Why Brands Are Struggling to Meet Consumer Expectations – Insights & Solutions

We live in a hyperconnected world, and how consumers interact with businesses is changing – fast. Brands face unprecedented challenges in meeting evolving consumer expectations. With so many new digital touchpoints to consider and be on top of, from social commerce and retail media to influencer marketing, shopper journeys have become more individualised and unpredictable. Yet, many brands are falling short. We dived into insights from a new WARC and Meta White Paper to share why this is happening and how businesses can adapt to regain their competitive edge.

The High Cost of Falling Short

Substandard customer experiences are costly. According to Qualtrics, companies risk losing $3.1 trillion in consumer spending annually, equating to 6.7% of their total revenue.

Other alarming statistics include:

  • 80% of consumers have switched brands due to poor experiences.
  • 62% of consumers expect greater personalisation in services (Zendesk).

Abhishek Jadon, VP of Global Media Transformation at PepsiCo, highlighted a pivotal shift:

“There’s a fundamental shift towards long-term engagement versus serving one-time media impressions… If you focus on meaningful, human-centric connections, you build relationships.”

This shift demands a rethink of how brands communicate, nurture, and sustain customer relationships.

The Messaging Revolution: A Missed Opportunity

Nearly half the world’s population — 3.6 billion people — uses messaging apps, and 71% of online adults say they are more likely to purchase from a company they can message. Yet, many brands lag behind in leveraging messaging as a scalable, personalised communication channel.

Key insights:

  • 80% of online adults find messaging quick and easy (Kantar).
  • 69% of consumers prefer messaging over calling.

Rodrigo Silva Menezes, Senior Marketing Manager at Samsung Brazil, explained the potential of messaging:

“When we run campaigns using ads that click to WhatsApp, we reduce the number of clicks in the user journey by 80%.”

By adopting messaging solutions powered by platforms like WhatsApp Business API, brands can reduce friction, foster personalised engagement, and drive better outcomes.

Rethinking the Customer Journey

The traditional purchase funnel can no longer capture today’s dynamic shopper journeys. Instead, brands must embrace newer models like the Hankins Hexagon, which shows how fluid and personal customer journeys can be.

A few examples of why messaging matters across the journey:

  1. Lead Discovery: Paid social ads, QR codes, and Click-to-Messaging campaigns can introduce consumers to your brand.

  2. Journey Orchestration: 1:1 conversations allow brands to personalise engagement, building trust and consideration.

  3. Conversion Optimisation: Messaging resolves queries that often lead to cart abandonment—70% of carts are abandoned, according to the Baymard Institute.

  4. Post-Purchase Re-Engagement: Promotions and rewards delivered via messaging help build loyalty among light or occasional buyers.

 

Isabelle Lafont, Global Head of Care at L’Oréal, put it succinctly:

“Messaging is the perfect match for both marketing and problem-solving. It’s a big shift in efficiency compared to other channels.”

Why brands are struggling to meet consumer expecatations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Brands Can Meet the Challenge: The 5 Ps Framework

To implement effective messaging strategies, brands should follow these principles:

  1. Prioritisation: Identify quick wins but align efforts with long-term brand and customer goals.
  2. Privacy: Ensure transparency in data use — trust is non-negotiable.
  3. Partners: Work with trusted platforms like Meta’WhatsApp Business API Platform to scale messages quickly and effectively.
  4. Performance: Use analytics, automation and AI to deliver personalised, predictive, and multimedia-rich interactions.
  5. Proactivity: Stay agile, constantly testing and optimising strategies to outpace competitors.

Takeaways for Businesses

Brands that fail to adapt risk losing billions in revenue and alienating customers. Messaging solutions like the WhatsApp Business API offer scalable, measurable, and personalised communication channels to meet modern consumer demands. Businesses can create meaningful connections, reduce friction, and drive growth by rethinking the customer journey and embedding messaging at every touchpoint.

References:

  • WARC
  • Business WhatsApp
  • Qualtrics
  • Kantar
  • Zendesk
  • Baymard Institute

For more insights, explore The Messenger Network’s industry solutions to help your business thrive in today’s evolving business communications landscape.

About WARC: WARC is a global authority on marketing effectiveness with over 35 years of expertise. Visit their platforms for more insights and actionable strategies.