The Rise of The Empowered 0

For CMOs
The Rise Of The Empowered Customer

Consumers Evolving Behaviors And Attitudes Set The Pace For Innovation
by Anjali Lai
July 12, 2016 | Updated: August 2, 2016
Why Read This Report Key Takeaways

Empowered consumers fuel the age of the Your Customers Have Changed In
customer youve likely heard this repeatedly. Measureable Ways
They now have more choices, richer resources, Decades of data analysis reveal five key forces
and higher demands than in the past. But this is for change in consumer behaviors, attitudes,
more than just a catchy idea; it is a measurable and expectations that lead to customer
trend. Here, we prove it. This report reveals how empowerment: willingness to experiment, device
evolutions in customer behaviors and attitudes usage, digital/physical integration, information
are manifesting themselves and measures how savviness, and self-efficacy.
urgently brands must move toward customer
Meet Your Empowered Customers
obsession. CMOs: Thrive in the age of the
Forresters Empowered Customer Segmentation
customer by understanding how your customers
provides a framework to understand how your
are evolving and prioritizing changes to match.
customers have changed along key behavioral
and psychological dimensions and how they
continue to evolve today.
Track Your Customers Evolution Toward

Empowerment
Use the Empowered Customer Segmentation to
gauge the rate of your customers evolution and
to anticipate their demand for innovation.
forrester.com
For CMOs

by Anjali Lai
with Reineke Reitsma, James L. McQuivey, Kyle Steinhouse, Theresa Pappafotopoulos,
Xiaotong Duan, and Rachel Birrell
July 12, 2016 | Updated: August 2, 2016
Table Of Contents Notes & Resources

2 Your Customers Have Changed In We used data from Forresters Global Consumer
Measurable Ways Technographics Online Benchmark Survey,
2015 and Forresters Mobile Audience Data,
Consumers Are Evolving In Five Key Ways
January to June 2015 (US).
And Becoming Empowered
8 Meet Your Empowered Customers

Related Research Documents
Understanding Customer Empowerment
The Customer Life Cycle: A Blueprint For
Guides Key CMO Decisions
Customer-Obsessed Enterprises
Introducing Forresters Empowered Customer
Leadership In The Age Of The Customer
Segmentation
Winning In The Age Of The Customer
Empowerment Is Global But Occurs At
Different Rates Around The World
Industry Verticals Also Experience Differing

Rates Of Consumer Empowerment
Recommendations
14 Empowered Customers Drive Demands For

Business Transformation
How Forrester Can Help
15 Technographics 360 Delivers A

Comprehensive View Of Consumers
16 Supplemental Material
Forrester Research, Inc., 60 Acorn Park Drive, Cambridge, MA 02140 USA

+1 617-613-6000 | Fax: +1 617-613-5000 | forrester.com
2016 Forrester Research, Inc. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. Forrester,
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distributing is a violation of copyright law. Citations@forrester.com or +1 866-367-7378
For CMOs July 12, 2016 | Updated: August 2, 2016
Your Customers Have Changed In Measurable Ways

