Deloitte: The Connected Consumer Paradox

Fourth annual Deloitte “Related Client” survey reveals customers need to steadiness digital and bodily lives as they streamline units, spend selectively on know-how, demand innovation, security and utility in a related world

NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ —

Key takeaways

Practically half of households (48%) purchased at the least one new related gadget in 2023, with 16% including three or extra.
As households add new tech units, they’re trimming units that not match their wants. Households have a median of 21 related units in 2023, down from 25 in 2021 when many loaded up on know-how through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shoppers need to trim tech complexity: 41% dislike managing their units, whereas 28% say managing tech units and subscriptions is “overwhelming.”
Worker desire for hybrid work elevated by 7 proportion factors in 2023. The principle advantages of hybrid work cited by respondents embody higher relationships with household and colleagues, and improved well being and well-being.
Satisfaction with digital well being visits is rising. Most individuals who skilled a digital well being go to would like digital or hybrid choices sooner or later for psychological well being and power situations.
Mother and father see positives in related units for his or her youngsters, reporting they improve studying, allow new experiences, and hold children organized — however additionally they fear about potential harms and set boundaries on their youngsters’s digital behaviors.
Safety considerations have grown: 58% of surveyed customers fear their units are weak to safety breaches (up from 50% in 2022), and 58% fear that organizations or folks may observe them by means of their units (up from 41% in 2022).

Why this issues

Deloitte unveiled the outcomes of its “2023 Related Client Survey,” fourth version to supply perception into shopper sentiment about digital units and know-how and discover how customers are optimizing utilization, whereas hanging a steadiness between digital and bodily worlds.

The examine of over 2,000 U.S. customers highlights ways in which folks combine digital applied sciences into their lives. It captures the heartbeat of a populace more and more reliant on know-how for distant work, digital schooling, digital well being care, health, communication and leisure. Regardless of the complexities and potential drawbacks, customers surveyed convey a robust sense of resilience and adaptableness, at the same time as they name for extra assist from tech corporations to innovate and safe their digital experiences.

Key quote

“Deloitte’s Related Client survey paints a vivid image of a society that’s studying to make use of know-how correctly. Shoppers are not amassing units; they’re fastidiously choosing them with goal to foster digital concord. From embracing a extra acutely aware strategy to gadget consumption to adapting to the altering panorama of digital well being care and hybrid work, the findings underscore the ingenuity and resilience of the trendy shopper. The journey forward is stuffed with alternatives for corporations to innovate and reply to those evolving wants.”

—     Paul Silverglate, vice chair, Deloitte LLP and U.S. know-how sector chief

Streamlining units and digital behaviors

Whereas the typical variety of digital units within the family dropped by 4 prior to now two years, from 25 in 2021, to 21 in 2023, that doesn’t imply customers have much less curiosity in units. As an alternative, it signifies they’re streamlining and eliminating out of date or less-useful units whereas nonetheless buying new ones. There is a chance for tech corporations to higher assist prospects desirous to strike a steadiness that maximizes advantages and minimizes the drawbacks of dwelling a related life.

Forty-eight % (48%) of surveyed customers bought new related units for his or her family prior to now 12 months.
Amongst respondents, 63% count on their spending on buying units to remain the identical over the subsequent 12 months, and solely 7% count on to lower spending. 9 % (9%) plan to extend their spending.
Forty-nine % (49%) of customers delayed gadget purchases through the previous 12 months because of financial situations, whereas 33% really feel they will’t afford to purchase the tech units their family wants (up from 25% in 2022).
Shoppers proceed to grapple with managing their digital lives: 41% dislike managing their units, and 28% really feel overwhelmed by the variety of units and subscriptions they should handle (up from 24% in 2022).

A concentrate on digital well-being with elevated safety of units and residential

The examine discovered a rise in shopper actions taken to guard information privateness and safety, reflecting customers’ heightened consciousness and proactive stance in direction of digital security. Good residence units are indispensable to many and have change into a part of their each day lives — usually getting used to assist improve residence safety.

Amongst customers surveyed, 34% had been sufferer to at the least one form of safety breach prior to now 12 months, and 16% skilled two or extra.
Gen Zs had been greater than twice as probably as boomers to have their social media account hacked (17% vs. 8%) and thrice extra probably than boomers to fall for an internet rip-off (16% vs. 5%).
Seventy-nine % (79%) of customers say they’ve taken at the least one step to handle their information privateness and safety considerations (up from 71% in 2022).
Good residence units that the majority homeowners think about important all relate to residence security, together with good door locks, good smoke detectors, safety methods, and doorbells with cameras.

Embracing digital well being care, health units and distant studying

The examine discovered elevated satisfaction with digital well being care providers, signaling rising acceptance and understanding of digital entry to well being care. Like well being care, a good portion of respondents expressed curiosity in persevering with a mix of distant and in-person studying, showcasing an appreciation for the pliability that digital lecture rooms supply. The previous 12 months has additionally seen vital adjustments in shopper attitudes and behaviors in direction of health units.

