• by Ray Schultz , October 23, 2020

Digital engagement with consumers will increase in 2121, as it has in 2020, according to a survey of 691 CTOs, CIOs and technology executives by Okta and HMG Strategy.  

Of that group, 84% agree that COVID-19 has accelerated the shift to digital, 24% say it has sped up by a dramatic degree and 24% say it has done so moderately. And 46% say the pandemic has accelerated digital programs already in place. 

Moreover, 76% claim their interactions with customers are strong, while 41% say the interactions are very much so and 35% describe them as fair. 

Overall, 47% say they deliver exceptional customer experiences. But 53% admit they are constrained by a barrier. 

For instance, 21% acknowledge that they fail to deliver seamless omnichannel customer experiences like easily moving from one channel to another—i.e., from website to chat. 

In addition, 18% say they have difficulty acting on customer feedback and data, whether behavioral or transactional. 

And 9% said they lack customer experience capabilities, while 5% are simply not customer focused. 

Asked for their biggest operational or technical issues, the respondents listed the following: 

• Operational policies that prevent or restrict customers and business partners from utilizing specific digital tools to interact with them (e.g., restrictions against using certain collaboration platforms — 31%
• Challenges associated with interacting securely with customers and business partners — 31% 
• Technical or integration issues that have limited or prevented digital communications with customers or business partners — 23% 
• Their inability to properly identify customers and business partners in digital channels — 14%

Another 23% of respondents said they also face integration issues.