93% of Indians prefer brands with a sense of humour: Deepa Param Singhal

Oracle has commissioned a new research report, ‘The Happiness Report’, in association with Gretchen Rubin, five-time New York Times bestselling author and podcaster and includes insights from more than 12,000 consumers and business leaders across 14 countries, including 1,012 from India. The study defines that over the past two years, stress, fear, and anxiety have been at the forefront of people’s minds, but we’re also seeking happiness and want to laugh.

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The Survey clearly demonstrates how consumer behaviour has changed since the pandemic. The pandemic-induced restrictions and lack of human connections have prompted consumers to reconsider the meaning of true happiness. Consumer behaviour has certainly changed, and they expect brands to respond to these changing needs for them to engage with them in the future. The survey emphasises that an overwhelming 96% of Indians are looking for new experiences to make them smile and 80% would choose a brand that uses humour over the competition.

In a free-wheeling chat with Adgully, Deepa Param Singhal, Vice President, Applications, Oracle India, speaks in depth about the findings of ‘The Happiness Report’, how consumer perceptions of happiness is changing, why business leaders in India are hesitant to use humour in customer interactions, and more.

What is the objective behind this research which is addressing the ‘Happiness’ quotient? What are the key highlights in context of the India market?

Oracle collaborates with organisations all over the world to create positive customer experiences. However, events around the world have dramatically changed the way consumers think, feel, and act in the last two years. The customer experience has evolved, but it all boils down to one thing – making the customer happy. We conducted a global study of more than 12,000 consumers and business leaders to investigate what it means to be happy and the role of humour in advertising, marketing, sales, and service. The research helps us better understand changing consumer needs, particularly in the last two years, so that we can assist our customers in providing the best possible experience for their customers.

One of the survey’s key findings is that consumer perceptions of happiness are changing. 96% of Indian respondents are looking for new experiences that will make them smile and laugh. In this context, 93% of Indians prefer brands with a sense of humour. The survey further finds that while consumers are looking at humour, yet Indian business leaders are a little reluctant to use it, with 83% of business leaders in India fearing to use humour in customer interactions. The study also emphasises the role of technology in assisting business leaders in identifying and implementing the best approach for incorporating humour into their interactions. According to the findings, 94% of business leaders in India do not have the data insights or tools to successfully deliver humour. Business leaders would be more confident using humour when engaging with customers if they had better customer visibility (61%) and access to advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (57%).

What kind of methodology was adopted and what was the profile of the audience with regard to the India market? How often do you plan to conduct this research and when was the last that such kind of research was conducted?

Research findings are based on a survey conducted by Savanta, Inc. across the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, China, Singapore, India, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, and Columbia between January 3 and 27, 2022. For this report commissioned by Oracle in partnership with Gretchen Rubin, five-time New York Times bestselling author and podcaster, we surveyed 12,183 consumers, including 3,125 business leaders across marketing, sales, and customer service, who were asked general questions about the impact of the pandemic on happiness and openness to seeing an emotion like humour inserted into advertising, marketing, sales, and customer service activities as part of the overall customer experience. The study targeted consumers and full-time business leaders who are 21 years of age or older.

With regards to the Indian audience, The Happiness Report includes insights from 1,012 respondents from India. We conducted this research for the first time, and we intend to conduct this annually to study changing consumer behaviour, marketing dynamics, and the evolving role of technology in supporting customer satisfaction.

Today, technology and data are great enablers, provided you can leverage them smartly. In your research, where did technology figure and how important is technology in today’s digital world for successful customer engagement?

In the face of changing customer dynamics, technology and data can be a huge enabler by providing retailers with the necessary statistics and means. These can provide retailers with improved consumer visibility as well as platforms for engaging customers more deeply on a personal level. The Oracle Happiness report also revealed some interesting facts about the use of technology to enhance customer experiences. The poll highlighted that in India, 83% would prefer to engage with a chatbot/ digital assistant that is funny, while customers are keen on engaging with automated bots backed by sophisticated technologies. The survey also revealed that there is slight reluctance on business leaders’ end regarding using bots. It highlighted that only 9% of Indian business leaders said their brands actively incorporate humour into bot communications.

Additionally, the survey also emphasised the need for smart technologies that provide data-led insights. In India, 94% business leaders state that they do not have the data insights or tools to successfully deliver humour. Business leaders would be more confident using humour when engaging with customers if they had better customer visibility (61%) and access to advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (57%). Hence, from the findings, we can summarise technology continues to be a key ask on the consumer and marketer fronts as a source of happiness.

Happiness and Smile are the two key words that stood high in your research findings. According to you how brands should capitalise to build in their strategy to have a strong customer engagement program on an ongoing basis?

Our survey revealed that customers are looking for brands that engage with them on a more personal level and give them a sense of joy and happiness. The poll found that in India, 64% of people don’t believe they have a relationship with a brand unless it makes them smile or laugh and 56% would walk away from a brand if it didn’t make them laugh or smile regularly.

To capitalise on these shifting dynamics, brands must devise marketing strategies that meet the needs of customers through a more personalized approach. Brands should indeed understand their customers’ preferences, and one method is to map their behaviour. A strong customer engagement program requires two critical components: a data-driven approach and a dynamic approach that adapts to changing customer needs. Smart technology is the enabler that allows business leaders to make data-driven decisions in both cases.

Has the research thrown up any findings in terms of learnings post the pandemic for brands and is there any shift or change in the consumer behaviour?

The Survey clearly demonstrates how consumer behaviour has changed since the pandemic. The pandemic-induced restrictions and lack of human connections have prompted consumers to reconsider the meaning of true happiness. As revealed by the poll, in India, 47% of respondents said they have not felt true happiness for more than two years. Furthermore, 96% of Indian respondents are looking for new experiences to make them smile and laugh. These shifting aspirations have also influenced consumer expectations of brands. As highlighted by the 92% of respondents from India believe brands can do more to deliver happiness to their customers. Consumer behaviour has certainly changed, and they expect brands to respond to these changing needs for them to engage with them in the future. The survey emphasises that an overwhelming 96% of Indians are looking for new experiences to make them smile and 80% would choose a brand that uses humour over the competition.