Cisco has unveiled its latest report from the App Attention Index research series, shedding light on the rising consumer expectations for digital experiences and the growing pressure on brands to optimise application performance and security. The global study, examining the digital behaviours of over 15,000 consumers worldwide, including 1,005 in the UAE, reveals the emergence of a new category of application users characterised by empowerment, sophistication, and increased demands for digital services.
Consumer expectations in the UAE are soaring, driven by the surge in digital service usage during the pandemic. Despite this, 97% of respondents in the UAE have encountered performance issues with applications in the past 12 months, highlighting a gap in meeting consumer needs. The study shows that 71% of UAE consumers feel their digital experience expectations are higher now than two years ago, and 74% expect brands to consistently deliver exceptional digital experiences.
However, nearly all respondents in the UAE have faced performance issues with applications in the past year, leading to extreme reactions when expectations are not met. This includes 65% feeling disrespected by brands with underperforming applications, 71% becoming less forgiving when issues occur, and 80% abandoning or deleting applications due to performance problems.
Globally, the study identifies UAE consumers as the most discerning about the applications they use and the most conscious about time spent on digital services. Compared to global averages, UAE consumers are more inclined to declutter applications, control the number of applications on their devices, and have deleted more applications than installed in the last 12 months.
Ronak Desai, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cisco Full-Stack Observability and AppDynamics, emphasises the critical moment for brands to invest in their application experience to avoid losing customers. He notes that good performance alone is no longer sufficient, as consumers expect the best from their applications, and any performance issue could harm reputation and revenue.
The report introduces ‘The Application Generation,’ aged 18-34, a cohort heavily reliant on applications for navigating the pandemic and thriving in a hybrid world. This group, using an average of 41 applications monthly globally, is highly discerning, with 77% being mindful about the applications they install and 64% insisting on using only the very best applications and digital services. The Application Generation is quick to abandon poorly performing applications, and 70% are more likely to share their frustrations with others compared to a year ago.
