Consumer Trends

The importance of trust

How trustworthy is your restaurant concept? According to "The Trust Factor" study released by About.com, trust is crucial to consumer-brand relationships and is a key driver in decision making.

  • 84% of respondents will not engage with a brand until trust has been established. Key elements of trust include expertise, fairness, relevance, awareness and relatability
  • 85% of participants trust brands that walk them through multiple paths to decisions, rather than just giving an answer
  • In a society of rapid change, 83% of respondents trust brands that offer resources every step of the way, as a consumer’s needs evolve
  • 82% of respondents reported that they use information from brands, content, ads and social media to create custom solutions for what they need
  • Based on study findings, it is recommended that to build trust, companies must treat consumers as partners, not customers

"With the high volume of information at consumers’ fingertips, not only is trust a valuable filter, it is a prerequisite for consumers to even enter the purchase funnel,” said Laura Salant, director of research at About.com.

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