Published May 07, 2020
We’ve entered an unprecedented age. People have abruptly changed their spending and consuming habits, disrupting the revenue streams of many businesses and even entire industries. We have been tracking consumer trends both globally and regionally through our ongoing research study, “GLOBAL BAROMETER: Consumer Reactions to COVID-19” to get an assessment of how consumer behavior has changed on a global level due to the COVID-19 virus.
Businesses need to understand their consumers, their sentiment and their behaviours during “normal” conditions, but it is essential during this pandemic because of how quickly perceptions and habits are changing. If you are not tracking consumer behaviour and the trends, your business is going to miss a huge opportunity at best or suffer consequences.
Pivot Quick, Pivot Smart
Businesses need to pivot in a smart, efficient manner. If they hadn’t already, traditional media and entertainment studios are engaging with streaming services. Restaurants are moving to home delivery only and in certain cases meal prep services are starting to offer grocery delivery. Opportunities abound, and with the proper insight and data, you can make smart decisions. And make them quickly.
Because during volatile periods, it is more important than ever to gauge the views of your audience. The faster the pace, the more frequently you should consider listening to your audience, testing messages (and not just once – frequently), understating behavior changes, and possibly learning which competitors they’re using.
Here are just a few examples of the different approaches we’ve taken for clients in various sectors given the information from our Barometer on consumer habits:
Knowing that consumers are spending more time (and money) at home, we’re able to help our clients determine:
How to Move Forward
Now is the time to reevaluate your research strategy. While it is not the time to extrapolate and project for all of 2020 how people will spend their time, shop for or consider new products, or consume media, there are certain projects that should be started or continued. And anything that projects normalcy now needs to be treated with caution. But the ability to stay connected to customers and take faster, more impactful decisions that make a positive difference in daily lives has never been more important.
Our team of researchers and strategists can work with you to figure out what’s working, what needs to change and where new opportunities arise. Here is what you should continue.
We can help with all of the above whether it is self-service, full service or in-between. And now is the time to act. Contact us today to see how we can help you pivot your business towards success.