LONDON: UK consumers are not as patient as they once were, according to a new study that shows over two fifths (42%) admit to having less patience today than they did five years ago.
This is according to The Instant Gratification Nation report by Fetch in collaboration with YouGov, which claims that the rise in impatience is the fault of our almost total reliance on technology to complete everyday activities, Research Live reported.
Among millennials, the increase is particularly stark. 52% said they were more impatient than five years ago. In contrast, older consumers are more relaxed, the study suggests. Yet just over a third (34%) of over 55s say they are more impatient.
For young people, technologically-induced impatience is largely down to their overwhelming reasons for using tech in the first place. 81% of millennials said they were receptive to trying new technologies to improve the speed of daily tasks.
The research highlights the effects of a nationwide obsession with technology, said Julian Smith, head of strategy and innovation at Fetch, namely that it has “created a young generation of impatient consumers who prefer to consume content fast on-the-go via their mobile devices."
Elsewhere, the research uncovered that the most frustrating experience for consumers was interacting with an automated system or chatbot, rather than a person, when making a complaint.
Again, the difference between the generations was stark: whereas an automated response was the most frustrating experience of 37% of 55+ consumers, just 14% of 18-24s felt the same.
Overall, the next most frustrating experience was when consumers were interrupted by irrelevant mobile advertising (15%), followed by late delivery from online shopping sites (10%).
“There are clear differences in the way millennials and over 55 year-olds interact with technology and this is an important lesson for brands when considering how to approach them and improve their services,” Smith added.
This is according to The Instant Gratification Nation report by Fetch in collaboration with YouGov, which claims that the rise in impatience is the fault of our almost total reliance on technology to complete everyday activities, Research Live reported.
Among millennials, the increase is particularly stark. 52% said they were more impatient than five years ago. In contrast, older consumers are more relaxed, the study suggests. Yet just over a third (34%) of over 55s say they are more impatient.
For young people, technologically-induced impatience is largely down to their overwhelming reasons for using tech in the first place. 81% of millennials said they were receptive to trying new technologies to improve the speed of daily tasks.
The research highlights the effects of a nationwide obsession with technology, said Julian Smith, head of strategy and innovation at Fetch, namely that it has “created a young generation of impatient consumers who prefer to consume content fast on-the-go via their mobile devices."
Elsewhere, the research uncovered that the most frustrating experience for consumers was interacting with an automated system or chatbot, rather than a person, when making a complaint.
Again, the difference between the generations was stark: whereas an automated response was the most frustrating experience of 37% of 55+ consumers, just 14% of 18-24s felt the same.
Overall, the next most frustrating experience was when consumers were interrupted by irrelevant mobile advertising (15%), followed by late delivery from online shopping sites (10%).
“There are clear differences in the way millennials and over 55 year-olds interact with technology and this is an important lesson for brands when considering how to approach them and improve their services,” Smith added.
Data sourced from Research Live; additional content by WARC staff
