CRM Essentials)

6. Customers care about sustainability. 65% of consumers desire brands that are environmentally-friendly and invest in sustainability. (Accenture)

7. Customers are very opinionated. And they’re 5.1 times more likely to recommend a brand after they’ve had a positive customer experience. (Qualtrics)

Offer the experiences that modern customers crave

Empower your business to deliver exceptional customer experiences—from acquisition to retention—and everything in between. Oracle Advertising and Customer Experience (CX) offers a connected suite of applications that can help you build a complete view of your customer and make every interaction matter.

Visit Oracle.com/cx to learn more.

Originally published 2017. Updated April 2022.