Businesses need to decrease customer effort in the event that they want to improve the perception of their brand, and higher search and AI experiences may help, according to a brand new report.
The “2025 Coveo Customer Experience Relevance Report” (registration required) examined evolving digital customer experiences and located room for improvement in search results, content recommendations, AI-powered self-help and inconsistent customer experiences across channels.
The report found customer effort is a big determinant of brand name perception and loyalty. In fact, 84% of respondents felt they’d to put in a moderate amount or a variety of effort to find information or get help.
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of respondents said the high cost of this effort could lead on to them abandoning a brand’s website for competitors or Google.
This customer friction rears its head in five significant areas mentioned within the report.
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The website search experience
The report identifies search as a strategic differentiator and a primary entry point to the digital experience. When customers have a particular intent on an internet site, 43% go straight to the search bar. Businesses must put money into a strong, unified search experience that connects all customer journey touchpoints.
Location-aware search is a tool that may significantly enhance the customer experience. Marketing strategies can leverage location-aware search to drive each online and offline conversions.
The role of generative AI in customer experience
Generative AI presents opportunities and challenges for the customer experience. While tools like ChatGPT deliver positive outcomes, its success hinges on reliable data and seamless integration. The report said that generative search is evolving right into a central driver of connected experiences, helping customers find what they need, potentially before they even know it.
However, marketers must understand what the report calls the “Generative AI Paradox,” and balance novelty with relevance and coherence. A significant slice of respondents, 49%, have experienced AI hallucinations (fake answers) while using generative AI tools. Trust in generative AI outputs requires verification and transparency. Forty-two percent of respondents all the time fact-check a generated answer.
Dig deeper: Why ignoring consumers’ AI concerns is a costly mistake
Personalization in a privacy-conscious world
Personalization stays vital, but reliance on direct data sharing is decreasing, the report found. While 53% of U.S. and U.K. respondents still say they’re joyful to share data for higher deals and offers, the willingness to share data for any reason is decreasing overall.
Marketers must leverage data like on-site behavior (past searches, browsing patterns, etc.) to provide personalized and relevant recommendations without counting on explicit personal information. Customers’ ability to find what they’re in search of in only just a few clicks remains to be the factor with essentially the most significant impact on brand perception (45%).
Self-service expectations
Self-service is gaining preference, the report found, with increased expectations for online information and assistance. While access to a live human agent stays a preferred option, there may be a growing expectation for higher information and self-assistance online.
This includes seeing answers directly in search results (51%), receiving helpful content recommendations (38%) and having AI-guided assistance inside products (29%).
Many channels, one customer experience
Consistency across multiple customer service channels is critical, the report said, as customers use a median of three channels to engage with an organization.
Inconsistent communication across departments is a significant contributor to customer effort and negatively impacts brand perception. Marketing teams should ensure their efforts align with customer service strategies to ensure a seamless and consistent experience across all touchpoints.
The “Coveo Customer Experience Relevance Report 2025” surveyed two groups of 4,000 adults (age 18 or older) each across the U.S. and U.K. The first group’s responses were captured between Nov. 21, 2024 and Nov. 27, 2024, and quotas were set for gender, age and region at a rustic level. The second group consisted of adults who use a pc as a part of their work in firms with 5,000+ employees. Their responses were captured between Nov. 21, 2024 and Dec. 9, 2024.
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