Heaptalk, Jakarta — Trust in a brand is the main factor determining the strength of consumer interactions with that brand. Other influential factors include how immediately and effectively businesses connect with consumers through the proper channels.
Twilio, a cloud communications company, explained these findings in its Consumer Preferences Report 2024. The report is based on a global survey of 3,900 consumers, including 900 individuals from the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. The survey explores current communication preferences, including consumers’ favored channels, how branded messages affect consumer trust, and how a brand’s response time impacts the overall consumer experience.
The research revealed that 56% of consumers in Asia-Pacific would only buy from a brand if they trusted it. In Indonesia, alongside the rapid growth of e-commerce, fraud has increased disguised as affiliate programs or digital wallet promotions using the names of prominent e-commerce brands.
Twilio noted that some scammers have even used the logo of OJK, Indonesia’s national financial services authority. This makes it difficult for consumers to distinguish between trusted sources and fraud, leading to declining consumer trust in brands. In such circumstances, trust becomes increasingly important when interacting with businesses in consumer decision-making.
Boosting trustworthy with branded messages
Almost 7 out of 10 APAC consumers (68%) would feel more confident communicating with a brand if the message included a verification badge. In contrast, 57% said using branded messages makes a brand appear more trustworthy.
Therefore, to meet the growing demand for trust, brands must ensure that they present themselves recognizably and securely in their interactions with consumers, whether by including verification badges or incorporating brand identity in their communications.
Robert Woolfrey, Vice President of Twilio Communications for the APJ region, said that trust has become the foundation of the customer-brand relationship in dealing with increasingly savvy and critical consumers. “The good news is, tools like branded messaging are now available and accessible, providing businesses with unprecedented opportunities to build trust, strengthen brand recognition, and deliver personalized experiences at scale,” Robert stated.
Looking ahead, Robert is optimistic that more prosperous communication channels create opportunities for businesses to build deeper customer interactions. Recently, the company launched Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging features through its Programmable Messaging and Verify API services for the global market.