From the mischief caused by Napster to the arrival of the iPhone and the (once improbable) reality
of wearables and self-driving cars, our world has changed and so have your customers. Business
leaders can no longer assume that consumers make rational decisions about which products to
buy and use. Todays empowered customers no longer purchase products; they buy experiences.
They engage with brands that deliver what they need, when they need it, regardless of the delivery
mechanism or channel. Building and sustaining customer relationships requires business leaders to
think bigger than they have in the past. Models of customer understanding must include more than
historical behavior, demographics, and lifestyle trends now, they must account for the empowered
customers expectations, emotional motivations, and contextual decisions.
Consumers Are Evolving In Five Key Ways And Becoming Empowered
Since the launch of Forresters Consumer Technographics surveys in 1997, we have had a front-
row seat for dramatic changes in consumer behaviors and attitudes. Expectations of speed and
personalization are upending traditional business models, resulting in a seemingly chaotic marketplace
that appears to be at the mercy of empowered customers one where winners can suddenly become
also-rans. These changes arent as random as you might think: Consumers are evolving in five
measurable ways that explain what they have done so far and predict what they will do next. The five
forces that matter most in understanding consumers evolution are (see Figure 1):
1. Willingness to experiment. We are hardwired to avoid risk and minimize loss, but the economics
of digital disruption mean that the barriers to engaging with new products and experiences are
falling fast. As a result, consumers use emerging technologies and try new experiences more
rapidly and more easily than before.1 Empowered customers have become accustomed to not only
seeing but also participating in marketplace innovations. For instance, in the year after the iPods
release in 2001, 3% of US online adults expressed an interest in buying an MP3 player; within 12
months of Apple unveiling the iPad in 2010, 14% were ready to purchase a tablet (see Figure 2).2
2. Device usage. In October 2014, the number of gadgets on Earth surpassed the number of people,
and device production continues to grow five times faster than the global population.3 Consumers
now sport personal networks of connected devices and live among a plethora of home technologies.
Between 2013 and 2015, the percentage of US online adults owning a personal computer, a
tablet, and a smartphone grew from 6% to 37%.4 Consumers now rely on and are empowered by
technology to accomplish everyday tasks: US online adults spent an average of 1 hour a day using
their mobile phone in 2013; by 2015, the daily average had grown to just over 2 hours (see Figure 3).5
3. Digital/physical integration. As devices have become ingrained in consumers daily lives, the gap
between digital and physical experiences has narrowed. Given mobile technologys high penetration
rates and increasing sophistication, empowered customers rarely think of digital experiences as separate
from their physical ones the two are becoming seamlessly integrated. For example, a growing 17% of
US online adults now use their mobile phone to get additional product information while walking through
2016 Forrester Research, Inc. Unauthorized copying or distributing is a violation of copyright law. 2
Citations@forrester.com or +1 866-367-7378
a brick-and-mortar store, while 46% want to use in-store tools to visualize a product in their home today
(see Figure 4). As the line between the physical and digital worlds blurs, mobile is morphing from an
independent channel into an essential component of the empowered customers experience.6
4. Information savviness. In 2010, scholars announced that media consumption had hit saturation
point among US youth because there simply werent enough hours in the day for children to spend
more time using media.7 But to their surprise, time spent with media continued to grow as young
people began consuming content heavily across multiple devices simultaneously. Now, with streams
of information at her fingertips, the average adult consumes five times more content than she did 30
years ago.8 However, empowered customers are not only exposed to more information than before,
they are also referencing more resources and developing greater finesse when navigating, evaluating,
and discerning the value of that information. While 21% of US online adults in 2013 frequently read
detailed peer reviews before making a purchase decision, 42% did so in 2015 (see Figure 5).
5. Self-efficacy. If todays selfie culture is any indication, consumers are fueled by an urge for attention,
a desire to be seen as unique, and a need to project the best version of themselves.9 They want to be in
control of their choices so that they can discover whats best for them. They are also hyperaware of how
others perceive and treat them from ethereal followers on Twitter to iconic brands striving to win their
loyalty.10 This tension between owning their identity and receiving meaningful acknowledgement drives
consumers to seek out personalized, enriching, and emotionally satisfying experiences. This concept
isnt new, but the way in which it appears today is: Digital services and accessible, comprehensive
information allow empowered customers to evaluate myriad options and take control of their experiences
more easily than before.11 For example, consumers who dont feel that their insurance or financial
providers put them first are increasingly inclined to take their business elsewhere (see Figure 6).
FIGURE 1 Consumers Are Evolving In Five Key Ways
Willingness to
Self-efficacy
experiment
Digital/physical Information
integration savviness
Device usage
FIGURE 2 MP3 Player And Tablet Adoption Reveals Consumers Increasing Willingness To Experiment
Intention to buy MP3 players and tablets upon product launch:
Intend to buy a tablet 14%
Intend to buy an MP3 player 2.7%
Base: 36,740 US online adults (MP3 players) and 4,717 US online adults (tablets)
Ownership of MP3 players and tablets after launch: Tablets

MP3 players
50%
25%
0%
First year Second year Fourth year
on market on market* on market
*Base: 30,998 US online adults (MP3 players) and 4,358 US online adults (tablets)

Source: Forresters Consumer Technographics 2002 North American Benchmark Study and
Forresters North American Technographics Retail Online Survey, Q2 2012 (US)
*Source: Forresters Consumer Technographics 2004 North American Benchmark Study and
Forresters North American Technographics Retail Online Survey, Q2 2012 (US)

Source: Forresters Consumer Technographics 2005 North American Benchmark Study and
Forresters North American Consumer Technographics Consumer Technology Survey, 2014
FIGURE 3 US Consumers Now Have More Devices And Spend More Time On Them
Device usage: 2013 2015*
71%72% 70%
52%
46%
32%
28% 29%
16%
12%
Laptop Smartphone Tablet Blu-ray Internet-connected

Disc player TV
Base: 61,104 US online adults

*Base: 61,222 US online adults
Source: Forresters North American Technographics Online Benchmark Survey (Part 1), 2013 and Forresters
North American Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark Survey (Part 1), 2015
Average time spent on a mobile phone daily: = 1 minute
126 minutes
58 minutes
2013 2015*
Base: US smartphone users

*Base: 2,776 US smartphone owners
Source: John Fetto, Americans spend 58 minutes a day on their smartphones, Experian Marketing Services,
May 28, 2013
*Source: Forresters Mobile Audience Data, January to June 2015 (US)
FIGURE 4 Mobile Phone Use While Shopping In Stores Shows The Integration Of The Digital And Physical Worlds
Consumers rely on their mobile phones while shopping in a physical store.

2012 2015*
9% 11% 9% 9%
21% 17% 16% 13%
To compare prices To look up To find or redeem To read customer

product information a coupon reviews of a product
Base: 3,842 US online adults with a mobile phone

*Base: 4,328 US online adults with a mobile phone
Theyre also interested in closing the digital/physical gap further.
Want to use product visualization tools

46%
to see a product in a real-life state
Want to use a shelf-mounted interactive

43%
touchscreen display
Want to receive indoor mapping on a

36%
mobile phone to find products faster
Want to tap to discover with a

29%
Bluetooth-enabled smartphone

Source: Forresters North American Technographics Retail Online Survey, Q2 2012 (US) and Forresters
North American Consumer Technographics Retail Survey, 2015
FIGURE 5 US Consumers Increasingly Research Products And Services Before Purchasing
Research a product or service by reading detailed reviews consumers have posted online:
At least daily At least weekly Less than weekly Never
2013 7% 14% 55% 25%
2015* 12% 30% 36% 22%
Research a product or service by reading a company or brands blog:

