Understanding your Customers during this Pandemic
The pandemic has not only changed our perception but also significantly altered the way we do things. The current pandemic has affected all of us in one way or the other. This psychological and physical shift from the “old” to the “new normal” will also influence your customers’ behaviour.
Here are ways you can understand the minds of your customers during this crisis:
Health, personal hygiene and physical safety are top of mind
Your customers are thinking about how these issues affect them, their families, friends, colleagues and employees. They will want a greater sense of control and security on the health of their families. Your customers will want to limit time away from home and to reduce long-distance travel as much as possible. They will continue to stockpile for a while to make sure they always have everything they need at home.
Your customers will be especially protective of young children and aged parents; which means even greater isolation for those two groups. They will prioritise at-home or close-to-home behaviours that can be done in isolation.
They are conserving cash and managing their spending more consciously
Your customers are re-allocating more of their spending towards essentials (food, healthcare, fuel), and where they can, extending towards “little luxuries” to keep their families comfortable during longer periods of isolation (e.g. upgrading their GoTV or DSTV bouquets, paying for streaming platforms, or subscribing to digital learning platforms for children). They will naturally be more price-conscious, but also favour trusted brands. Where they make non-essential purchases, it will be in ways that align with their broader purpose (e.g. personal development) or to invest in long-term goals.
They are embracing digital tools and platforms
Your customers are expanding the platforms they interact with, personalising them and finding new ways to interact. For example, Zoom’s daily active users has expanded from 10m to 200m in one quarter, and use cases for many people now include regular family gatherings and even weddings.
For years, social media has faced criticism for making young people more isolated. But in a time of general social isolation, use cases for social media and digital communication tools in general are evolving.
The great news is, this isolation is driving wider acceptance for digital tools and online services, and this could be the catalyst that e-commerce in Nigeria needs. While going virtual, your customers are gravitating towards more personalised, intimate interactions. Trust will be important as they do this. Customers will rely more heavily on referrals, recommendations and social signals as they choose new services or service providers.
Your Customers are becoming increasingly worried
They will default on credit and other obligations. There is a chance they will default on their commitments to you. For brands and service providers, this could be a time to build trust, if you can create opportunities for them to smooth their financial obligations or if you can help them feel more empowered in their decision-making.
Over time, as the COVID-19 crisis deepens, many people will feel more isolated, lose their jobs, be confronted with sickness and face relationship issues. Their anxiety levels, loneliness and depression will unfortunately rise. Children and women are at even greater risk of abuse and violence during periods of long-term stress. Many people are turning to digital apps and online tools to help manage their mental health through this crisis.
Some know that they will never go back to their old jobs and ways of working
In this forced Work from Home (WFH) experiment, many businesses will be better able to estimate the true net cost of remote work, as they assess productivity losses against potential cash savings from lower fixed costs. Companies will re-evaluate their core, permanent staffing needs in the short-term, but also beyond that. Smaller staff sizes may have a direct impact on your small business if you provide services to large corporates. Budget cuts and tendencies to under-invest in employee welfare could mean that your income (e.g. professional catering for offices) is under threat.
Many of your customers will be forced into self-employment and freelance work, and will need to repurpose their skills and experience for a digital market in a “lower touch” world. They will be looking for support, learning and guidance to do that, and will appreciate boosts to their credibility and morale as they find new purpose. They will look for skills-based training, but also for direction and leadership from influencers, mentors and coaches.
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Culled from: Medium.
