30-second summary:
- In line last year’s changes, customers’ behaviors and expectations have also evolved dramatically over the past year
- 31 percent more likely to purchase online in 2021 than they were just a year prior
- Cutting through the clutter and creating meaningful experiences for valued customers will be a priority for brands
- Donna Tuths, Chief Transformation and Innovation Officer at Sutherland foresees four key trends playing out in 2021
2020 has forced brands to completely transform the way they operate in the wake of the pandemic, and it is evident that some of the changes we are experiencing will be permanent. Brand relationships that were once defined by visiting stores or face-to-face conversations with salespeople are now being reimagined as remote interactions. Mandatory physical distancing around the world, coupled with the rise of digital connectivity, has resulted in many brands transitioning from brick-and-mortar to online.
In line with this change, customers’ behaviors and expectations have also evolved dramatically over the past year. For instance, consumers were 31 percent[1] more likely to purchase online in 2021 than they were just a year prior.
While online or remote interactions are not an entirely new concept, the challenge brands face is cutting through the clutter and creating meaningful experiences for their valued customers. Here are the four key trends I foresee playing out in 2021 to make that a reality.
Customer care will shift to a business driver
Marketers are taking notice. In the battlefield of experience, remote interactions with customers have become key. With the vast majority of them now taking place in the contact center, companies have come to recognize these interactions are gold. With the omnichannel capabilities available today, marketers have terabytes of data generated every day by their interactions with their customers