Today’s consumers are now accustomed to lightning-fast digital experiences thanks to the high bar set by Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. In 2017, every second counts and even minor issues can have a significant impact on the success or failure of a brand interaction. Our latest research found that two thirds of people have rising expectations for digital performance, showing that businesses can expect consumer pressure to grow.

The App Attention Index 2017 surveyed 1,000 people each in the US, UK, France, and Germany. The results revealed just how unforgiving consumers are of badly performing digital services.

Nearly two-thirds of consumers have deleted an app or abandoned a website after just one attempt due to problems with performance. But because digital leaders continually raise the bar for consumer expectations, brands don’t win a customer for life after one use. In fact, 80 percent of respondents deleted apps because performance didn’t meet their expectations. So even if a brand is able to impress a customer today, it doesn’t guarantee that same customer will stick around tomorrow.

As new interfaces such as voice interaction come to the fore, things will become even more complex, increasing the need for effective monitoring. Although these new interfaces reduce friction, they can cause more problems if they’re not integrated well within the overall service.

As our latest research proves digital performance is critical to helping brands meet rapidly-evolving consumer expectations. Apps will inevitably become more complex as they redefine our daily lives, and managing this will be key to success.