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Number three of my consumer behaviour changes after COVID series is called “My health is my priority”. COVID-19 has not only changed the way we work and carry out our life in general but it has also made people re-think about their health and it has spread a very important message: the fragility of our life!

I would also call this behaviour a sentiment because people are contemplating what their life priorities are as they are coming to the conclusion that they cannot rely solely on their healthcare system but they should prioritise health over anything else. As businesses, we are realising that amidst this growing global health crisis, we can definitely do more for our customers and employees out there. This means that health experiences will be on-demand and also health should be considered in every experience provided by a brand. As a result, every brand will become a healthcare brand and this goes further than installing safety measures imposed by local regulations. Health consciousness will increase in the next few years and should be taken into consideration regardless of the size and sector of a company. Every company in every industry now has an impact on the health of humanity and on the health of their customers.

As we are riding this coronavirus storm many consumers struggle with fear of the unknown and the number of people suffering from anxiety is expected to be incredibly high as we come out of lockdown. Coronavirus is leaving a traumatised society according to Prosper Insights.

• 33% are anxious about contracting the coronavirus and the 18-24 year old are most anxious 36.2% followed by 65+ 33.7%
• 35% worry about running out of household cleaning products followed closely by fresh produce 34.8% and fresh meat/poultry/fish 31.5%

Cleanliness is becoming a preoccupation likely to stay along with sanitisers remaining a daily way of life. I remember reading an article by the Insider talking about the cleaning obsession of Naomi Campbell and how people were ridiculing her for it. If this was a crazy thing to do before, now it will become the “new normal”. Are masks going to stay? Maybe yes and maybe we need to provide them to customers visiting stores, restaurants, cinemas etc.

Sentinel Healthcare is a new start-up in the US that uses an app to monitor consumers health remotely. This is a company that very quickly responded to the crisis by developing a fever tracking app involving connecting a wireless monitor that sends real-time updates about individuals to the medical systems healthcare provider, GP etc. Providing this personal solution not only appeals to the consumers’ desires to have their health tracked but it also lowers the data sharing barriers that consumers and patients have been worrying for some time.

What should businesses do about it? 

Run an experience health check, not in terms of how healthy your CX is (also that) but in terms of how you can eliminate the concerns of your customers. With the new cleaning, safety and security issues you will need to start accepting the “end” of your old customer experience. You should now consider developing an experience that is frictionless, convenient, digital, omnichannel but also more than ever, safe. COVID-19 is reshaping new habits and lifestyles for everyone and you should figure out ways to win customers that now have new mindsets. If you are a retailer it is about time to offer healthier products by providing both alternatives: healthy and less healthy. If you are a restaurant or a coffee shop you will be challenged in making healthier food providing calorie consumption information for each dish and perhaps offering a whole set of healthy menus. As mentioned earlier in this article, we are not only talking about our customers’ physical health but most importantly we should consider the importance of mental health. If you are a media company you should start thinking about offering mental health programs and this is something that all social media giants should do as well, regardless of the age groups. The mental health consequences of this pandemic are only starting to show up in 2020 but what will they be in the coming years?

There might be a huge increase in suicides from people who are having and will have financial struggles during and after COVID. If you are in the financial service sector how can you help the mental health of your customers? This is not only a humanitarian crisis but also the deepest economic crisis after the Great depression. This is your time to consider what role your product and service can play in the “health economy” and build this into your brand as either a core part of it or a part of the promise. Re-thinking and re-shaping your customer experience considering the “health factor” will build and strengthen a very important CX dimension that I talked about in my previous article here and here: TRUST, the queen in Customer Experience.

We really want to give our customers a break. Have you been thinking about how your business can have a positive impact on the health of your consumers?

More consumer expectation changes in the next article. If you missed my latest customer experience webinar: “Adapting Customer Experience in times of COVID and beyond” you can watch the replay by registering your interest here.

Businesses and more specifically retailers are experiencing complete chaos in a moment of behavioural transformation where customer expectations are changing faster than businesses can react.

In the past, consumer behaviour was dictated mostly by differences in cultural and socio-economic factors. Today the markets are influenced by a number of variables and technology is one of the biggest indicators that influences how we research, buy and interact with brands and one another. To mention a very significant event correlated with the latter variable, it was in 2007 and more specifically the launch of the iPhone, when Amazon was mostly known as an online bookshop. This little box has completely revolutionised our buying behaviour.

Today, consumers are not only categorised by generation xyz but also by the way they consume goods and services. In fact, they are referred to by many as ‘savvy’ consumers which equally translates to very demanding, intolerant, impatient and empowered. By this brief description, it’s clear that who controls the balance of the power today is the consumer, and decides what, where and when.

