5 ways to redefine consumer’s digital journey in a new era

With Covid-19 creating a ripple effect across the socio-economic fabric of the country, normal patterns of life have been disrupted. And one of the key effects has been felt in the retail journey of a consumer. Be it trips to local supermarkets, smartphone stores, automotive dealerships, or dining experiences, many of these journeys have migrated to digital mediums. In fact, a recently conducted research by Kantar has highlighted that India’s monthly active internet user base is estimated to reach 639 million by the end of 2020, owing to social distancing and lockdown.

As a new normal emerged, consumers, even the digitally resistant ones, took to e-retail platforms and apps to meet their needs. At the same time, brands focused on concentrating resources online, through new features, offers and technology-led innovations. Interestingly, smartphones are one of the most searched and most bought product categories in India. A Flipkart report in May revealed that smartphones topped the list as the most sought-after product consumers searched for. Considering that consumers will tend to accumulate online for the foreseeable future and restrict visits to brick and mortar stores, it is imperative to create memorable and engaging digital journeys to amplify your CX quotient. All the while ensuring that their mobile phone of choice reaches their doorstep safely.

Personalize products as per new digital demographic – It’s not just brands who have migrated online, but a large cross-section of the society as well. From children, students and millennials to digital immigrants who had been hitherto used to traditional experience-and-purchase formats. To cater to this new population online, brands need to curate their products, differentiate pricing and engage with them as per their profiles. With the help of massive social listening and sharply carved out messaging, brands can create personalized journeys and touch-points for consumers.

Nurture brand passion through online communities – While brand communities have been around for a long time, thanks to the massive growth of social media platforms, they have assumed new significance in the era of social distancing. Imagine being able to access active hyper-local communities that can give you accurate, fair guidance and advise on your desired purchase, even guiding you step by step through any problems in real-time. Moderated by designated brand custodians, consumers can access a treasure trove of information, all under one roof!

Elevating purchase journey with digital catalogues – Making an aspirational purchase is always an experience to remember, especially for Indians. While huddling over the phone with your friends and indulging in an active discussion is not feasible, it can still be emulated digitally. Brands will work on creating extensive and interactive digital catalogues with seamless user experience on mobile and web platforms, so consumers can search from the comfort of their homes.

Adding new flavour to virtual launches – Many consumer-facing brands have, quite naturally, taken to virtual launches considering the obvious risk exposure associated to traditional on-ground launches. While this will continue for quite some time, the format leaves one open to many exciting innovations to entice consumers. For instance, companies can explore live-streaming shopping options for a select duration during the launch simultaneously, to fan excitement and give early bird offers to avid fans. 

A paradigm shift in virtualized sales and service – To offset channel dependence and ensure hassle-free continuity in customer servicing, even during disruptive times, brands will concentrate efforts and resources online to bolster sales and services. As a result, we will see increased investment in AI/ML-based chatbots to handle consumer queries and resolve them without escalation. There will also be a rise of DIY, self-service culture with online repositories of How-To guides from brands to guide consumers through difficult phases.

In summation, with contactless shopping and delivery becoming the norm, brands will need to curate specialized and memorable end to end digital journeys to attract lasting loyalty. And as this trend proliferates more, we will see much more new innovations coming into fruition in future.