Study: Digital shift is permanent

CEBU, Philippines —  Digital shift will be part of everyone’s lifestyle for good, a study revealed.

According to a study conducted by Transunion’s Economist Intelligence Unit, businesses’ shift to digital could be permanent.

“COVID-19 has dramatically accelerated digital transformation with 78 percent of Philippine executives surveyed as part of our study saying their organization has changed their digital transaction process due to the pandemic,” revealed Pia Arellano, TransUnion Philippines president and chief executive officer (CEO).

“But all of this digital progress will be wiped out if we can’t remove these barriers to building bilateral digital trust. For instance, 70 percent of Philippine executives in the study who said their company changed their digital transaction process as a result of the pandemic experienced glitches,” she added.

 In addition to the above findings, nearly 84 percent of Philippine executives and 85 percent of global executives surveyed as part of the study said they believe smooth transactions are “essential to business survival” rather than merely a competitive edge during and after the pandemic.

The report, “New Dimensions of Change: Building Trust in a Digital Consumer Landscape,” included responses from 1,610 executives in Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Hong Kong, India, the Philippines, South Africa, the U.K. and the U.S., including 115 Philippine executives.

The research uncovered how technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), national digital IDs[1] and super-apps[2] can help overcome hurdles and possibly create new challenges to building digital trust.

Overwhelmingly, respondents answered that: 1) biometrics will be the dominant payment customer authentication method; 2) improved fraud detection and security is the greatest benefit to using AI; and 3) a national digital ID system will help prevent consumer fraud.

Approximately 92 percent of Philippine and 85 percent of global executives say biometrics are likely to be used to authenticate the vast majority of payments in the next 10 years.

About 46 percent of Philippine and 43 percent of global respondents noted that improved fraud detection and security is the greatest benefit to using AI. This was the top selection by far with smoother customer experience being the second most used answer globally at 29 percent worldwide and 23 percent in the Philippines.

Furthermore, the vast majority of executives, 84 percent in the Philippines and 79 percent globally, think national digital IDs will help fraud prevention in consumer transactions.

Seven in 10 executives globally and 77 percent in the Philippines believe a national digital ID gives low-income groups access to consumer services they would have previously been excluded from.

By industry worldwide, respondents from consumer lending and telecommunications think such IDs give lower-income groups access to services they might otherwise lack. Both industries have led the way over the last decade in reaching the community of financially underserved customers, manifested in innovations like microfinance and mobile money. ThePhilippine Statistics Authority says it will begin registering Filipinos for the Philippine national digital ID, “Phil ID,” in the 4th quarter of 2020.

“Ensuring consumer trust starts with preventing fraud. Our research overwhelmingly showed that biometrics, AI and national digital IDs aren’t just a fad for consumer fraud prevention. They are key for trusted commerce for the foreseeable future,” said Arellano.

About 82 percent of Philippine and 73 percent of global executives believe consumers are comfortable sharing personal data with private companies.

Nearly 71 percent of worldwide and 79 percent of Philippine executives believe consumers are comfortable sharing personal data with governments. Brazilian, Chinese and Dominican Republican executives have vastly differing views about whether or not consumers are willing to share data with private companies versus government bodies (more than 10 percent difference in each country between sharing with governments and companies).

“Technological innovations like AI, biometrics and national digital IDs paired with proven fraud prevention methods like device intelligence can provide a more convenient and inclusive way for consumers to transact that still protects security and privacy,” Arellano concluded.