Post-Corona Digital Lifestyles – Are We Ready?
Change is never easy and almost all of us are hardwired to resist it. The Corona pandemic in 2020 did not take that into consideration – we all needed to adapt and change, like it or not.
Corona interrupted, accelerated, or reversed many longstanding consumer and business habits. What changed? Basically, every activity and function that could move online did, fueling a mass digital migration. COVID‑19 fast-tracked many trends that are likely to remain.
Our Work – Remote work and virtual interactions
Perhaps the most obvious impact of COVID‑19 is the dramatic increase in people working remotely. Remote work and virtual meetings are likely to continue, though less intensely than at the pandemic’s peak, with knock-on effects for real estate and business travel.
Remote work during the pandemic was supported by rapid deployment of new digital solutions, such as videoconferencing, document-sharing tools, and expansion of cloud-based computing capacity. Employers and employees who can work from home agree that remote work—at least for part of a workweek—is here to stay.
However – despite the experience of working from home for more than a year, many organizations believe that the physical presence of workers is critical at some regular frequency. The future of a company depends on the interpersonal relations among all employees and they cannot be perfect with only virtual interactions. Working from home almost impacted the sense of community and team work.
McKinsey research has also found that although virtual communication increased within employees’ immediate teams and close networks during remote work, interactions with secondary networks and employees from lower ranks have decreased.
Yes – the future will be hybrid, but the proportions of work-from-home and in-office time are far from settled. This reflection is already leading many to focus on the in-person, face-to-face “moments that matter” for collaboration, alignment, community, and so on.
The return to the workplace will create a chance for a new, more effective operating model that works for companies and people navigating a world of increasing uncertainty.
Our Lifestyle – Heavy reliance on digital transactions
Technology will remain to set the tone in both e-commerce and consumer purchase journeys – and work as a catalyst for convenience and bespoke solutions.
As predicted by ADK Insights at the beginning of 2021 – some key trends are clearly here to stay even beyond 2022 –
- Healthy living, hygiene, wellness and the ongoing importance people will place on managing and building healthy lifestyles are going to be key drivers in almost every product we buy. Sustainability and health are well reflected also in the food we buy and the ingredients we consume every day.
- AI-driven technologies are entering consumers’ everyday lives through the adoption of virtual assistance and in-home smart hardware. Humans are starting to accept that certain tasks can be performed by robots and AI, for our own welfare, convenience, and comfort. Consumers are relying on AI-driven appliances to help them with personal errands, home security and domestic cleaning chores. Moreover, there is a clear rise in demand for automated technology to complete household tasks, from in-home virtual assistant devices to smart laundry and smart kitchen.
- As the shift to online retailing has accelerated in all markets, retailers are trying to attract all the newly digital consumers by constantly improving their digital experience – which has become a major key buying trigger. An inspiring and engaging digital shopping experience will continue to play a vital role in the purchase journey.
- Consumers are becoming more loyal to brands that pay attention to the environment and social issues, rather than brands that solely focus on profits. Consumers have an emotional connection to brands that share the same values and fight for causes they care about. They are becoming more aware that their conscious purchase decisions might affect the world for better or for worse.
How can we help?
How to decide which direction is best for the future? This is where ADK Insights CX and UX methodologies can be very helpful – What do consumers value / prefer / expect / value?
ADK Insights is ready to help clients better manage these challenging times. As an agency specialized in creating new market opportunities, we are able to further advance the purchase journeys, purchase experience and user experience of consumers in order to ensure a better competitive edge.
To find out more about our dialogue with consumers worldwide, please contact Nimrod, Rob or Dam at ADK Insights.