At least daily At least weekly Less than weekly Never
2013 6% 10% 41% 43%
2015* 9% 20% 29% 41%

*Base: 61,222 US online adults
(percentages may not total 100 because of rounding)
Source: Forresters North American Technographics Online Benchmark Survey (Part 1), 2013 and Forresters
North American Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark Survey (Part 1), 2015
FIGURE 6 Consumers Want Emotionally Satisfying Experiences And Are Willing To Switch Providers To Get Them
Customers who feel their insurance or financial providers do whats best for their bottom line
at the customers expense:
30% 19%
2011 2015*
Of those, customers who are likely to switch providers:
36%
30%
2011 2015*
Base: 56,488 US online adults with insurance/financial accounts

*Base: 31,311 US online adults with insurance/financial accounts
Source: Forresters North American Technographics Online Benchmark Survey, Q3 2011 (US, Canada) and
Forresters North American Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark Survey (Part 2), 2015
Meet Your Empowered Customers

The five forces of customer evolution matter today: We can see their impact in traditional industries
doubling down on innovation; the growth of the internet of things (IoT) and wearable devices; virtual
realitys promise to further erase the line between the digital and physical; data privacy debates that
spur customers to evaluate companies more carefully; and hyperpersonalized experiences that drive
higher expectations.
Understanding Customer Empowerment Guides Key CMO Decisions
As the ground shifts beneath our feet, these evolving attitudes and behaviors will continue to fuel
customer empowerment. Companies will thrive in the age of the customer by becoming customer-
obsessed but they will only achieve that obsession when CMOs understand and can anticipate the
most important customer shifts driving demand for new services and experiences. Armed with that
information, CMOs can:
Prioritize their investments in digital innovation. As empowered customers blend their digital
and physical experiences, they expect companies to serve up the right solutions, products, or
services in their moments of need, irrespective of channel, device, or touchpoint. CMOs that
understand where their most empowered customers spend time and why can prioritize the digital
innovations needed to serve this most demanding segment.
Pinpoint the customers most likely to reward innovation with new revenue. The most
empowered customers are also the most willing to adopt a new device, download a new app, or
trade data in exchange for improved experiences. By quickly trying and embracing or rejecting
a companys innovative efforts, these customers are the easiest compass by which to find new
revenue opportunities or necessary changes to the business model.
Identify which customers will forsake their brand for a better alternative. As disruptors and
competitors raise the bar on customer experiences, churn will threaten all customer retention
efforts. CMOs must track churn diligently to assess business risk, allocate budget, and refocus
efforts. The most empowered customers have the lowest tolerance for brands that fail to meet
expectations: They are less forgiving of brands that make mistakes, breach customer trust, or lose
touch with the customers lifestyle and they are not afraid to sever a brand relationship in search
of a more satisfying experience.
Introducing Forresters Empowered Customer Segmentation
Forresters Empowered Customer Segmentation quantifies the critical evolutions in behaviors and
attitudes that are fueling customer empowerment and thus propelling businesses into the age of the
customer.12 Forrester defines empowered customers as those who are open to new experiences; show
increasingly advanced device behaviors and digital expectations; can easily seek, evaluate, and share
information; and are willing to take ownership of their decisions to ensure the best possible experience.
Our data shows that customer empowerment evolves along these different dimensions at different
rates, and our framework accounts for this variation by organizing the US online adult population into
five key segments (see Figure 7 and see Figure 8):13
1. Progressive Pioneers. These consumers experiment with and rely on technology the most, have
the greatest expectations for seamless digital experiences, demonstrate the most comprehensive
information consumption skills, and have a strong, go-getter attitude.14 One-fifth of US online
adults are Progressive Pioneers. Their opportunity-seeking mindset, behavioral drive, digital
readiness, and spending power means they lead the demand for product innovation. They are
cord-cutters: Over half watch TV or video stored on devices or streamed from a desktop or laptop
at least weekly. They are heavy online shoppers: In the past three months, they spent an average
of $870 online more than any other segment. And they are quickest to learn about and embrace
emerging concepts like smart home technology: Nearly one-third control their home utilities from a
mobile or tablet.
2. Savvy Seekers. These information junkies are highly aware of company news and are the most
receptive to brand-driven and peer-generated online content. Some 17% of US online adults
are Savvy Seekers. They have particularly strong tendencies to read and share large amounts of
information but are less concerned about engaging with technology or seeking new and improved
experiences.15 Given their love of information and active participation in social conversations,
Savvy Seekers are among the first to learn about innovations and exhibit high rates of new product
engagement, second only to Progressive Pioneers.16
3. Convenience Conformers. These consumers are extremely willing to experiment, have a deep
need for technology, and hold high expectations for seamless digital experiences but they
havent yet developed the ability to parse detailed information nor are motivated by high levels
of self-efficacy.17 Around 30% of US online adults are Convenience Conformers. While they fully
embrace mainstream digital services 77% have recently bought items online they opt for
products and services that enhance convenience only after they have become widely available. For
instance, the majority continue to pay with cash and credit cards because payment alternatives
have not yet hit the tipping point. And they are relatively slow to use more complicated innovations
like smart home technology: Only 5% control their home utilities from a mobile or tablet.
4. Settled Survivors. These consumers have only a mild willingness to experiment and show
average levels of reliance on technology. They rarely expect digital experiences, leverage the
power of detailed resources, or invest effort in seeking the best personal experience.18 About
16% of US online adults fall into this category, evolving slowly along the five dimensions.
Unsurprisingly, they exhibit low levels of engagement with emerging technologies like payment
methods: More than half still pay with cash and credit cards, and a quarter prefer to pay by check.
While Settled Survivors will continue to evolve at a glacial pace, their behavioral changes will
reflect adaptation, rather than trend-setting.
5. Reserved Resisters. These US online adults have the lowest scores across all key aspects of
change: They are highly risk-averse, neither value technology nor demand digital engagement,
have the lowest interaction with information resources, and show few traces of a go-getter
attitude.19 Some 18% of the US online population fits here. Because of their mindset and
unchanging lifestyle, Reserved Resisters rarely engage in online retail, show the lowest interaction
with emerging technologies or digital services, and are least enthusiastic about product or
experience innovation.20
FIGURE 7 Introducing Forresters Empowered Customer Segmentation
Progressive Pioneers
Experiment with and rely on technology the most, have the greatest
expectation for seamless digital experiences, demonstrate the most
comprehensive information consumption skills, and have a strong
go-getter attitude. Their opportunity-seeking mindset, behavioral
drive, digital readiness, and spending power means they lead the
demand for product innovation.
Savvy Seekers
Have particularly strong tendencies to read and share large amounts
of information, but they are less concerned about engaging with
technology or seeking new and improved experiences. Given their
love of information and active participation in social conversations,
Savvy Seekers are among the first to learn about innovations and
exhibit high rates of new product engagement.
Convenience Conformers
Are extremely willing to experiment, have a deep need for technology,
and hold high expectations for seamless digital experiences but
they havent yet developed the ability to parse detailed information
nor are motivated by high levels of self-efficacy. They opt for products
and services that enhance convenience only after they have become
widely available.
Settled Survivors
Have only a mild willingness to experiment and show average levels
of reliance on technology. They rarely expect digital experiences,
leverage the power of detailed resources, or invest effort in seeking
the best personal experience. While they will continue to evolve at a
glacial pace, their behavioral changes will reflect adaptation, rather
than trend-setting.
Reserved Resisters
Are highly risk-averse, neither value technology nor demand digital
engagement, have the lowest interaction with information resources,
and show few traces of a go-getter attitude. They are least
enthusiastic about product or experience innovation.
FIGURE 8 One-Fifth Of US Online Adults Are Progressive Pioneers
Progressive Pioneers
lead the demand for product and experience innovation.
21%
Savvy Seekers
are among the first to learn about innovation and exhibit high
rates of new product engagement.
17%
Convenience Conformers
opt for products and services that enhance convenience only
after they have become widely available.
29%
Settled Survivors
evolve at a glacial pace and are motivated by adaptation, rather
than trend-setting.
16%
Reserved Resisters
are least enthusiastic about product or experience innovation.
18%
Base: US online adults (18+)

