What was previously considered to be a great customer experience may no longer be good enough, as a result of the impact of COVID-19. Almost all businesses have been thrust into changing their approach to engaging with customers.
COVID-19 has brought forth a consumer that is more thoughtful and selective in their decision making. Part of this is a result of customers seeking out businesses that demonstrate and build trust. KPMG member firms are seeing a shift towards ‘buying into companies’ rather than simply ‘buying from them’. Factors such as brand, purpose and reputation are coming into the decision-making process in equal measure to safety, security, convenience and certainty. These are all now parts of a new value equation that customers hold to account.
KPMG International has just launched Customer experience in the new reality – a special COVID-19 edition which showcases the global CX leaders from surveys conducted with over 100,000 consumers via 800,000 brand evaluations across 27 countries, regions and jurisdictions. What I found particularly striking is that many of the leading brands are focused on making a difference to customers’ lives and are driven by ethical and sustainable objectives. Around the world, we are witnessing a new era of corporate citizenship.