More than half of smartphone users are dissatisfied with their mobile experience and are ready to switch mobile providers, a survey by Accenture has revealed.
The overwhelming consumer dissatisfaction was uncovered among smartphone users surveyed for the 2016 Accenture Screenager Report by Accenture.
The 2016 Accenture Screenager Report is derived from data collected in Accenture’s 2016 Digital Consumer Survey, the company’s latest annual research report that investigates the attitudes, behaviours and top trends of consumers adopting and using mobile smart devices and related services.
The study found that despite the widespread ownership and use of smartphones – with 80 percent of consumers surveyed now owning a device, up from 26 percent in 2012 – the majority of smartphone owners are unhappy with their mobile service.
Specifically, 60 percent are dissatisfied with their connectivity and experience and would switch providers; 62 percent are concerned about the security of financial transactions; 47 percent are concerned about privacy and security; and 83 percent are unhappy with mobile advertising interfering with their experience.
The report uncovered another statistic that poses a challenge for wireless providers. It revealed that the percentage of consumers who plan to increase spending on smartphones, tablets, laptops and PCs in the next 12 months dropped by 60 percent since 2014, from 33 percent to only 13 percent in 2015.
At the same time, the data pointed to opportunities for mobile providers to improve their service and meet consumer demands. For instance, nearly three-quarters (71 percent) of smartphone users said they would pay more to a provider for better connectivity, and more than four in five (83 percent) said they would buy more products and services if reliability and the speed with which problems are resolved were improved.
“Mixed data on consumer satisfaction coupled with flat growth in smart devices could be seen as a threat, but forward-looking providers will see an opportunity as consumers’ digital appetite has never been greater,” Marco Vernocchi, global digital lead of Accenture’s Communications, Media & Technology operating group says.
“The key is delivering new, high-quality, multi-device and multi-channel experiences that meet the consumer’s expectations immediately. This requires smart, user-centric design that is guided by consumer insights gained through integrated analytics and supported with the connectivity, security and privacy consumers expect”, Vernocchi says.
While consumer intent to buy new smart devices is down, it is clear their digital appetite remains strong. The report found that the most common activities for which smartphone owners use their devices – other than talking and texting – are watching video (cited by 81 percent of smartphone owners) and playing online games (69 percent).
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