Source: Forresters North American Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark Survey (Part 1), 2015
Note: Percentages do not total 100 because of rounding.
Empowerment Is Global But Occurs At Different Rates Around The World
The forces driving customer empowerment apply across markets, and the elements we measure in
our Empowered Customer Segmentation are globally consistent. However, cultural and infrastructure
differences affect the pace of change in each country. For instance, Frances nostalgic, laissez-faire
attitude reflects a reluctance to embrace change, while a fascination with the next big thing sets
a different tone in the US: 39% of French online adults are open to trying new things, compared
with 52% of US online adults.21 And developing countries have technologically leapfrogged other
nations, leading to unique patterns of mobile adoption: 90% of metropolitan Indian online adults
use a smartphone today, compared with 77% of Swedish online adults.22 As a result, customer
empowerment varies by country.
Around six in 10 metropolitan Chinese online adults are Progressive Pioneers. Our data
reveals that 60% of Chinese online adults living in metropolitan areas are among the most
evolved: They are particularly open to new experiences, place significant emphasis on the devices
in their lives, have high expectations for digital experiences, read and share online content with a
critical eye, and take great pains to improve their personal experiences.23 As a result, companies
catering to these consumers must innovate faster. No brand is immune to their demands: Apples
first slump in iPhone sales, paired with Chinese consumers shift to alternative mobile providers, is
a case in point.24
Nearly a third of UK consumers are Convenience Conformers. Compared with China, the
UKs Progressive Pioneers are only a small group: Just 8% of UK online adults are in this most
evolved category. While they are the wealthiest consumers and biggest spenders of any segment,
they also have the highest demands and are most willing to seek alternatives when brands fail to
meet expectations. However, a moderate but valuable 30% of UK online adults are Convenience
Conformers. Although they have high digital expectations and the second-highest incomes, they
reveal a low likelihood to abandon brands that dont deliver exceptional experiences. Brands like
ING have successfully pulled this segment into their ecosystem by prioritizing digital functionality
and convenience over novel experiences.25
Industry Verticals Also Experience Differing Rates Of Consumer Empowerment
In the age of the customer, shifts in consumer behaviors and attitudes directly influence every
industry. However, just as processes and priorities vary by vertical, customer empowerment appears
at different rates across industries. Even the most knowledgeable and motivated consumers cant
embrace new experiences if they dont have any alternatives as we saw among US health insurance
customers before the Affordable Care Act injected a strong dose of mobility into the health insurance
marketplace.26 But in industries like finance, retail, or travel where consumers have options and
innovations abound, customer behaviors are likely to evolve more quickly.
Payment providers can expect Progressive Pioneers to evolve rapidly. In 2014, 22% of US
Progressive Pioneers paid for items either online or offline using Google Wallet. But following
the launch of Apple Pay, which set a new standard for secure, convenient, and user-friendly
contactless payment experiences, behaviors changed rapidly.27 By 2015, only 14% were paying
with Google Wallet and 11% had started interacting through Apple Pay.
Consumers will evolve incrementally when it comes to desktop security. In 2014, around six in
10 US online adults scanned for viruses or spyware on their desktop or laptop computers weekly.
This pattern remains consistent across all segments with the exception of Reserved Resisters; in
this case, fewer than half conduct desktop security scans. Why did we see such little change in
2015? Security software often comes installed on personal computers, and few competitors entered
the desktop security landscape giving consumers few opportunities to change their behavior.
Recommendations
Empowered Customers Drive Demands For Business Transformation

