Consumers went digital during the COVID-19 pandemic — and most of them are not going back.
That’s one of the conclusions of new research from Provo-based experience management software company Qualtrics that reveals how consumer behavior and expectations will change post-pandemic, and why companies need to focus on designing new experiences that meet the needs of consumers today and in the future.
The study, “2021 Global Consumer Trends,” examined the perspectives of more than 17,000 global consumers across 18 countries. The study highlights how companies will need to rewrite their playbooks to deliver great online, in-person and hybrid experiences to attract and retain customers.
“Our research shows that consumers are not going back to the way things were,” said Bruce Temkin, head of the Qualtrics XM Institute, author of the study. “Consumers have adapted to a new, digital-first landscape and the experiences that they have with brands across digital channels directly impact their purchasing decisions. In order to be successful, organizations need to prepare for the future instead of trying to recreate the past.”
The pandemic forced consumers to go digital almost overnight and, according to the Qualtrics study, more than 75 percent of consumers switched to online channels to run errands and stay connected. For example, 24 percent of consumers caught up with family and friends over online video for the first time, 21 percent of consumers started ordering groceries online and 18 percent took their first online course.
According to the study, activities where consumers find a sense of belonging and community, such as attending religious services, are more likely to revert back to in-person. Consumers in 13 of 18 countries prefer in-person religious services and consumers in 11 of 18 countries prefer in-person fitness classes.
Consumers in Hong Kong, India and Thailand are most likely to accelerate their day-to-day use of technology, whereas consumers in Germany and Spain are least likely to continue adopting digital.
Customer service and corporate social responsibility are differentiators, the study found. Consumers are more discerning than ever about their purchasing choices and organizations need to do more than market the quality or price of their products and services Twenty-three percent of consumers would prefer to buy from an organization that treats them well and 16 percent would make a purchase based on corporate social responsibility.
Consumers increasingly expect great experiences across multiple platforms. Organizations need to invest in delivering quality customer service and meet customers where they are — whether that’s online, in-person or somewhere in-between, the study said. For example, to schedule a medical appointment, 38 percent of consumers prefer to do so over the phone, 36 percent through self-service methods, 18 percent in person and 8 percent through online chat.
The global democratization of digital experiences will continue, study authors concluded. Emerging economies, such as Brazil, India and Thailand, made the most significant shifts to online activities. For example, ordering meals online and digital personal banking will continue to accelerate globally. Emerging economies are even more likely than developed economies to continue pushing for online education.
Consumer expectations will continue to change as the world adjusts to a post-pandemic environment and organizations must be prepared, Qualtrics concluded. Businesses will need experience data — what consumers say they want and expect — to actively listen to their customers and design the experiences that attract and retain them.
