COVID-19 is Driving Permanent Changes in Consumer Behavior and Face-to-Face Service Delivery

The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown are influencing changes in consumption patterns, with consumers and product/service providers shifting to the digital delivery of goods and services. Our Voice of the Customer: Macroeconomic Outlook, Consumer Spending survey shows a dramatic shift in consumption patterns when compared to previous years, with nearly four out of five respondents (79%) shifting some or most of their in-store spending online as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Survey respondents cited telehealth (24%), takeout and delivery services (23%), and streaming video services (21%) as the top three categories of products/services that they have purchased due to COVID-19 that they were not using before.

The ongoing conditions imposed by COVID-19 are leading to permanent changes in consumer behavior, influencing how organizations operate post-pandemic. Our Voice of the Connected User Landscape, Connected Customer, Loyalty and Retention survey 2020 shows that one out two respondents (50%) are digital converts – i.e., consumers that tried new digital experiences for the first time during the COVID-19 quarantine and will continue their usage. In contrast, only 19% are conservatives that have not tried new digital experiences or have tried but will not continue their usage.