Demand for convenience is the number one customer behaviour to influence customer experience (CX) practitioner’s planning in 2024.

This is according to a new report from CX Networks, which found that demand for convenience rose form fourth place in 2023 to the most influential behaviour in the 2024 report.

Conversely, customer awareness of ethical working conditions and the demand for sustainable or ethical products and brands have dropped, with just 19% and 16% of respondents indicating this as a top behavior influencing strategy respectively.

The findings, which have been highlighted in CX Network’s flagship report ‘The Global State of CX 2024, state the latest trends in customer experience and behaviour.

Compiled using survey responses from 282 CX practitioners, service leaders, experience designers, analysts, and consultants, the report covers the customer experience trends, tech developments and customer behaviours over the last year.

Customer loyalty remains a top-10 trend for practitioners for the rest of this year, and one of only two trends that are not directly related to technology.

Elsewhere, 56% of respondents strongly agreed that customers will switch brands when unsatisfied, with organisations needing to focus on a customer-centric strategy, alongside driving technological innovation.

Separately, 55% of CX practitioners strongly agree that data privacy and security are becoming more important to customers, with the customer base becoming increasingly ‘tech savvy’ compared to previous years.

“We need to go back to basics and deliver to expectations,” Sam Phillips-Lord, senior customer insight manager at Hastings Direct, said.

“As a customer, I want to be able to do what I want to do, in the quickest way possible – that means if I can’t do something online, don’t make me try. Don’t lead me down the garden path on a journey that takes in all the things I can do if the thing I want to do cannot be done.”

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Vinay Parmar, CEO of Dhruva Star, former chief CX officer for National Express and CX Network advisory board member said: “The overarching factor (in customer behaviour) is our shorter attention spans.

“There are time pressures in there too, and since remote work became more widespread, that time pressure piece has changed. Pre-COVID, people had less time to fit things in but now, working from home has given people more time and because they value their time more, they are being selective in how they want to spend it.

“Utilising AI and data analytics to understand customer preferences and behaviours in real-time allows for the creation of tailored interactions that resonate on a personal level, minimising the time spent by customers on finding the products that match their expectations.

“By recognizing and valuing a customer’s time, companies can foster a sense of loyalty and encourage continued engagement. The best experiences happen when something goes wrong – that is when unforgettable experiences are created and where the true value lies.”