2020 has been a year full of unprecedented events that we will remember for years to come. However, the event that we mostly talk about is COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has left its mark everywhere it hit. To flatten the curve, the government has mandated compulsory home quarantine. Regrettably, other than severely affecting public health, it has also caused the global economy and financial markets crisis.
Many countries have implemented policies to curb the disease from spreading, see a significant impact on their economy. They face reductions in income, a rise in unemployment, and disruption in transportation, service, and manufacturing industries.
Nonetheless, life must go on as we are adapting to the new norms. Businesses are slowing picking up their pace to recover from their loss of revenue and employees. As we are moving forward to 2021, it’s time to see and learn the customer experience trends and tactics to create exceptional experiences in progressively complex situations.
From contactless service and telehealth to new demands for customer experience strategy, we will see new opportunities and face a new set of challenges in 2021.
Consumers Care More About Customer Experience
Companies that provide the best customer experience is the determining factor for consumers to decide whether to bur or support them. Post COVID-19, 59 percent of them care more about customer experience. Meanwhile, 38 percent of the respondents have the same concern as they did pre-COVID.
So, it means, in 2021, customer experience will be the deciding aspect of purchasing. You will lose your customers if you are not in tune with them because you do not care about customer experience.
Contactless and Self-Service
A survey by Capgemini Research Institute founds three key trends in our new health-and-safety conscious world:
- Touchless and voice-based interfaces
- Facial recognition technology
- Mobile-based transactions
Meanwhile, Global Oracle and Skift have published a holistic study about consumer travel expectations post-COVID. They found that 35 percent of consumers feel more comfortable staying in a hotel that provides contactless payments. This feature ranks above others; 26 percent on digital room keys and 20 percent on digital messaging services.
Telehealth
The pandemic has launched medicine into a new, virtual world. It has been around for quite some time and transitioned from “it’s-good-to-have” to a necessity. According to Modern Healthcare, the global telehealth is expected to grow to USD130.5 billion by 2025.
Research by doctor.com concurs that 60 percent of patients want to make an appointment digitally, and quality customer service is the number one factor that drives patient loyalty.
It’s About Relationships
In 2021, customers look at how emphatic you are. On the human scale, they will measure you more than ever before. As a consequence, customers assess your value proposition on how you do your business.
Hence, it makes sense for you to invest in corporate culture in 2021 if you don’t have one. But, if you already do have one, but no one is practicing, it’s time to revisit it. Also, 71 percent of clients believe companies that have demonstrated more concern and empathy this year have earned more loyalty over time, according to Salesforce research.
So, you will earn more by being compassionate with your customers. It may take time for you to see your revenue growth, but it will be worth it.
