Digitization of companies
For several years we have been talking about the digital transformation of companies and about the new opportunities that this means, such as improved communication with customers, shortness, accessibility to information and customization of products. The fact remains, however, that many companies have been unable to realize how important it is to adapt to these new changes that have been made by the digital age, or have had no need to invest in communication and digital marketing until they have been forced to choose between closing up and searching for new sales as a result of the health crisis at Covid-19. In today’s context, companies that have been investing in new technologies to market their products have decided to step up and focus on such an investment and those that have never been put into place have had to be re-invented to be able to survive on the market. Also, if prior to the pandemic it was important for businesses to adapt to new technologies to get their products to more potential customers, now with the confinement we have been living with, it has also been important to adapt work models so that employees could continue to tele- work and not stop business activity. To sum up, this health crisis that’s been experienced throughout the world and that today has resulted in a new normality with which we have to learn how to live with, has been an obligation to learn new methods of work and an increased number of new collaborative tools so that we can anticipate the current consumption trends that are emerging in this post-Covid-19 age.
New consumption trends
Overall, the situation caused by the health crisis is leading to structural changes not only in users’ consumption habits but also in businesses’ methods of work and production. That’s why the need to adapt is crucial to living with this new reality. The current trends highlight the rise of telework, and it’s a reality that Covid-19 has been the best promoter of innovation and new technologies because while telework has been in place since the 1970s in the information industry in California, it’s currently been an option to be a necessity. That decentralisation of work entails some benefits both to companies that stop taking up some operational costs and to employees that see remote work as an opportunity for family reconciliation. On the other hand, health measures such as confinement and physical alienation have put businesses with a need to re-invent themselves to survive in the market and thus an important investment in cutting-edge technologies. This process of digital transformation of businesses comes with an increased use of e-Commerce and an opportunity to get any product to customers regardless of their geographical disposition and the total availability that physical stores and businesses cannot provide because of their opening and closing hours. From a consumer’s point of view, his buying habits have also been affected by social considerations such as fear of contagion, reduced physical contact and new preferences for healthy and sustainable products. That new form of responsible consumption means an increased demand from local businesses and traditional products and this type of business needs to invest in new methods of payment with contact, real-time home delivery options and agile communication methods to make all information about products available to consumers. The post-Covid-19 age is another factor that accelerates the so-called “fourth revolution” in which factors such as closeness, confidence, and sustainability will be determinant in this transformation process. To sum up, new consumer trends and habits are changing with new needs and technological innovation is the key factor for the survival of businesses and businesses by offering an opportunity to adapt to the environment.
Oscar Calamite Marketing Department
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