Remember all the simple, everyday interactions we took for granted a few weeks ago? Saying thank you to a helpful cashier or server. Chatting with colleagues or partners. Being coached at the gym. Holding the door for a stranger.
As the new realities of COVID-19 have set in, we’ve realized just how much those moments of human connection matter. Now that we don’t have the same social touch points in our day-to-day lives, we miss them.
We miss them a lot.
The absence of interactions reminds us that we’re not meant to go it alone. Engaging with others makes us part of a community, and that’s been true throughout human history.
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It’s no surprise that video has seen huge adoption in the past weeks. Many people have turned to video calls to fill the void. That’s helped, but it’s not enough. We need more humanity, more authenticity and more emotional connection.
For retailers, the COVID-19 situation can open the door to relating to customers in new ways. What can you do? You can offer empathy, conversation and a one-on-one connection through your digital channel.
Shifting Your Digital Focus
As more people stay at home to reduce the risk of infection, foot traffic in many brick-and-mortar stores is down. But digital retail is seeing massive growth. In March 2020, retail transaction size was 74% higher than the prior year, according to ACI Worldwide. Also, Adobe Analytics reported that buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) surged 62% year over year, and stated:
Companies need to pay extra special attention to their digital and e-Commerce experiences right now. Consumers are less forgiving during a time like this, and the companies that meet and exceed their needs will build loyalty and lifetime value.
The takeaway is clear: Digital retail is becoming a mainstay for customers, and the actions you take now will have an enduring effect on how shoppers perceive your brand.
But answering customers’ needs doesn’t mean adding more information or choices to your web site. You should know that more than 50% of people say they’ve stopped purchasing products from a web site because choosing what to buy was too hard, according to research. Also, 42% say they’ve abandoned a transaction when they’ve faced too many options.
In times of stress, we all crave simplicity and clarity. And we want answers to our questions right away. Above all else, we want to be treated like human beings with empathy and consideration.
By taking a conversational approach to customer interactions, you can meet these core needs. You can connect shoppers with brand experts for real-time, 1:1 conversations. Many of these conversations will turn into transactions — and that’s a boost for your business. Customers will feel good about having questions answered and make more confident buying decisions.
But conversation offers customers much more. It fulfills that need for human connection, those simple interactions that we’re all missing right now.
Maybe your customer can share a personal passion or a laugh. Or maybe you can extend a word of kindness and hope to brighten someone’s spirit. Those moments matter. And your customers will remember them, even after a more normal life returns.
Offering A Human Touch In Uncertain Times
Now, the first weeks of reacting to the COVID-19 crisis are beyond us. It’s time to start contemplating the next chapter in retail.
If the era of social distancing has taught us anything, it’s that we’re innately social and emotional beings. The retailers that embrace this truth will stand out in the times ahead.
Already, consumers are looking for more consideration and empathy from brands. It’s certain that this trend is going to continue.
People today are craving the sense of community that they miss — and are longing to be part of something bigger than themselves. And they’re looking for brands to act responsibly in this unprecedented era. Not every company can shift to making masks or ventilators, but every company can offer opportunities for 1:1 conversation to customers and provide an all-important human touch.
Consumers will remember companies that do good things in these hard months. They’ll reward your business now, and stick with you in the future.
The truth is, a shift in retail was underway; COVID-19 merely accelerated it. Empathy, experience, community and conversation were already taking root in retail. Digital and direct-to-consumer (DTC) were steadily gaining ground in traditional retail.
You may have thought you had time to navigate these changes. But here we are.
Rebounding from the turmoil of COVID-19 means relating to customers in new ways. You can’t rely on business-as-usual. Customers want to be treated like human beings, not numbers. It’s that simple.
Brands that can rise to the occasion will earn customer trust, loyalty and enduring goodwill. And those are the building blocks for a brighter tomorrow.
Terrence Fox is Director of Strategy at iAdvize. As a semi-professional endurance athlete I thrive in challenging environments and live to push boundaries. To say this attitude spills over into my work would be an understatement. My time as a trusted consultant for worldwide Hospitality Executives at TripAdvisor and marketing innovator for global Enterprises at HubSpot created a fascination with brand saliency and consumer perception. 2020 has tasked retail brands with differentiating through unique experiences, and I’m excited to run this race with you.