With a customer-led business strategy, changes in consumer behaviors and expectations set the
pace for innovation, and deep, contextual customer understanding dictates business priorities. CMOs
are the C-suite executives who hold the keys to the customer, and they must lead their organizations
toward customer obsession. That starts with knowing who their customers are today and how they
are likely to evolve over the long term. Organizations that dont embrace this thinking wont see the
revenue gains that come with greater customer obsession and an improved customer experience. Fail
at that long enough, and companies will fall behind by losing brand relevance, perceived value, and
market position. Over the next three to five years, we expect CMOs to not only respond to customer
empowerment but to anticipate and even drive it by designing experiences that invite customers to
accelerate their own evolution.
Prepare for more consumers to evolve into Progressive Pioneers. While the rate of
empowerment will vary widely by country and context, digital, economic, and cultural forces will
continue to drive consumer perceptions and decisions. Stalwart brands like Amazon, Apple, and
Google that extend the reach of customer experiences and deepen customer relationships through
product iterations along with future disruptors in the mold of Uber and Airbnb will set new
levels of expectation and fuel customer empowerment.
Leverage quantitative and qualitative data to deepen relationships and mitigate churn.
Forresters Empowered Customer Segmentation quantifies how urgent it is for companies to
become customer-obsessed by identifying how customers are evolving and how fast. CMOs
must pair this with qualitative insights captured through techniques like ethnography, in-depth
interviews, and social listening to detect new opportunities to serve and retain their most rapidly
changing customers.
Embed insights across the organization to spark urgency around customer obsession.
CMOs should not only measure the forces of change among their brand-specific customer base
but also identify the implications for customers overall expectations. It is critical to track how
the most evolved customers interact across all brand touchpoints, perceive matters of privacy,
and develop loyalty to particular companies because your brand is competing with not only
adjacent alternatives but also the leaders across industries. By communicating and reinforcing
such insights across the organization, CMOs will help decision-makers at every level develop a
more immediate understanding of their customers evolution the first step in orienting teams to
a customer-led approach.
How Forrester Can Help
Technographics 360 Delivers A Comprehensive View Of Consumers

Our deep dive into consumer attitudes, sentiment, and shifting behaviors and their impact on
organizations demonstrates that business professionals who want to understand patterns of behavior
and nuances in consumer activity must examine qualitative data alongside other data sources.
Forrester can draw on a variety of data sources, including its Business and Consumer Technographics
surveys, mobile and tablet behavioral data, online qualitative insights from its market research online
community, and social listening data, to understand what your customers do, how they do it, and why.
A 360-degree study of your consumers that leverages these qualitative and quantitative insights will
give you a more comprehensive analysis of individual behaviors, mindset, and motivations, which is
critical to understanding how they will evolve.28
Engage With An Analyst

