Digitally ready organizations poised for growth as Thai consumers embrace digital experiences

• New VMware Digital Frontiers 3.0 study reveals since the pandemic last year, Thai consumers lead Southeast Asia and the the US, UK, Germany and France with 86%  identifying themselves as “digitally curious” and “digital explorers”, pushing Thai organizations to deliver cutting edge digital experiences.
• Consumers in Thailand are also the most conscious of the impact of digitalization, with 75% of Thai respondents worrying that their older relatives are not able to keep up the rapid digitalization of society.
• The top three critical digital experiences that Thai consumers value most: simple and effective applications (48%), protection of personal data (45%), and ease of use across all devices (45%).
• Increasing expectations of Southeast Asian consumers accelerating transformation of enterprises and industries, strengthening digital competitiveness of Thailand on the back of region’s progressive economy. 

Thai consumers lead the survey in the embrace of digital experiences, according to VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), a leading innovator in enterprise software. According to the VMware Digital Frontiers 3.0 Study, 86% of Thai consumers define themselves as “digitally curious” or “digital explorers” who look forward to organizations delivering more digital experiences and services. This puts them ahead of the other eight countries surveyed including those in Southeast Asia (averaging 78%), the US (59%), France (55%), Germany (57%) and the UK (64%). In Southeast Asia, Thailand leads all countries with the highest percentage of consumers identifying themselves as “digitally curious”, who expect organizations to be at the cutting edge of the digital experience. 

Thailand has reaped the rewards of technology investments made in 2020 in the wake of a rapid shift of life and business onto digital platforms, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the study, 77% of consumers reported that while 2020 has forced them to embrace new digital services and experiences, they have enjoyed this experience. This contrasts with other places surveyed: Southeast Asia (average 60%), US (40%), France (40%), Germany (33%) and UK (33%). Thai consumers are also the most conscious of the impact of digitalization on society, with 75% saying that they worry their older relatives would not be able to keep up in the new digital world. Furthermore, 73% reported that they would be willing to use more digital services to reduce their own carbon footprint, in consideration of mitigating the effects of digital transformation on the overall environment.

“Thailand has transitioned well into the next phase of its digital economy, with businesses pivoting with speed and agility in response to the heightened consumer expectations for digital products and services following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Ekpawin Sukanan, Country Manager, VMware Thailand. “As businesses in Thailand accelerate their digital pivot to unlock greater growth in the coming years, it is critical for them to harness technology to deliver secure and seamless experiences across any application, any cloud and any device to meet the growing expectations of Thai consumers.”

On the back of the new digital reality that Thai businesses now compete in, 81% of consumers stated that they have started engaging with brands that delivered superior digital experiences, citing key determinants as constant innovation, exciting digital content and ease of use. In order to capture this opportunity, organizations must enable the security, user experience and speed of the digital services they offer. This is reflected in the top three critical digital experiences that Thai consumers value most: simple and effective applications (48%), protection of personal data (45%), and ease of use across all devices (45%).

The study also found that in Thailand, certain industries fared better in terms of meeting consumer expectations in 2020, with respondents stating that Financial Services (62%), Retail (59%) and Education (38%) organizations delivered improved overall digital experiences now compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic. Financial Services and Retail organizations also lead other industries when it comes to trust, with respondents stating that Financial Services (60%) and Retail (41%) provide them with the assurance that their personal data is well protected.

The digital expectation from Thai consumers is set to continue growing, with those surveyed saying they find Financial Services (62%), Retail (58%) and Education (38%) more exciting to engage with because of the digital services they offer.

VMware innovations enable Thai organizations to drive greater digital transformation outcomes, adapt to new digital frontier, and accelerate growth and recovery

For organizations in Thailand, recovery and growth rest on leveraging innovations that enable them to adapt and accelerate in the new digital frontier. In a fast-changing business environment, digital transformation is key to unlocking greater market opportunities in Thailand’s dynamic digital economy. VMware’s portfolio of cloud and app modernization, networking, security, and digital workspace anywhere platforms form a flexible and consistent digital foundation that enables organisations to deliver powerful and personalized digital experiences to end users seamlessly and more securely.

“VMware is committed to enabling Thai businesses with the capabilities to capture new digital opportunities as we move into an accelerated digital future,” added Sukanan. “As Thailand moves fast to the future, we’ll continue to play a role as a trusted partner in helping businesses leverage cloud and app modernization to fast-track their innovations and build even more powerful and personalized experiences for their digital-first consumers.”