It’s official. Not only has the world gone digital and the entire planet is now officially in the midst of the technological revolution (marking the end of the industrial revolution) having gone digital, but this new way of working, operating, and functioning is here to stay.
The year 2020 taught us a fair few lessons. And while one was that the relative importance of toilet paper fluctuated with every lockdown announcement, another was to look at the world around us differently. Businesses across every industry were impacted by the pandemic. As a result, the critical need to accelerate a digital transformation long underway happened almost overnight.
Medallia reports in a recent study that:
- Online and mobile banking has increased 85%
- More than half of US primary schools started the year completely virtual
- 61% of consumers surveyed say they’ve had at least one telehealth appointment
- Even manufacturers are talking about plans for “lights out” factories that are fully automated
Lessons 2020 Taught Businesses
Listen and learn: Listen to new channels to really know your customers and what they’re expecting from you. This will help create workflows to act on this information faster. And remember, many customers will be in different channels for the first time and may have different expectations
New customers should be treated like old ones: Digital channels are a new experience for nearly everyone, even your most loyal customers. Long-time in-store customers are moving to digital purchasing because of health and safety concerns, but as a result, savvy digital shoppers are experiencing more out-of-stock or delivery delays. They’ll no doubt reach out over this so it’s vital to find opportunities to obtain their feedback
Stay connected: Phone, SMS and other instant messaging apps are key channels for keeping communication ongoing during that all-important customer journey. Obtaining a real-time dialogue empowers customers to flag issues to give businesses the chance to rectify them
More insights mean more innovation: Listening to your customers enables engagement on a deeper level. In today’s modern world, sporadic surveys and location-based interactions aren’t enough, but open-ended video feedback can provide more content and context to complex issues
Think to the future: The sheer speed of consumer expectations means what works today may not tomorrow, so your business and its digital brand must be future-proofed in this uncertain world. This should be achieved by using a scalable tech stack able to grow with your customer base
Ticking off Digital Check Points
This incredible shift online means that digital channels are now the primary way customers interact with your brand. Businesses should take time to review their websites, apps and all digital touchpoints and ask the following questions:
- Can my customers find all the information they need?
- Is my website/app easy to navigate?
- What content or experiences would better serve the customer experience?
- What aspect of my brand’s digital presence is causing customer frustration?
- Are my customers engaged and am I getting real-time feedback from them?