Here are 5 consumer trends that will have the most impact on consumer spending and on businesses:

The less is more consumer

Consumers are looking for authentic products and experiences favouring simple products that are differentiated by better quality. They are reconsidering their spending habits by replacing the mass-produced and generic product preference to those that allow them to express their status and personality. With life that is becoming more overwhelmed with things to do these days, consumers are choosing simplicity over materialism, even if this would mean getting what they want from the other side of the world. Globalisation has allowed consumers to get any product they want from anywhere in the world, at any time and at a lower cost.

Consumers are choosing simplicity in everything, even when it comes to making day-to-day decisions. We tend to think that providing more choice is better but the truth is that, in this hyper-hectic life, providing too many choices is making it more challenging for consumers. In fact, according to research from design consultancy Siegel+Gale’s 2017 Global Brand Simplicity Index, brands that provide simple and fewer choices tend to increase revenue, brand advocacy and engagement. Based on the same study of 14,000 consumers 62% of consumers will pay more for a simple experience, whether is a simpler product or service or a simpler customer journey to get that desired item.

The consumer goes mindful 

The title says it all. As climate change has become the hottest topic in the past two years, consumers across the world are finding ways to make positive decisions about what to buy that can reduce the negative impact that our buying choices are having on the world.  Consumers are realising that being mindful of others, animals and the environment means having the power in their hands to minimise environmental disasters. This approach has embraced mindfulness, gaining momentum in a healthier and ethical living trend that’s shaping everyday consumers choices. The advent of social media has spread veganism in consumers’ minds, not only in their diet choices but also in their pharma, beauty and personal care products. Choosing clothes that are leather- and fur-free and plastic-free products are now becoming the norm for most consumers. In fact, according to Think With Google, there has been an eight-time rise in searches for “plant-based diets” in 2016-2017 and two times increase in curiosity around “meatless” in 2017 alone.

This on-the-rise trend is forcing brands to provide the savvy-customers with the product choices they are looking for and to satisfy the causes they believe in. As the mindful consumer is getting more preoccupied about where products are coming from, the request for responsible business missions is increasing, demanding companies to offer more transparency in today’s more competitive business environment.

The champion consumer

In an era where everything is available, consumers now consider availability the base for their research and shopping. Empowered by social media and mobile devices consumers now have the power to choose for themselves dictating when, where and how they engage with brands. Rather than being seduced by brands, pre-purchase consumers seek advice from peers and strangers online on how to get the best product for their money, switching from social media to price comparison websites, meaning that one source of information is no longer enough.

Sites such as Amazon have intensified this trend to the extent in which consumers are reluctant to buy anything without consulting product reviews online. Many consumers are now more sceptical about the ability of big brands to keep their promises ending up trusting more their peers, consumer reviews and independent experts than brand marketing. This strong product review culture is disrupting the traditional funnel-shaped customer journey which is now subject to interruptions, diversions and delays. Post-purchase consumers instead are not only influencing others on what to buy but are also wanting to get involved in product development. Businesses should start co-create using crowd-sourced ideas and engaging in conversations with active followers.

The self-sufficient customer

The rise on app usage and personalisation services has allowed consumers to create ways to research and buy things that are unique for them so that they can be more self-sufficient.
This trend of cutting out the middle person is the response to the toxic mode of consumerism that we have been exposed so far. Wearable fitness and health devices combined with advanced biometric technology are also developing this new way of looking after oneself. Consumers are now actively engaged in services that improve everyday life, which is becoming a form of self-care together with engaging to a more ethical consumerism. We have been seeing this approach especially in solutions such as nutrition, alternative health therapies and fitness which offer consumers a much-needed personalised concept. The growing high-speed internet is driving these interactive solutions and facilitating the usage, allowing them to become faster and more sophisticated in their response. These companies will be able to employ resources such as 5G technology, artificial intelligence and the internet of things to help consumers save time, money and be more self-sufficient.

The I want it now consumer

The Amazon effect has risen the bar when it comes to extraordinary customer service but also when it comes to delivering what consumers want and as fast as possible. Consumers are now looking for frictionless experiences that blend with their hectic lifestyle, allowing them to dedicate more time to their private life. The same immediate accessibility is also required in communication, information and availability of products and services. As technology has driven us to a society that is more productive, more frenetic and more demanding, consumers are looking to spend more on products and services that save them time and it will be technology itself or more specifically the rise in adoption of apps that will continue to drive this approach that blends with the self-sufficiency. This effect has spoiled consumers to the point that they now expect the same level of service and delivery from every brand out there, no matter the size.