Data analytics company SAS has released new research into shopping experiences during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The global survey consisted of an online questionnaire of 10,000 adults across the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Greece, Saudi Arabia and South Africa conducted during 2021. Among the standout results were that 87.9% of retail customers feel that the shopping experience has improved during the pandemic.
That coincides with the movement to online and digital services as a result of social distancing, with 15% starting to use a digital service for the first time.
“The insights that can be gained from data produced by each digital interaction are the key to delivering highly personalised and rewarding customer experiences,” said Andrew Fowkes, Global Retail Practice, SAS.
“Customers are increasingly aware of this; they want the benefits of a seamless digital experience and, as a result, are becoming more willing to share their data. The onus is on retailers to leverage this data using advanced analytics and AI to always deliver the right response, which sometimes needs to be ‘in the moment’.”
Other standout results included:
- That more than half of UK customers were prepared to switch provider after one or two bad experiences
- 61.8% of responders are either more vigilant when it comes to fraud or have experienced it personally
- 17.8% of people shopped online for groceries for the first time
The research found that the move online was here to stay, with 22.3% of respondents intending to stay online permanently, and 23.4% intending to use a mixture of digital and physical.
“It’s clear that the UK’s online retail services, including those provided by supermarkets, have held up extremely well so far during the pandemic and led to clear improvements in the experience for customers. Retailers are currently facing pressures relating to supply chain problems in the run-up to the busiest time of the year, so it’s important they still manage to capitalise on the opportunity that has arisen,” said Andrew Fowkes.
One consequence of this brave new world of ways for customers to interact with companies has been a precipitous rise in expectations. According to a recent study of CX leaders, almost all believed customer expectations were at their highest ever level.