Forty-two % (42%) of respondents had at the least one digital medical appointment prior to now 12 months, and 9 in 10 had been very/considerably glad with their digital medical appointments.
For schooling, distant studying is gaining followers: 52% of those that discovered remotely over the previous 12 months want to study utterly/largely remotely sooner or later, up from 41% in 2022.
Sixty-four % (64%) of each smartwatch/health tracker and smartphone homeowners report these units enhance their well being. Sixty-nine % (69%) of smartwatch/health tracker customers say the gadget improves their health, and 58% of smartphone homeowners really feel the identical about their telephones.

Thriving in a hybrid workforce

The examine affirms that respondents would really like hybrid work to remain. Many individuals want a mix of distant and in-office work and report excessive ranges of satisfaction with this association. As workers adapt to hybrid work, the necessity for companies to refresh and enhance tech options turns into extra obvious.

Fifty-six % (56%) of employed adults labored in a totally distant or hybrid method at their major job over the previous 12 months (22% mentioned they labored totally at residence, and 34% cut up their time between in-office and at-home), and almost half mentioned they helped drive the choice.
Many distant and hybrid employees really feel that working from residence has improved their relationships and emotional well-being. Amongst respondents, 45% mentioned working from residence brought about household relationships to enhance and 40% mentioned it improved their emotional well-being.

Key quote 

“Digital transformation is reshaping how we reside and work in elementary methods. Expertise is extra important than ever, serving as a frontier for benefit, innovation, and aggressive differentiation. From leveraging 5G, to exploring the hurdles of hybrid work and assessing the potential of generative AI, our examine reveals how companies and customers alike are pushing boundaries. Our function is to advise our purchasers on easy methods to keep forward of this curve, aligning know-how with human wants, and crafting options that drive a seamless, productive, and extra related life.”

—      Jana Arbanas, vice chair, Deloitte LLP, and U.S. telecom, media and leisure sector chief

Shoppers need innovation in 5G

One other discovering from the examine was customers’ continued name for modern apps and experiences that take full benefit of 5G know-how capabilities. Greater than half of the respondents with 5G smartphones (53%) mentioned they’re searching for these apps, and greater than 1 / 4 (26%) expressed disappointment within the lack of such modern apps and providers.

General, 62% of customers with smartphones say they’ve 5G, up from 50% in 2022.
5G smartphone customers say they do extra of some issues, in comparison with earlier than that they had 5G, with 1 in 5 utilizing their cellphone extra to pay for objects in a retailer and to behave as a hotspot. Practically 1 in 4 watch streaming movies extra (4 in 10 Gen Zs do extra of this than earlier than that they had 5G), and almost 1 in 5 play extra videogames (1 in 3 Gen Zs do extra of this than earlier than that they had 5G).
5G fastened wi-fi is an rising pattern for residence web: 12% of residence web customers say they’ve fastened wi-fi (in comparison with 8% in 2022), and a majority of them say it’s 5G.

Future views: immersive 3D experiences (metaverse) and generative AI

The examine factors to the promising progress of immersive 3D experiences and rising curiosity and consciousness in generative AI amongst customers, particularly within the youthful generations.

Greater than 6 in 10 Gen Zs and greater than half of millennials are taken with studying by viewing or interacting with 3D objects or representations; touring to locations of curiosity just about; assembly with family and friends in 3D areas; attending 3D digital leisure occasions; and buying in 3D shops.
Nearly 1 in 5 respondents surveyed (17%) mentioned they’ve experimented with generative Al or used it for tasks/duties: Of those, 72% used it for private functions, 21% for college/schooling, and 20% for his or her job/skilled functions. Seventy-two % plan to maintain utilizing it.

About this survey

To know shopper attitudes towards “digital life,” the Deloitte Middle for Expertise, Media & Telecommunications performed a survey of two,018 US customers in Q2 2023. Features of digital life that the survey lined embody units (know-how, leisure, good residence, smartphones), connectivity (residence web and cell), digital experiences (work, college, and well being care), wearables (health trackers and good watches), and challenges of managing all of it. All information was weighted to the newest US Census to reach at a consultant view of US customers’ opinions and behaviors. To realize a extra detailed understanding of assorted shopper teams, we additionally segmented respondents into generational teams outlined by their start 12 months: Era Z (1997–2009), Millennials (1983–1996), Era X (1966–1982), Boomers (1947–1965), and “Matures” (1946 and prior).

About Deloitte

Deloitte offers industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory providers to most of the world’s most admired manufacturers, together with almost 90% of the Fortune 500® and greater than 8,500 U.S.-based non-public corporations. At Deloitte, we attempt to reside our goal of constructing an impression that issues by creating belief and confidence in a extra equitable society. We leverage our distinctive mix of enterprise acumen, command of know-how, and strategic know-how alliances to advise our purchasers throughout industries as they construct their future.  Deloitte is proud to be a part of the biggest world skilled providers community serving our purchasers within the markets which are most necessary to them. Bringing greater than 175 years of service, our community of member corporations spans greater than 150 nations and territories. Learn the way Deloitte’s roughly 415,000 folks worldwide join for impression at www.deloitte.com.

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SOURCE Deloitte