Gain greater confidence in your decisions by working with Forrester thought leaders to apply our
research to your specific business and technology initiatives.
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Ask a question related to our research; a Put research into practice with in-depth
Forrester analyst will help you put it into analysis of your specific business and
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Supplemental Material
Survey Methodology
For Forresters North American Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark Survey (Part 1), 2015,
Forrester conducted an online survey fielded in March 2015 of 61,222 US individuals and 6,642
Canadian individuals ages 18 to 88. For results based on a randomly chosen sample of this size (N =
61,222 in the US and N = 6,642 in Canada), there is 95% confidence that the results have a statistical
precision of plus or minus 0.4% of what they would be if the entire population of US online adults
(defined as those online weekly or more often) had been surveyed and plus or minus 1.2% of what they
would be if the entire population of Canadian online adults had been surveyed. Forrester weighted the
data by age, gender, income, broadband adoption, and region to demographically represent the adult
US and Canadian online populations. The survey sample size, when weighted, was 61,222 in the US
and 6,638 in Canada.
For Forresters North American Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark Survey (Part 2), 2015,
Forrester conducted an online survey fielded in April 2015 of 32,188 US individuals and 3,067 Canadian
individuals ages 18 to 88. For results based on a randomly chosen sample of this size (N = 32,188 in the
US and N = 3,067 in Canada), there is 95% confidence that the results have a statistical precision of plus
or minus 0.6% of what they would be if the entire population of US online adults (defined as those online
weekly or more often) had been surveyed and plus or minus 1.8% of what they would be if the entire
population of Canadian online adults had been surveyed. Forrester weighted the data by age, gender,
income, broadband adoption, and region to demographically represent the adult US and Canadian online
populations. The survey sample size, when weighted, was 32,055 in the US and 3,051 in Canada.
For Forresters European Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark Survey, 2015, Forrester
conducted an online survey fielded in March and April 2015 of 27,000 European individuals ages 16
and older in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, and metropolitan
Russia who go online at least once per week. The data from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain,
Sweden, and the Netherlands was weighted by age, gender, online frequency, and online intensity to
demographically represent the adult online population (defined as those online weekly or more often) of
each country. The data from Poland and metropolitan Russia was weighted by age, gender, and online
frequency. For results based on a randomly chosen sample of this size (N = 27,000), there is 95%
confidence that the results have a statistical precision of plus or minus 0.6% of what they would be
if the entire population of Western European online individuals ages 16 and older had been surveyed.
This confidence interval widens to 3.1% when the data is analyzed at a country level. The overall
survey sample size, when weighted, was 27,000. When also weighted by country size, the weighted
sample size was 26,999.
For Forresters Asia Pacific Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark Survey, 2015, Forrester
conducted an online survey fielded in March and April 2015 of 9,500 individuals ages 18 and older
in Australia, metropolitan China (cities of Beijing, Chengdu, Dalian, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo,
Shanghai, Shenyang, Suzhou, Wuhan, Wuxi, and Xian), Hong Kong, metropolitan India (cities of
Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Pune), Japan,
and South Korea. All individuals surveyed go online at least once per week. The data was weighted
by age, gender, and geographical distribution to be representative of the adult online (defined as
those online weekly or more often) population within each country. The data from metropolitan China
was also weighted by income level in the cities of Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai,
Shenyang, Wuhan, and Xian. The data from metropolitan India was also weighted by socioeconomic
classification, representing groups A and B.
For Forresters North American Consumer Technographics Retail Survey, 2015, Forrester conducted
an online survey fielded in April and May 2015 of 4,559 US individuals and 2,146 Canadian individuals
ages 18 to 88. For results based on a randomly chosen sample of this size (N = 4,559 in the US and
N = 2,146 in Canada), there is 95% confidence that the results have a statistical precision of plus or
minus 1.5% of what they would be if the entire population of US adults who are online weekly or more
often had been surveyed and plus or minus 2.1% of what they would be if the entire population of
Canadian adults who are online weekly or more often had been surveyed. Forrester weighted the data
by age, gender, income, broadband adoption, and region to demographically represent the adult US
and Canadian online populations. The survey sample size, when weighted, was 4,556 in the US and
2,142 in Canada.
For Forresters North American Consumer Technographics Consumer Technology Survey, 2014, we
conducted a survey with 4,575 US individuals ages 18 to 88. For results based on a randomly chosen
sample of this size, there is 95% confidence that the results have a statistical precision of plus or minus
1.5% of what they would be if the entire population of US online adults (defined as those online weekly
or more often) had been surveyed. Forrester weighted the data by age, gender, income, broadband
adoption, and region to demographically represent the adult US online population. The survey sample
size, when weighted, was 4,556.
For Forresters North American Technographics Online Benchmark Survey (Part 1), 2013, Forrester
conducted an online survey fielded in April 2013 of 61,167 US individuals and 5,800 Canadian
individuals ages 18 to 88. For results based on a randomly chosen sample of this size (N = 61,167 in
the US and N=5,800 in Canada), there is 95% confidence that the results have a statistical precision
of plus or minus 0.4% of what they would be if the entire population of US online individuals ages 18
and older had been surveyed and plus or minus 1.3% of what they would be if the entire population
of Canadian online individuals ages 18 and older had been surveyed. Forrester weighted the data by
age, gender, income, broadband adoption, and region to demographically represent the adult US and
Canadian online populations (defined as those who go online weekly or more often). The survey sample
size, when weighted, was 61,104 in the US and 5,778 in Canada.
For Forresters North American Technographics Retail Online Survey, Q2 2012 (US), we conducted
an online survey fielded in April 2012 of 4,491 US individuals ages 18 to 88. For results based on
a randomly chosen sample of this size (N = 4,491), there is 95% confidence that the results have a
statistical precision of plus or minus 1.46% of what they would be if the entire population of US online
individuals ages 18 and older had been surveyed. Forrester weighted the data by age, gender, income,
broadband adoption, and region to demographically represent the adult US online population. The
survey sample size, when weighted, was 4,358. The data is weighted to be representative for the total
online population on the weighting targets mentioned, but this sample bias may produce results that
differ from Forresters offline benchmark survey. The sample was drawn from members of MarketTools
online panel, and respondents were motivated by receiving points that could be redeemed for a
reward. The sample provided by MarketTools is not a random sample. While individuals have been
randomly sampled from MarketTools panel for this particular survey, they have previously chosen to
take part in the MarketTools online panel.
(Note: Weighted sample sizes can be different from the actual number of respondents to account for
individuals generally underrepresented in online panels.) Please note that respondents who participate
in online surveys generally have more experience with the internet and feel more comfortable
transacting online.
The behavioral data in this report comes from Forresters Mobile Audience Data, January to June 2015
(US), our ongoing smartphone and tablet behavioral tracking panels in the US. Data is taken from 1,851
US online smartphone owners (18+) from January 2015 to June 2015. Forrester uses Research Nows
passive meter tracking technology on an ongoing basis to capture and record all smartphone behaviors
and, for a subset of the panel, tablet behaviors. The behavioral tracking panel in the US is weighted to
be representative of online smartphone owners.
Endnotes
This doesnt mean that consumers on the whole are exhibiting riskier behaviors risk tolerance continues to be a
1
defining characteristic of an individuals biology and personality but it does mean that the rate at which consumers
both engage in and abandon new experiences has skyrocketed. Forrester calls this phenomenon hyperadoption.
See the Will People Really Do That? Forrester report.
And this trend continues to grow: Shortly after the Apple Watch was launched, 33% of US online adults said they
2
would consider buying the device. Source: Forresters North American Consumer Technographics Consumer
Technology Survey, 2015. For additional data behind this concept, see the Brief: Measuring Hyperadoption Forrester
report.
Source: Zachary Davies Boren, There are officially more mobile devices than people in the world, The Independent,
3
October 7, 2014 (http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/there-are-officially-more-mobile-

