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Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
98% of Indian consumers buy more with real-time personalisation: Report
A new report from Twilio, the customer engagement platform, indicates a significant embrace of artificial intelligence (AI) among Indian consumers for personalised experiences . However, the findings also highlight a continued desire for human interaction and transparency, suggesting a need for brands to balance technological advancement with authentic engagement. Twilio's sixth annual State of Customer Engagement Report, based on a global survey including Indian consumers and business leaders, reveals that while AI is delivering measurable results for businesses, customer perception is still catching up. A notable gap exists between what brands believe they are providing and what customers genuinely experience. Indian businesses are increasingly adopting AI to tailor customer experiences, analysing data for consistent communication across various channels and to meet evolving customer expectations. These efforts appear to be yielding positive results, with close to eight in ten (79 per cent) Indian consumers reporting increased spending with brands that personalise their engagement. Furthermore, 98 per cent state they are more likely to purchase when engagement is personalised in real-time. The report also notes that 90 per cent of Indian consumers value personalisation, expecting it to provide relevant recommendations (71 per cent), simplify shopping (66 per cent), and enhance confidence in a brand's legitimacy (65 per cent). Despite these positive indicators, customer sentiment is not without its complexities. While 80 per cent of Indian consumers believe brands do a good or excellent job at personalisation, only 30 per cent feel that engagement happens consistently. This inconsistency presents an opportunity for brands to evolve from isolated personalised interactions to continuous, individualised experiences. The impact of this disconnect is tangible: 70 per cent of Indian consumers are "much more likely" to purchase with personalized engagement, while 88 per cent will abandon a purchase if the interaction feels impersonal. Conversely, the 98 per cent of Indian consumers more likely to make purchases with real-time personalized engagements underscore the potential for brands to align AI-driven automation with actual customer experience for improved conversions. Despite the growing acceptance of AI, Indian consumers continue to value human involvement in their brand interactions. A significant 91 per cent believe it is important for AI-powered brand interactions to feel human-like. More than half (55 per cent) also expressed a desire for the option to speak with a person if AI fails to effectively resolve their issue. Transparency also emerges as a key factor. Over seven in ten (72 per cent) consumers want to be aware when they are interacting with AI, highlighting the importance for brands to implement clear visibility and control measures. Additionally, a majority (87 per cent) of Indian consumers prefer to choose how brands communicate with them, rather than having AI agents automatically determine their preferences. This indicates a desire for continued control and autonomy in their interactions. "Indian consumers are increasingly aware that while AI-powered personalisation influences buying behaviour, it is not a substitute for relevance, trust and human connection," stated Nicholas Kontopoulos, VP of marketing, Asia Pacific and Japan at Twilio. He added, "Indian brands are already leading the way, demonstrating a deep understanding of the importance of AI and excelling at delivering personalised experiences. As they continue to scale their use of AI, the next step is to move beyond basic personalisation to true individualisation, where every interaction feels timely, contextual, and humanised. This means putting transparency at the centre, respecting customer preferences, and using data to serve, not just sell. The brands that will lead in India's next wave of growth are those that get this balance right by blending intelligent automation with authentic engagement to earn loyalty and drive long-term impact.' The report concludes that in a competitive market where customer loyalty is increasingly difficult to secure, brands can no longer view trust and personalisation as optional. The 2025 State of Customer Engagement Report suggests that basic personalisation is no longer sufficient. The future of customer engagement lies in individualisation, built upon relevant, timely, tailored, and trustworthy customer interactions. By investing in transparent, data-driven and AI-powered engagement strategies, Indian brands have an opportunity to bridge the expectation gap, build trust, deepen relationships and differentiate themselves in the marketplace.


