A New TELUS International Study Reveals That Social Media May Give Brands a Second Chance to Make a First Impression with Millennials

62% of millennials would likely recommend a brand that has an
exceptional social media presence, even if they were not initially happy
with their product or service

LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A new survey commissioned by TELUS
International, a global customer experience innovator that designs,
builds and delivers next-gen digital solutions for global and disruptive
brands, and conducted online by The
Harris Poll to over 2,000 U.S. adults, found that 62% of millennials
(ages 18-34) would likely recommend a brand that has an exceptional
social media presence, even if they were not initially happy with their
product or service.

Brand loyalty is linked to social media for the majority of
millennial consumers

Given the ‘always connected’ nature of millennials, experts at TELUS
International predict that consumers representing this generation (or
age bracket) will increasingly connect with brands through social media,
highlighting its importance as part of an overall customer service
delivery strategy.

The survey reveals that nearly three quarters (72%) of millennials (vs.
47% of Americans age 45+) would be more likely to be loyal to a brand
that responds to feedback via social media over a brand that does not.
It also revealed that 43% of millennials (vs. 21% of Americans age 45+)
say if a brand they purchase from does not have a social media page to
provide feedback on, they would consider purchasing from a different
brand that does.

“Millennials are poised to represent 30% of retail sales, and are
clearly in the driver’s seat when it comes to influencing where and how
brands need to engage with consumers in order to remain relevant and top
of mind,” said Jeffrey Puritt, President and CEO, TELUS International.
“An authentic and strategic social media presence that provides
consumers with personalized, informative and immediate responses is no
longer a ‘nice to have’, but a necessity in the digital age when
customer experience, not price, is the top competitive differentiator.”

Feedback on social media is ‘gold’ for brands

The survey also reveals that 38% of millennials (and 24% of Americans
overall) say they provided feedback to companies they purchased from
using company social media channels once a week or more often in the
past 12 months, and that nearly 1 in 5 millennials (18%) most prefer to
leave positive feedback for a company they have purchased from via
company social media channels while 13% most prefer this channel for
providing negative feedback.

“Considering the highly-public nature of feedback posted on social
channels and its significant influence on purchasing decisions, brands
must constantly monitor and quickly respond, or risk losing customers
and other potential patrons,” continued Puritt. “If brands can apply
this high touch approach with high-tech support in the form of
artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to mine terabytes of data
to uncover trends and track individual preferences, they will be able to
deliver the sought-after personalized and proactive customer experiences
that drive loyalty and growth.”

The infographic,
based on insights from the TELUS International/The Harris Poll survey,
reveals additional statistics behind millennials’ brand engagement with
social media to help brands review, evaluate and update their social
engagement strategy and current practices.

“Whether directly in their personal lives or through influence in their
workplaces, millennials will lead the spending charge in the
not-so-distant future, and it will be the ‘survival of the fittest’ when
it comes to how quickly and effectively brands can adapt to their
preferences around social interaction to capture market share,”
concluded Puritt.

About TELUS International

TELUS International focuses on the value of human connection to design,
build and deliver high-tech, high-touch customer experiences powered by
next-gen digital solutions. With over 32,000 team members and delivery
centers across North and Central America, Europe and Asia, TELUS
International empowers customer experience innovation through digital
enablement, spirited teamwork, agile thinking, and a caring culture that
puts customers first. The company’s solutions cover customer experience,
digital transformation, IT lifecycle, advisory and digital consulting,
risk management, and back-office support. Fueling all stages of company
growth, TELUS International partners with some of the world’s most
disruptive brands, from fast-growing tech, financial services and
fintech, gaming, travel and hospitality, and healthcare industries. The
company serves clients in over 40 languages. TELUS holds a 65% interest
in TELUS International with Baring Private Equity Asia holding the
remaining 35%. Learn more at: telusinternational.com

Survey methodology:

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris
Poll on behalf of TELUS International from August 17-21, 2018 among
2,038 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, among whom 570 are millennials
(ages 18-34). This online survey is not based on a probability sample
and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be
calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting
variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact ali.wilson@telus.com.

Contacts

TELUS International Media Relations
Ali Wilson
(604)
328.7093
ali.wilson@telus.com