devices-than-people-in-the-world-9780518.html).
Source: Forresters North American Technographics Online Benchmark Survey (Part 1), 2013 and Forresters North
4
American Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark Survey (Part 1), 2015.
Source: Monica Anderson, Smartphone, computer or tablet? 36% of Americans own all three, Pew Research Center,
November 25, 2015 (http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/25/device-ownership/).
Source: John Fetto, Americans spend 58 minutes a day on their smartphones, Experian Marketing Services, May 28,
5
2013 (http://www.experian.com/blogs/marketing-forward/2013/05/28/americans-spend-58-minutes-a-day-on-their-
smartphones/?WT.srch=PR_EMS_smartphones_052813_press).
Mobile is not a new technology in 2016, but the majority of eBusiness professionals still treat it as one. Rather than
6
leveraging mobile to do new things, they are still using mobile as a scaled-down version of the web. eBusiness
professionals must identify and attack the new revenue and service opportunities that mobile offers or risk
undermining their ability to win, serve, and retain customers in their mobile moments. See the Mobile Is Not A
Channel Forrester report.
Source: Tamar Lewin, If Your Kids Are Awake, Theyre Probably Online, The New York Times, January 20, 2010
7
(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/education/20wired.html).
Source: Richard Alleyne, Welcome to the information age 174 newspapers a day, The Telegraph, February 11, 2011
8
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/8316534/Welcome-to-the-information-age-174-newspapers-
a-day.html).
The selfie trend applies to mainstream consumers and pop icons alike. Source: James Franco, The Meanings of the
9
Selfie, The New York Times, December 26, 2013 (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/29/arts/the-meanings-of-the-

selfie.html?_r=1).
In fact, uniqueness is one of the four universal human needs. See the What People Really Need Forrester report.
10
Analysis of Forresters Customer Experience Index (CX Index) data reveals that the single strongest driver of brand
loyalty is making a customer feel valued. See the Understanding The Impact Of Emotion On Customer Experience
Forrester report.
11
Modern apps like Snapchat allow customers to convey curated images of themselves and their tastes; those brands
that successfully deliver a sense of control, uniqueness, and emotional acknowledgement Amazon, for example
set a standard that customers come to expect across industries. See the Utility And Emotion Drive Amazons Global
Appeal Forrester report.
Customers vote with their feet. For insight into how CX quality drives revenue, see the Customer Experience Drives
Revenue Growth, 2016 Forrester report.
12
To build this segmentation, we leveraged a cluster analysis methodology a sophisticated statistical technique that
creates natural groupings of individuals based on key traits.
13
All of the data for this segmentation comes from Forresters Global Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark
Survey, 2015.
14
In the US, Progressive Pioneers tend to skew younger, higher income, and male: Around 61% are male, the average
household income is $83,000, and the average age is 34.
15
In the US, around 51% of Savvy Seekers are male, and their average household income is $67,000.
16
Savvy Seekers show high levels of engagement with emerging payment methods. They are less likely to use cash,
credit cards, and checks, but are slightly more likely to use prepaid brand debit cards, such as Visa Checkout. They
show high levels of digital media consumption: 46% stream TV/videos on a desktop or laptop weekly, and 38% do so
on a mobile phone or tablet. And 14% control or monitor home utilities from a desktop at least weekly.
17
Convenience Conformers have the second-highest income of all the segments; around 46% are male; they have an
average age of 44; and the average household income is $76,000 in the US.
18
In the US, Settled Survivors skew slightly more female (about 45% are male); have an average age of 52; and have an
average income of $66,000.
19
Reserved Resisters are older, are female, and have the lowest income of all the segments: About 40% are male; the
average age is 54; and the average household income is $60,000.
20
Reserved Resisters are not the most active online shoppers: 63% recently purchased a product and paid for it online,
and they spent an average of $326 shopping online the lowest amount of all the segments. They also have the
lowest levels of engagement with emerging payment methods: Over 50% use cash and credit cards, and 25% use
checks. They show the lowest levels of digital media consumption, with just 17% streaming TV/videos on a desktop or
laptop and 8% doing so on a mobile phone or tablet. And when it comes to smart homes, just 2% control or monitor
home utilities from a desktop or laptop at least weekly.
In another example, Japans highly collectivist culture differs from Australias highly individualistic one, which results
21
in varying levels of self-efficacy: For example, 5% of Japanese online adults say they put a lot of time and energy into
their career, compared with 20% of Australian online adults. Source: Forresters Global Consumer Technographics
Online Benchmark Survey, 2015.
Source: Forresters Global Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark Survey, 2015.

