A few days ago I came across a survey by Ping Identity, and it had some rather intriguing findings. According to this survey:
81% of consumers consider ease of use the most crucial factor in their digital experiences.
A significant 60% have abandoned an online account or service due to login frustrations. This percentage has been on a steady rise since 2022 (59%) and 2021 (56%).
Approximately 43% of consumers would ditch an online service for a competitor if the competitor had a significantly easier login process.
About 65% of those surveyed would switch to a comparable brand if it offered passwordless authentication.
There's a concern among 54% of respondents about the potential misuse of AI technology to create fake impersonations.
Identity theft is the primary concern for 63% of respondents.
Around 50% of respondents feel more secure about a service when Multi-Factor Authentication is used, seeing it as a sign that the business values their data security.
Astonishingly, only 10% of consumers have complete trust in organisations that manage their identity data. Banks (61%) and healthcare services (51%) inspire the most confidence.
This survey reached 13,000 consumers across 14 regions, providing a solid snapshot of current consumer sentiments.
Now, let's consider car buyers. Their concerns might not differ significantly, but their experiences certainly do. Unlike other industries, car buyers can't just switch to a competitor or abandon a service if they find the login process frustrating. This is because there are simply no better alternatives available.
Think about the car buying process today. It involves a plethora of digital exchanges of personal information and logins to various websites and apps: manufacturers' websites, dealer sites for test drive bookings, finance and insurance companies websites, mobile apps, the car itself, eshops for accessories, eshops for connected car services, the roadside assistance websites or apps, and the websites of the dealers handling servicing. And let's not forget the initial research on platforms like Carwow, Autotrader, WeBuyAnyCar, and others.
Yes, the car-buying journey is far more complex and involves more parties than purchasing a t-shirt or food delivery online, but I don't believe this excuse will hold up forever. Consumers learn from their experiences in other sectors and, sooner or later, will demand the same seamless treatment they receive in retail or travel. They'll flock to manufacturers and retailers who provide it, along with the finance companies and agents involved.
The solution is readily available today, and it's not as costly as you might think. Yes, I'm talking about my personal favourite, Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM), which I've discussed before. Here's what it can do:
Consolidate various logins into one that works across all connected websites and devices.
Offer passwordless, Multi-Factor, social, or any other type of login and authentication you desire.
Handle permissions given by consumers across different devices and over time with ease.
Keep data where it's collected, respecting ownership.
Keep track of where individual data reside, eliminating the need for a massive data warehouse.
Ensure secure access everywhere, potentially offloading security risks to the right vendor.
Gradually connect individual data points, avoiding a risky big-bang deployment.
Set the stage for a Customer Data Platform (CDP), a crucial tool for keeping up with consumers across channels in real-time.
Despite all these benefits, it's baffling that not many manufacturers have connected the dots by adopting CIAM solutions. The reasons escape me.
If you'd like to delve deeper into any of these points, please get in touch. We're here to help.
