Key findings
- Among the 90% of Canadians who provide feedback to companies, just a quarter say they always or often feel truly heard, while over a third feel largely neglected
- Nearly all of those who provide feedback say they are more likely to do future business with a company if they reach out personally to respond to their feedback
- Half of Canadians say they have stopped doing business with a company because they ignored or dismissed their feedback, higher among older generations
- Four in ten say that companies they purchase from always or often make incorrect assumptions about what customers want
- Most Canadians are equally worried that companies who use AI will know too much about them and that companies will think they know them better than they actually do
Among the 90% of Canadians that provide feedback to companies they purchase from, only 25% feel heard
One quarter of Canadians (24%) say they often or always provide feedback, reviews, or complaints to companies they purchase from, while only 10% say they never leave feedback. Older Canadians are more likely to provide feedback – 87% of Gen Z/Millennials and 90% of Gen X compared with 95% of Boomers/Silent Generation.
Among the 90% who provide feedback, just 25% say they always or often feel that the company truly heard their feedback. Over a third (37%) rarely or never feel heard.
Responding to feedback makes a difference to customer retention
Among those who provide feedback, 92% say they are more likely to do future business with a company if they reach out personally to respond to their feedback – 60% “much more likely” and 31% “somewhat more likely.” Only 8% say it makes no difference.
Not responding to feedback can stop customers from making future purchases
Nearly half (48%) of Canadians say they have stopped doing business with a company because they ignored or dismissed their feedback. This is particularly true for older generations – 32% of Gen Z, 42% of Millennials, 50% of Gen X, and 61% of Boomers.
Canadians believe that companies are making incorrect assumptions about customers
Four in ten Canadians (39%) say that companies they purchase from always or often make incorrect assumptions about what customers want. Another half (48%) say companies sometimes make incorrect assumptions, and just 14% say companies rarely or never make incorrect assumptions.
Canadians are concerned about how companies will use AI to make decisions
When it comes to using AI for decision-making, 7% of Canadians are most worried that companies will know too much about them, while 22% are more worried that companies will think they know them better than they actually do. Most (57%) are worried equally about both possibilities, and only 15% are not worried about either.
