The Covid-19 pandemic created temporary a setback in not just our personal lives, but for businesses and establishments as well. In times of a crisis, the needs and wants of consumers changes drastically, and companies need to keep up and adapt to meet these new needs with empathy. Keeping a real-time pulse on changing customer preferences and rapidly innovating to redesign the digital customer journey is vital. And while brands and businesses have successfully adapted to the new normal, what does future hold? With 2021 almost upon us, brands will need to reassess their strategies in the new post-Covid world.
Let’s take a closer look at some vital touch-point companies and businesses need to address to upgrade their digital customer experience and prepare for the future.
Humanise digital operations
When the pandemic had first set in, the world was in a complete lockdown, and human interaction was at an all-time low. While brands were focused on transitioning from human interactions to digital or automated ones for increased efficiency, they forgot that in a time of heightened sensitivity, customers craved a personal touch.
The first set of emails and campaigns following the pandemic referenced the same generic template.
Companies then realised that their audience craved a more authentic and human approach. Brands immediately revamped their digital customer experience to include interactions with staff rather than a chatbot, personalised emails, video calls instead of an automated answering machine.
Brands will need to continue this treatment going into the post-covid world – demonstrating to their customers that providing service and comfort are ahead of making profits.
Continue to accelerate digital commerce
Most consumers have entirely shifted to digital transactions, and this will no doubt continue. To elevate the digital customer experience, brands will need to revisit their digital commerce strategies and enable transactions that fit into current customer behaviour.
You can earn the trust and loyalty and increase conversions when you provide realistic timelines for delivery and real-time inventory availability. In some countries where the pandemic is close to eradicated, companies have begun a buy-online-pick-up-at-store model. Here, it is imperative to create a frontend experience that is simple to navigate, particularly while optimising for mobile users.
You can also learn how to set up your first online store with Instamojo here.
Make physical operations touch-free
If this is not part of your digital customer experience, it needs to be implemented immediately. World over, leading retailers have shifted to eCommerce with the option of delivery or safe pickup. Delivery companies began touch-free packaging and shipping, along with call or text notifications to avoid physical contact. Physical stores now offer the option to pay via top digital wallets or online transactions.
However, what will be carried forward into the post-Covid world will be an end-to-end contactless journey but with thoughtful human touches.
Food delivery company, Zomato, for instance, includes the name of their delivery executive, as well as their compliance with WHO safety standards, when you place an order. This includes the last time the delivery executive sanitised their hands, if they are wearing a mask and their body temperature.
By emphasising ease of access and demonstrating an active effort towards customer and employee safety, brands can improve customer satisfaction and thus, their digital customer experience.
You can also check out our blog on 4-Step Digital Marketing for your Food Business here.
Unify customer data
Brands will need to shift further away from one-size-fits-all experiences via a shared cloud-based view of their customers. Gather insights from your customer data platforms to better segment them. This gives you the chance to improve your content and personalisation towards specific groups. By identify different groups, brands will also learn which ones are the least and most profitable, and shift their focus accordingly. Ensure this data is shared with your R&D team to improve products and services, better meet expectations and increase satisfaction overall.
You can read more on creating a target audience profile here.
Optimise omnichannel approach
No matter how your audiences engage with your brand, their content and communication must stay consistent. Personalised experiences are the way forward and must flow seamlessly across all channels. Brand can make use of social listening tools and AI to understand consumer sentiment and finetune their messaging in real-time.
To ensure your brand’s digital customer experience is prepared for the post-Covid, reiterate that your care teams and digital marketing work in synergy. Rapid learning, immediate implementation and constant re-iterations and testing will markedly enhance the overall digital customer experience.
While companies and brands have managed to sail through these trying times, the road ahead is not devoid of obstacles. Rather than focussing on educating and selling, brands need to continue listening, sympathising and quickly adapting to new customer expectations in the post-Covid world.
If you lack the resources to maintain these connections with your current or potential consumers, reach out to us at Bunjy Digital. We offer 360° integrated marketing solutions to address your needs and enrich your digital customer experience.
Reach out to us today!