The research found that Filipino consumers have the second-highest digital patience in the region, trailing only Indonesia. On average, they are willing to wait 27.3 minutes for their issues to be resolved, compared with an APJ average of 24.4 minutes. Actual waiting times in the Philippines, however, were the longest in the region, averaging 31.9 minutes.

While Filipinos demonstrate considerable tolerance for delays, the study notes that this patience is conditional. Consumers prioritise clarity, transparency, and data security. Quick resolution remains important (41%), but more respondents emphasised the need for clear, easily understandable instructions (50%). Expectations also include secure handling of personal data (41%) and automated interactions that maintain a sense of warmth and friendliness (37%), similar to human engagement.

Moreover, levels of patience fluctuate depending on the nature of the customer service interaction. Urgent or complex matters, such as health-related issues, tend to be met with greater tolerance. In contrast, routine interactions quickly test patience when expectations are unmet. Frustration is particularly high for telecom service outages (69%), incorrect or damaged items (68%), disputed charges or unauthorised transactions (68%), and delayed or missed retail deliveries (66%).

When faced with delays, many Filipino consumers take action, with 43% seeking answers themselves, 35% switching to another channel, and 26% leaving negative reviews.

Meanwhile, Filipinos are among the most experienced users of AI-powered customer service in the region, with 81% having interacted with these tools. While some report moderate satisfaction, 42% said AI experiences tested their patience due to scripted responses (46%), generic answers (44%), or unresolved issues (41%).

The study also highlights a continued preference for human support. Many consumers start with a human agent (43%) rather than an automated system (23%), valuing a slightly longer wait for a guaranteed resolution over a faster AI interaction that might lead to misunderstandings. Nonetheless, there is growing acceptance of hybrid models, with three in four respondents expecting seamless escalation to a human agent when necessary.

“Filipino consumers are patient because they start with a deep sense of trust, but this trust is a foundation that brands must either build upon or risk breaking,” said Nicholas Kontopoulos, vice president of marketing, Asia Pacific & Japan at Twilio. 

“While brands have an initial head start, capturing long-term loyalty requires meeting Filipinos on their own terms: through clear communication, strong data safeguards, and seamless transitions. Just as important is recognizing high-stakes moments where a person-to-person connection is still expected. When a brand gets this right, they don’t just satisfy a customer. They build credibility that makes it very difficult for competitors to lure them away,” added Nicholas.

In totality, the findings suggest that Filipino consumers’ patience can serve as a signal of trust and an opportunity for brands to enhance customer experience. The study advises that effective AI interactions should focus on four elements: clarity about AI’s role, the option to reach a human agent, continuity across channels, and empathetic, conversational experiences.

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Furthermore, the study showed that the ‘Snapchat generation’ is not confined to traditional methods of communication, given the emergence of a variety of digital communication tools today.

The top five ways Snapchatters in APAC use to communicate without words are photos (78%), emojis or emoticons (75%), videos or video messages (59%), video calling (58%), and stickers (57%).

Director of Market Development for Snap SEA Anubhav Nayyar commented that they found that the Snapchat Generation is particularly unique in Asia-Pacific.

“They are identified by a strong desire for authenticity in their offline and online personas. They are also highly mindful of the social issues of today, and look towards harnessing their creativity, empathy, and digital tools at their command to impact the change they want to see in this world,” said Nayyar.

Further, the survey touched on users’ intentions toward virtual experiences. Snapchatters in the region are 1.5 times more inclined than non-Snapchatters to gravitate to immersive video and mobile games, including Augmented Reality (AR) experiences. This has manifested in how Snapchatters use AR to try on products virtually, compared to non-Snapchatters.

The biggest difference is seen in Japan, where 27% of Snapchatters use AR for product try-ons, compared to just 2% of non-Snapchatters in the country. Malaysia, on the other hand, has the smallest gap where 17% of Snapchatters and 9% of non Snapchatters are already using the technology to try products.

Snapchat surveyed more than 8,200 users across five APAC countries, such as Malaysia, Japan, and Australia as well as Indonesia, and India.

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The two came out as the top priorities for online shoppers in India, coming after good quality of products, which inevitably reigns their purchase specifications. On-time delivery is also a top priority for majority, or 32%, of consumers. Meanwhile, about the same percentage, 20%, is reflected across those who stated the following factors in their holiday purchases: products being in a single place, authenticity of products, brands that are homegrown, flexible payment options, and e-commerce that have varied brands. About 9% of consumers, on the other hand, stated ease of navigation among e-commerce as a priority. 

The study also probed into the kind of products Indian consumers are buying the most online. Food essentials came out with the highest percentage of consumer intent. Groceries and health food drinks for children led the list. Indian shoppers were also shown to depend on e-commerce when looking for household entertainment products.

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For Singaporean marketers, the merging of siloed customer data from different sources such as sales, survey information, web browsing analytics, emerged to be one of their top priorities, while Filipino marketers considered it as one of their challenges. 

Although Filipinos stated it as such, the study found that the median number of customer data sources used by them is only five in 2020, compared to Singaporeans which use a median number of 10 sources in the same year. Such count is expected to increase even more in 2021, with Filipinos expected to use a median number of six, while Singaporeans projected to increase their number of sources to 12. 

Marketers from both regions have also been shown to incorporate the use of AI in marketing efforts. For Filipinos, the increased focus on customer experience reflected on its intentions with AI, using it for improving customer segmentation, personalizing the overall customer journey, and resolving customer identity as well as for surfacing data insights. Meanwhile, Singapore marketers are almost in tandem with Filipinos, using AI for the same reasons, but with programmatic advertising and media buying as one of its intended purposes.

Finally, with success metrics, Filipino marketers are consistent in prioritizing customer satisfaction, stating it as their top measurement of effectiveness. This was followed by revenue and customer retention rates. For Singaporeans, on the other hand, marketing success meant increased revenue the most, followed by sales effectiveness, and customer retention rates as well as channel ROI. 

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