What Will The 'Post Pandemic' Customer Experience Look Like?

What will customer service look like once the global COVID-19 pandemic is over? It’s a reasonable question. Certainly, customers will disregard the parts they don’t like – like not being able to enter physical stores during busy times – but they’re likely to want to keep the parts they like, such as more digital customer support, and hybrid customer service.

A recently released whitepaper prepared by Dash Research studied the effect of the pandemic on the customer experience (CX) and noted some of the changes the year has wrought. These changes have led to an increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, with business-to-consumer (B2C) organizations in particular deploying AI-enabled chatbots and tools to handle routine tasks, freeing up workers to address more complex issues. Automated marketing and messaging took center stage as businesses leveraged technology to maximize sales, marketing, and services efficiency, and the use of technology extended to CX functions, such as customer contact centers.

“The most impactful trends that emerged in 2021 were both interrelated and interdependent, reflecting the interconnected worlds of digital engagement, physical fulfillment, and health and safety issues,” said Dash Research principal analyst Keith Kirkpatrick. “While many of these trends began during 2020, they were often accelerated by various economic and public health conditions that arose in 2021, including labor shortages, supply chain issues, and an increased focus on digital/real-world customer journeys.”

In addition, companies made increased use of collaboration platforms and video-conferencing tools to ensure seamless business continuity, conducting sales, marketing, and other business engagements via online channels, in lieu of in-person meetings. And as the most severe impacts of the pandemic lessened in certain parts of the world, some companies initiated the use of hybrid workplaces, which saw the return of some workers to their places of business on a part-time basis, while allowing others to continue to work remotely.

Dash Research’s conclusion it that with the continued shift to omnichannel communications and customer-centricity, customers are seeking fully integrated CX platforms, and will continue to ramp up their integrated, digital customer experience going forward.

Edited by Maurice Nagle