So much has changed over the last 18 months and even now, things are still not like they used to be. The way people work, socialise, travel, and shop have all seen significant changes and everyone’s lives have been impacted in one way or another by the pandemic.
These changes not only affect people’s day-to-day life, but they have also changed the way consumers buy, what they expect from customer service, and their general shopping habits too. With this in mind, CallCare conducted a survey to find out what exactly has changed from 2020 to 2021 when it comes to consumers’ needs.
In this post, we will look at the findings from the CallCare survey and provide you with tips that will help your business meet the new needs of consumers. Americansigncompany.com used these tips and have seen a great appreciation from staff and customers.
Focus on customer service
One thing businesses can take away from all of this is the importance of customer service. With many industries such as retail and hospitality having to adapt throughout 2020, a lot of businesses managed to up their customer service game.
Many brands reached out to their customers during lockdown and tried to help and assist in any way they could. This has proven to be advantageous for those businesses and customers are more likely to stay loyal to those brands.
Businesses should still be prioritising customer service and ensuring that consumers can get in touch with them in as many ways as possible. If your business doesn’t offer customer service through a range of methods like social media, email, live chat, telephone, etc, then your business could be affected in the long run.
Customers have adapted to this new way of communication and being able to get in touch in an easier way will only attract them to a competitor if they offer a range of methods to get in touch and your business doesn’t.
Improve your online presence
A lot of businesses have already made the switch to online, but not every business is utilising this. Having a website is not enough in 2021, you need to ensure that your business has an online presence that will make your company stand out from the competition.
The CallCare survey found that 61% of shoppers will be buying products and services online rather than going in-store to make these purchases. So if you only sell your goods in-store there’s a likely chance you may be missing out on potential customers.
There are numerous strategies you could try to allow your business to flourish online, from implementing SEO, using Google shopping ads, and creating a social media presence. Utilising social media can be beneficial in growing your business plus it can help you keep in touch with existing customers and help build an audience of potential new customers.
Ensure your business is COVID-secure
Wherever your business is located, lockdown restrictions may have been lifted or they could still be in place. Either way, ensure that your business is COVID-secure to help your customers feel safe when shopping with you.
The pandemic is still ongoing and not everyone will feel as comfortable going out and shopping as they did pre-COVID, which is something to bear in mind. If your business involves customers directly then it’s important to show some consideration and keep safety measures in place.
Not only does this help protect your employees and shoppers, but it also shows that you take their health and wellbeing seriously and a business that cares about its employees and customers is always going to get high praise and recognition.
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