The COVID-19 hygiene hangover and its effect on CX

The behaviours that have been instilled in us during the pandemic will lead to a complete shift in how we design our retail spaces, including what technology we use

Over the last couple of years, companies have been investing heavily in bringing technology into their stores. One of those technologies was large touchscreens that gave customers a tactile way to interact with a brand’s content and products. However with the pandemic still raging, are we going to shy away from this kind of technology in public settings?

Enter gesture technology. The ability to interact with a computer without having to touch it means that this is one of several technologies that might see a resurgence.

I know what you’re thinking; but what about voice? Have you tried to use your voice assistant in a noisy environment with music in the background? No? Well, there is a reason for that. Gestures, on the other hand, can be used by customers without any of those environmental distractions.

It’s not just technology that will need to change either – the physical store will need to be designed to better deal with the COVID-19 hangover. Expect to see more automatic doors and a greater focus on reducing the contact time customers have with the physical environment. All this adds to the complexity of designing and building a physical space that customers will want to be in.

What does this mean for companies?

• A lot of the hygiene factors that have been put in place by companies may have to be made permanent.
• When designing customer experiences in-store, consider how to reduce physical touch and contact time.

Download Wunderman Thompson Commerce’s Futures 2021 Report for more trends to watch in 2021