Table of Contents
Building strong customer relationships is essential for businesses in every industry. But what customers are willing—or reluctant—to give can vary significantly depending on the type of business they interact with.
According to a Small Business Expo Research Desk survey of 284 small business owners, the hardest thing to earn from customers differs across industries. Some businesses struggle most for attention. Others struggle for trust. In some sectors, customer spending is the primary challenge. In others, businesses face a more balanced mix of obstacles.
The findings suggest that customer relationships are not one-size-fits-all. What businesses need from customers—and what customers are most hesitant to give—often depends on the industry they serve.
Highlights
- 31.3% say attention is the hardest thing to get from customers
- 24.3% say money is hardest to get
- 17.6% say trust is hardest to get
- Finance businesses are most likely to cite attention as their biggest challenge
- Consumer-oriented businesses are most likely to cite trust as their biggest challenge
- Construction firms are most likely to cite customer spending as their biggest challenge
Attention Emerges as the Biggest Challenge
Across all respondents, customer attention emerged as the most commonly cited challenge, with 31.3% of business owners identifying it as the hardest thing to earn.
That finding reflects the realities of today’s business environment. Consumers are exposed to a constant stream of advertisements, social media content, emails, and marketing messages every day. Simply getting noticed can be difficult.
However, the overall finding only tells part of the story.
Among businesses in banking, finance, and accounting, nearly 60% identified attention as their biggest challenge. For these firms, the issue may not be convincing customers of value—it may be breaking through a marketplace filled with traditional institutions, fintech platforms, independent advisors, and competing financial products.
Retail and eCommerce businesses reported similar challenges. Nearly half identified attention as the hardest thing to earn from customers, highlighting the importance of visibility and awareness in customer relationships.¹
For Some Businesses, Trust Matters More Than Attention
While many industries are focused on earning attention, consumer-oriented businesses stand out for a different reason.
Among respondents in consumer products, hospitality, travel, and related service industries, trust was the most frequently cited challenge.
This finding reflects a broader trend in consumer behavior. Research consistently shows that buyers increasingly rely on reviews, recommendations, and social proof before making purchasing decisions.²
For these businesses, being known is not enough. Customers also need confidence that products are reliable, services are consistent, and promises will be fulfilled.
In other words, strong customer relationships begin with credibility.
Not Every Customer Relationship Challenge Is a Marketing Problem
Construction, engineering, and environmental services firms reported a very different set of concerns.
Nearly half identified money as the hardest thing to obtain from customers.
Unlike many consumer-facing industries, where visibility and trust dominate the conversation, construction businesses often operate in environments where projects require substantial budgets, financing, and long-term commitments.
As a result, customer spending power can become a more significant challenge than attention or trust.
The finding serves as a reminder that customer relationships are shaped not only by perception and communication, but also by economic realities.
Tech Businesses Face a More Balanced Set of Challenges
Technology, SaaS, IT, and cybersecurity businesses produced one of the most balanced response profiles in the survey.
Rather than identifying a single dominant obstacle, technology firms reported challenges across trust, money, time, and attention.
This may reflect the complexity of technology purchasing decisions. Customers evaluating software, platforms, or IT services often need to assess security, reliability, implementation requirements, and long-term value before making a commitment.
As a result, technology businesses may need to earn multiple forms of customer confidence at once rather than focusing on a single relationship challenge.
Final Takeaway
While attention emerged as the most common challenge overall, the survey reveals a more nuanced picture beneath the surface.
Finance businesses struggle most for visibility. Consumer-oriented businesses struggle most for trust. Construction firms focus on customer spending. Technology businesses face a broader mix of concerns.
The findings suggest that strong customer relationships are built differently across industries. What customers are willing to give—and what businesses must work hardest to earn—depends largely on the market they serve.
Understanding those differences may be one of the most important steps in building stronger customer relationships.
Footnotes
- Nielsen. Global Trust in Advertising Study.
https://www.nielsen.com - BrightLocal. Local Consumer Review Survey.
https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/
Related: 97% of Small Business Owners Would Recommend Entrepreneurship