New study: nearly half of consumers are suspicious about data privacy
New research has revealed that some 48% of consumers are suspicious about how companies use their data.
Commissioned by Verint Systems and conducted by analyst and consultancy firm Ovum and UK research company Opinium, the poll of more than 18,000 consumers in nine countries also found that one in five consumers do not trust any businesses to keep their information safe.
The findings also reveal considerable variation in levels of consumer scepticism over the use of their personal data by brands. Consumers in the UK and Germany were found to be the least trusting with a respective 63% and 61% of those polled saying they were suspicious over how brands used this information.
Nick Nonini, managing director, EMEA, Verint Enterprise Intelligence Solutions, said: “Recent high-profile, data-related business cases have shed new light on the importance consumers attach to data protection.
“In today’s environments, organizations need to focus on laying foundations for customer relationships that are based on trust. This comes down to getting the basics right, leveraging technology and analytics to better understand what is really on the minds of customers, and then working to help ensure the right resources are in place to address evolving needs, issues and requirements.”
The study points to a long road ahead with a large proportion of consumers yet to be convinced that their main service providers have their data protection in check.
The research found that 43% of consumers polled trusted their bank to keep their data safe. This compares to just 2% for online and in-store retailers and 3% for utilities companies.
