Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) launched a report in its App Attention Index research series, revealing escalating consumer expectations for digital experience and increased pressure on brand owners to optimize application performance and security. The global study, which examined the digital behaviors of more than 15,000 global consumers — including 1,005 in the UAE — also revealed the emergence of a new breed of application user that is more empowered, sophisticated, and demanding in its use of digital services.

UAE Consumer Expectations Continue to Soar — But Remain Unmet

While the use of digital services and applications reached new heights during the pandemic, consumer demand for applications has only continued to increase. As consumers enjoy ever more intuitive and personalized digital experiences, their demands on applications have reached an all-time high, with 74% in the UAE stating they expect brands to deliver an exceptional digital experience as standard.

However, the needs of UAE consumers are not being met, with nearly all (97%) respondents experiencing performance issues when using applications over the past 12 months. Today application users in the Emirates have zero tolerance for poor digital performance and when things don’t work as they should, their reactions have become extreme.

  • 65% indicate they feel disrespected by brands whose applications don’t meet their expectations.
  • 71% are less forgiving of brands when problems occur.
  • 80% have stopped using or deleted applications because of performance issues over the last 12 months.

Globally, Cisco’s study has found UAE consumers to be the most selective about the applications they use, and the most conscious about the time they spend engaging with digital services. Compared to their global peers, the nation’s consumers think harder before installing new applications, evaluating current providers, and ridding themselves of a sense of ‘application clutter’ by culling applications that fail to meet the grade.

  • 77% (compared to a global average of 68%) are keen to get rid of application clutter (applications they don’t use enough or value anymore).
  • 80% (a whole 18 percentage points higher than the global average) are looking to control or limit the number of applications they are using or that they have on their device.
  • 64% (globally 54%) have deleted more applications than they have installed over the last 12 months.

“It's a critical time for brands — invest in your application experience, or risk losing customers,” said Ronak Desai, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Cisco Full-Stack Observability and AppDynamics. “Good performance is no longer enough; consumers expect only the best from their applications, and any single issue could be a reputation and revenue killer. At Cisco, we're well aware of this, and we're committed to helping organizations stay ahead by proactively optimizing their digital experiences and keeping their customers happy."

Photo Source: Pexels

The Rise of The Application Generation

These shifts in behavior and attitudes towards application experience are even more prevalent in a new cohort of application users: ‘The Application Generation.’ Aged 18-34, this group has relied on applications like no generation before, having used them to navigate the pandemic and today, to live and thrive in a hybrid world.

In addition to being heavier users of applications across every area of their lives (globally on average consumers under 35 years of age use 41 different applications each month, compared to 30 amongst people aged 35 and above), 'The Application Generation' are far more discerning about the quality of the applications they use, with 77% claiming to be more mindful about the applications they install on their devices and 64% stating that they only want to use the very best applications and digital services. They are constantly evaluating the relevance and value — or otherwise — of the brands they engage with and the digital services they provide.

This unique group reports being tired of poorly performing applications and frustrating digital experiences. A worrying trend for application owners, 'The Application Generation' are voting with their thumbs — ditching applications that let them down and walking away from brands that don’t meet their digital experience expectations. What’s more, they are not shy about sharing their frustrations. 70% are more likely to tell others or warn people off applications that don’t perform than they were 12 months ago.

Photo Source: Cisco AppDynamics