Business Wire
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Twilio and Orange to Bring Secure and Interactive RCS Messaging to Businesses in France
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today at Transform London, Twilio announced that it is partnering with Orange, one of the world's leading telecommunications operators, to scale the use of RCS Business Messaging across France. This partnership represents a major milestone in the evolution of mobile messaging in the country, providing French and international businesses with a rich, interactive, and secure communications experience directly in their messaging app. RCS already covers over 70% of the mobile base in France as of June 1, 2025 — representing more than 45 million smartphones — and is projected to reach 85% by the end of the year. In this context, Orange has chosen Twilio's globally recognized expertise to support the deployment of this next-generation messaging solution. Trust and transparency have become central to customer expectations. RCS fully addresses these priorities by enhancing the credibility and impact of brand communications. According to Twilio's 2025 State of Customer Engagement Report, 3 in 4 businesses plan to invest in RCS messaging this year and 81% of consumers prefer RCS over traditional SMS. 'We are delighted to work with Twilio, a global technology leader that is helping to drive the transformation of digital communications worldwide. This partnership will help to accelerate the deployment of RCS Business messaging in France. With 70% of smartphones now able to send and receive RCS messages according to our latest figures, it is set to become the new standard for mobile messaging. RCS Business Messaging offers improved security for brands, which creates a trusted relationship with customers while enhancing brand credibility. This in turn will lead to greater response rates and improved customer engagement,' said Amelia Newsom Davis, Director Payment, Messaging and Identity at Orange France. As the natural evolution of SMS, the RCS protocol is now available across both Android and iOS devices. It supports enriched exchanges and an interactive experience with features like images, carousels, actionable buttons, and detailed performance tracking. By partnering with Twilio, Orange will enable businesses in France to drive stronger customer engagement while maximizing message reach. For the remaining portion of the mobile base not yet covered by RCS, Twilio ensures seamless fallback to SMS, guaranteeing continuous service for all users. 'Customers in France expect more than just messages, they want secure, engaging interactions they can trust. RCS gives businesses a powerful way to deliver rich, branded conversations directly in the native messaging app, with verified sender identity. We share a common vision with Orange: to make communication more human, more dynamic, relevant and amazing. This partnership will enable businesses to boost engagement, efficiency, and trust, while offering a more dynamic experience that truly leaves an impression on customers. And in a landscape filled with plenty of competing digital noise, RCS represents an opportunity to stand out from the crowd,' said Tony Cheema, Vice President, EMEA, Communications at Twilio. For more information about Twilio's RCS services and how they can help your brand deliver reliable, personalized communications at scale, please visit About Twilio Today's leading companies trust Twilio's Customer Engagement Platform (CEP) to build direct, personalized relationships with their customers everywhere in the world. Twilio enables companies to use communications and data to add intelligence and security to every step of the customer journey, from sales to marketing to growth, customer service and many more engagement use cases in a flexible, programmatic way. Across 180 countries, millions of developers and hundreds of thousands of businesses use Twilio to create magical experiences for their customers. For more information about Twilio (NYSE: TWLO), visit:
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AI Alone Won't Cut It: Twilio's 6th Annual Report Finds Trust and Timing Drive Customer Loyalty
71% of consumers abandon irrelevant experiences — brands that personalize in real time and prioritize transparency are winning hearts, trust, and revenue SAN FRANCISCO, June 03, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Twilio (NYSE: TWLO), the customer engagement platform that drives real-time, personalized experiences for leading brands, today released its sixth annual State of Customer Engagement Report. Based on a global survey of more than 7,600 consumers and 600+ business leaders across 18 countries, the report underscores a powerful trend: AI is driving clear ROI—but unless businesses also earn consumer trust and deliver relevance in the moment, they risk leaving real value on the table. In a macroeconomic climate where every dollar counts, the stakes are high. While 96% of companies say AI is improving customer-facing operations such as support, marketing, and personalization, and 75% see increased customer spend from personalization efforts, only 45% of consumers feel understood by the brands they interact with, down slightly from 46% in 2024. And despite 83% of business leaders claiming to deeply understand their customers, consumer behavior tells a different story: 71% will walk away from purchases if the experience doesn't feel relevant. "AI has opened the door to more personalized customer experiences than ever before — but technology alone isn't the answer," said Chris Koehler, CMO of Twilio. "Our research shows that to truly engage customers, brands must earn their trust, respect their preferences, and meet them in real-time with experiences that feel human. In today's climate, customer loyalty is harder to earn — and the brands that succeed will be the ones that invest in the right tools to deliver personalization at scale, while maintaining transparency and putting the customer first." Key insights from the report show why better CX is the key to AI's return on investment: AI-powered personalization is delivering revenue—but not trust. 56% of brands now use AI to tailor experiences — from personalized content and recommendations to real-time support and dynamic offers — and 75% report increased customer spend. But 61% of consumers don't believe brands use their data in their best interest, and 55% say they're tired of hearing about AI. Real-time engagement drives conversion—and loyalty. 71% of consumers abandon purchases when experiences fall flat. On the flip side, 88% are more likely to buy when engagement is personalized in real time—but only 44% of brands say they're executing at that level. Trust is rising—but remains fragile. While 90% of consumers trust at least some brands, just 15% "absolutely" trust them with their data. 84% want control over their personalization settings, and 54% want to know when they're talking to AI—not a human. Smart investments are separating leaders from laggards. 96% of businesses plan to build custom CX over buying off-the-shelf—betting on better data, transparency, and automation to stay competitive. 75% also plan to adopt RCS in 2025 to create richer customer conversations. In a world where customer loyalty is harder to win — and easier to lose — businesses can no longer afford to treat trust and personalization as optional. The 2025 State of Customer Engagement Report makes it clear: brands that build transparent, real-time relationships will be best positioned to drive growth, deepen loyalty, and stand out in an increasingly competitive, AI-driven marketplace. The full 2025 State of Customer Engagement Report is available here: Report Methodology Twilio surveyed 7,640 global consumers and 637 business leaders from January 3–February 17, 2025. Respondents span 18 countries and include Gen Z to baby boomer consumers and business leaders with oversight of CX, martech, and customer data strategy. About Twilio Today's leading companies trust Twilio's Customer Engagement Platform (CEP) to build direct, personalized relationships with their customers everywhere in the world. Twilio enables companies to use communications and data to add intelligence and security to every step of the customer journey, from sales to marketing to growth, customer service and many more engagement use cases in a flexible, programmatic way. Across 180 countries, millions of developers and hundreds of thousands of businesses use Twilio to create magical experiences for their customers. For more information about Twilio (NYSE: TWLO), visit: View source version on Contacts Caitlin Epsteinpress@