New Yorkers don’t settle. They expect the fastest service, the toughest infrastructure, and the boldest ideas. So it’s no shock that when it comes to data security, their expectations soar.
But here’s the twist: According to a recent Commvault-commissioned survey of more than 1,000 New Yorkers, consumers hold businesses to uncompromising security standards, even as many admit they don’t follow those same practices themselves.
This isn’t just an interesting quirk. It’s a signal about the future of trust, resilience, and loyalty.
Two Standards, One City
The survey makes one thing clear: In New York, trust isn’t given – it’s earned. And it’s earned through action.
Most respondents said they would stop using, or seriously consider leaving, a company after a breach. Many already have. They reward businesses that prove they take data protection seriously, not just talk about it.
Yet, while they demand resilience from brands, their own habits tell a different story. Password reuse? Still common. Public Wi-Fi? Still tempting. Even with rising awareness and firsthand experience of cyber incidents, inconsistent behaviors persist.
Is that hypocrisy? No. It’s human nature.
People want safety, but they also want convenience, speed, and simplicity. And when those collide, personal cyber hygiene often slips.
Businesses don’t have that luxury.
Why This Gap Is a Leadership Mandate
The takeaway isn’t to judge consumers; it’s to understand them. Consumers can take steps to protect themselves (and many do), but they can’t single-handedly defend against sophisticated, AI-enabled threats. Nor should they have to.
That’s where the expectation gap becomes a leadership mandate. Cyber resilience is a shared responsibility, but businesses must lead. And leadership shows up in three ways:
- Protect before the breach: Build strong defenses, zero-trust controls, and unified resilience platforms that keep pace with evolving threats.
- Respond fast when things go wrong: Consumers judge a breach not just by its occurrence, but by how quickly and effectively you recover.
- Communicate with transparency: Silence erodes trust faster than bad news. Honesty wins.
The alignment of these elements strengthens consumer trust.
New York as a National Signal
Trends start in New York. Expectations crystallize here. Sentiment swings hard here. If New Yorkers are signaling that trust is a primary factor in brand choice, companies nationwide should pay attention. What starts in a major market rarely stays there.
Security expectations are only intensifying. And in the AI era, the cost of losing trust is steeper than ever.
Resilience Is the New Loyalty Program
For years, brands have poured billions into personalization and convenience. But today’s research suggests something different is rising to the top: Consumers stay loyal to businesses they believe will protect and recover their data, not just collect it.
Security, resilience, and trustworthiness aren’t just back-office concerns anymore. They’re front-of-brand differentiators that shape purchasing decisions, referrals, and long-term relationships.
And in a season when people are traveling, shopping, and accessing sensitive information on the go, often across unsecured networks, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
The Moment to Lead
Consumers have clear demands: People know what they expect, what they’ll tolerate, and what they won’t. And they’re watching you closely.
For businesses, the opportunity is profound: Invest in resilience today and earn loyalty tomorrow. Because when it comes to cybersecurity, consumers don’t just want to feel protected, they want to be protected.
The companies that deliver on that promise will define the next era of trust.
Vidya Shankaran is Field CTO at Commvault.