22
In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell offers possible explanations for why these characteristics define the Chinese
23
culture and lifestyle today. For instance, he notes that Asian students are taught to decode information at a young age
and are instilled with a sense of accountability and responsibility. These soft values combined with Chinas history
of production and its booming economy are some of the reasons why the majority of the metropolitan population are
Progressive Pioneers. Source: Malcolm Gladwell, Rice Paddies and Math Tests, Gladwell.com, 2016 (http://gladwell.
com/outliers/rice-paddies-and-math-tests/).
Apples second-quarter earnings report on Tuesday showed how hard it can be to keep the attention of Chinas fickle
24
and increasingly hard-to-impress consumers. Source: Paul Mozur, Apple iPhone, Once a Status Symbol in China,
Loses Its Luster, The New York Times, April 27, 2016 (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/technology/apple-china-
iphone-earnings.html?hpw&rref=technology&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-
well&WT.nav=bottom-well).
ING has simplified its products, processes, and language in order to win customer loyalty. See the Why Financial
25
Services Firms Top Forresters Customer Experience Index Forrester report.
After the Act was passed, consumer behaviors and attitudes did in fact begin to evolve and make new demands of
26
health insurance providers. See the Win, Serve, And Retain Todays Health Insurance Consumers Forrester report.
For more details on the implications of Apple Pay, see the The Hits And Misses Of Apple Pay: What You Need To
27
Know Forrester report.
Forrester provides guidance on the benefits of integrating behavioral data with survey data to elicit deep insight. See
28
the Combining Survey Research And Behavioral Tracking Creates Deeper Insights Forrester report.
We work with business and technology leaders to develop
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For CMOs

The Rise Of The Empowered Customer

Why Read This Report Key Takeaways

Track Your Customers Evolution Toward

The Rise Of The Empowered Customer

Table Of Contents Notes & Resources

8 Meet Your Empowered Customers

Industry Verticals Also Experience Differing

14 Empowered Customers Drive Demands For

How Forrester Can Help

15 Technographics 360 Delivers A

Forrester Research, Inc., 60 Acorn Park Drive, Cambridge, MA 02140 USA

Your Customers Have Changed In Measurable Ways

Consumers Are Evolving In Five Key Ways And Becoming Empowered

FIGURE 1 Consumers Are Evolving In Five Key Ways

Intention to buy MP3 players and tablets upon product launch:

Intend to buy a tablet 14%

Intend to buy an MP3 player 2.7%

Ownership of MP3 players and tablets after launch: Tablets

Device usage: 2013 2015*

Laptop Smartphone Tablet Blu-ray Internet-connected

Base: 61,104 US online adults

Average time spent on a mobile phone daily: = 1 minute

Base: US smartphone users

Consumers rely on their mobile phones while shopping in a physical store.

To compare prices To look up To find or redeem To read customer

Base: 3,842 US online adults with a mobile phone

Theyre also interested in closing the digital/physical gap further.

Want to use product visualization tools

Want to use a shelf-mounted interactive

Want to receive indoor mapping on a

Want to tap to discover with a

Base: 4,556 US online adults

FIGURE 5 US Consumers Increasingly Research Products And Services Before Purchasing

2013 7% 14% 55% 25%

2015* 12% 30% 36% 22%

Research a product or service by reading a company or brands blog:

2013 6% 10% 41% 43%

2015* 9% 20% 29% 41%

Base: 61,104 US online adults

Of those, customers who are likely to switch providers:

Base: 56,488 US online adults with insurance/financial accounts

Meet Your Empowered Customers

Understanding Customer Empowerment Guides Key CMO Decisions

Introducing Forresters Empowered Customer Segmentation

FIGURE 7 Introducing Forresters Empowered Customer Segmentation

FIGURE 8 One-Fifth Of US Online Adults Are Progressive Pioneers

Base: US online adults (18+)

Empowerment Is Global But Occurs At Different Rates Around The World

Industry Verticals Also Experience Differing Rates Of Consumer Empowerment

Empowered Customers Drive Demands For Business Transformation

How Forrester Can Help

Technographics 360 Delivers A Comprehensive View Of Consumers

Engage With An Analyst

Analyst Inquiry Analyst Advisory

October 7, 2014 (http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/there-are-officially-more-mobile-

American Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark Survey (Part 1), 2015.

Selfie, The New York Times, December 26, 2013 (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/29/arts/the-meanings-of-the-

Source: Forresters Global Consumer Technographics Online Benchmark Survey, 2015.

Services Firms Top Forresters Customer Experience Index Forrester report.

Know Forrester report.

Forresters research and insights are tailored to your role and

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