Top 34 customer experience statistics to guide your app growth in 2023

This graphic sets the stage for the importance of customer experience in modern app development and growth.

Mobile app engagement has never been more important. To put a figure on it, app downloads rose 63% since 2016. Last year, there were a staggering 230 billion installs! With the shift to mobile, customer experience leaders have a competitive edge. Mobile is all about the experience, and product managers know it to be true - today customer experience optimization is named the top priority for businesses.

In this article, we’ll list the 34 customer experience statistics you need to know to help grow your app through 2023, whether you’re in mHealth, fintech, or other market segments.

• Why customer experience optimization is inevitable
• How consumer behavior is leading the way
• 5 statistics that show how companies are reacting to the shift
• How a better mobile app experience boosts growth
• The do’s and don’ts of customer experience optimization
• What lessons can we learn from these customer experience statistics?

Why customer experience optimization is inevitable

In short, two of the biggest reasons for this change in consumer behavior are the coming of age of Gen Z, those aged 18-24, and app market saturation and maturation.

Gen Z cares about the customer experience:

• 88% of Gen Z prefer digital and seamless omnichannel branded experiences.
• 62% will not use apps that are hard to navigate.
• 60% will not use apps that are slow to load.
• A good customer experience will turn Gen Z into brand advocates! Gen Z are the most likely generation to recommend a brand they have an affinity for.

This chart illustrates the significant presence of Gen Z users across the app market, underscoring their influence on digital experiences.

Customer experience is the new key battleground in a growing app market

• In a market with more apps than ever, customer experience (CX) has overtaken price and product as the most important brand differentiator.
• More than 66% of companies now compete primarily over CX – an increase from just 36% in 2010!
• Consultancy firm PWC found that the number of companies investing in a seamless omnichannel experience has jumped from 20% to more than 80%.

This graphic highlights how the focus has shifted from price and product to customer experience as the key brand differentiator in the app industry.

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How consumer behavior is leading the way

Users know what they want. In order to deliver it, apps need to focus on customer experience optimization. To be sure, consumer attitudes are clear on the matter:

• People choose mobile because it’s a timesaver! 76% of people say they use mobile to purchase items or pay, not because it’s convenient, but saves time.
• 74% of consumers say they are partial to buying based on experience alone.
• 66% of mobile users say a frustrating user experience damages their opinion of the brand, with 55% saying it will make it less likely they engage again.
• 1 in 3 customers would leave a brand they love after just one bad experience.
• Moreover, 92% would completely abandon ship after three bad interactions!

The data shows a dramatic drop-off, with 92% of customers abandoning a brand after just two or three bad interactions, emphasizing the high stakes of CX.

5 statistics that show how companies are reacting to the shift

Businesses are already investing in customer experience optimization, and app developers across the market are making an effort to pave the right way forward.

• 87% of organizations believe that traditional customer experience is no longer enough to satisfy customer expectations and demands.
• Consultancy firm Gartner predicts that by 2023, 25% of organizations will integrate marketing, sales, and CX into a single function.
• Over 90% of enterprises now employ a ‘Chief Experience Officer’.
• More companies are learning what they need to succeed. 55% of CX leaders say their biggest challenge in customer experience optimization is a lack of tools.
• The best-performing companies are 9x more likely to integrate customer data from multiple sources, analyzing and engaging in a cross-channel way.

This graph illustrates that leading companies are significantly more likely to integrate customer data from multiple sources to create a cohesive cross-channel experience.

Although, while many companies are now prioritizing the customer experience, not all are choosing to increase their investment! Research finds that only 44% of businesses are predicted to actually put more money down on improving the customer experience.

Of course, if you want your users to leave with a positive experience, you have to invest in it - one way or another. To be sure, it will represent a return on investment!

How a better mobile app experience boosts growth

Boasting a great customer experience can give your app what it needs to thrive. On the other hand, a bloated and frustrating experience can do the opposite. ‘Better’ can mean many things, from clear, fun, engaging, or just plain simple. In 2021, an estimated $402 billion was left on the table by companies failing to provide a ‘simple’ experience. Don’t fall prey to this trap! Instead, reap the rewards of a great user experience:

A boost to the company wallet

• Customers will pay as much as a 16% price premium for a great experience.
• CX leaders see over 1.5x higher annual growth compared to other companies in customer retention, repeat purchases, and customer lifetime value.

As shown, CX leaders see over 1.5 times higher growth in key metrics like customer retention and lifetime value, directly impacting the company's bottom line.

Make customer acquisition, retention, and referrals more effective

• 71% of people will recommend a product when they have a ‘great experience’.
• 65% say a positive experience is more influential than great advertising.
• 65% of consumers say they would become loyal customers of a brand if they can provide positive experiences through the whole customer journey.

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The do’s and don’ts of customer experience optimization

Ultimately, the question is ‘what do your users want?’ That depends on what field your app lies in, but there are some prevailing trends that can guide you through 2023:

Do’s

• Make chatbot and customer interactions fluid and organic. This one is crucial, as 78% of consumers say their impression of customer service is improved when agents don’t sound like they’re reading from a script.
• Ensure customer-facing employees know what they’re talking about! 46% of consumers will abandon a brand if employees are not knowledgeable.
• Interact with your users online. A study found that answering a customer complaint on social media can increase advocacy by as much as 25%.
• Invest in omnichannel experiences. A study by Adobe found that companies with the strongest omnichannel engagement strategies enjoy a 10% year-over-year growth.
• Test optimization. Find the most effective schemes for your CTA buttons, UI design and layouts. Not only it will improve your app, but it will also increase the conversion rate.

This visual represents the importance of a smooth, omnichannel experience, where users expect seamless interactions across all touchpoints with a brand.

Don’ts

• Don’t underestimate the power of word-of-mouth advertising. 50% of people would choose word-of-mouth if they could pick only one information source!
• In short, don’t forget to have a seamless omnichannel experience! 71% of customers expect customer service agents to already have all the details on their previous interactions with the brand.
• Above all, don’t make things confusing! Over half of consumers will abandon any sort of purchase if they can’t find a quick answer to their question.

What lessons can we learn from these customer experience statistics?

Without a doubt, customer experience optimization is a necessary step in app development. As an app publisher, you should be consistently analyzing and optimizing your CX. The process should always be on repeat because no design works forever, and only by being truly user-centric can an app thrive. It’s a fact that customer-centric companies are 60% more profitable than those without a clear user focus.

Put simply, optimizing your CX means listening to your customer’s demands and meeting them the best you can. It’s what users expect today, and given the stiff competition being seen across the board in the app market, it’s what they’ll likely find somewhere! Make sure your app is the one that people choose by optimizing your CX and leading your app down a path of growth through 2023 and beyond.

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