What will the new normal be? It is still early to know if the consumer will adopt the behaviour from before the COVID-19 crisis one more time or to interpret which changes have come to stay. Undoubtedly, the transformations that consumer behaviour and habits present will need to be reflected in shopping centres and their approach to its audience.
Today, efforts are devoted to hygiene and the creation of a clean and healthy environment. The user of shopping centres will specially value and appreciate initiatives such as distancing, zero touch technologies, scheduled visits, and so on. Customers want to return to the shopping centres safely and the vast majority of complexes have adapted admirably.
The transformations that consumer behaviour and habits present will need to be reflected in shopping centres and their approach to its audience
And as customer expectations have changed, it is important to know them and interact with them differently. With the information obtained by analysing data about customers and their visits to shopping centres, it is possible to establish a more complete marketing strategy to achieve the desired objectives. Digital transformation is key in this new way of communication, which used to be one-way and has become two-way: customers send their feedback and opinions through different applications, indicate their preferences and allow tailored strategies to be created and implemented.
Digital transformation is key in this new way of communication, which used to be one-way and has become two-way
An important factor in behavioural change is that users check the Web for product availability before going to the physical store. This can be translated into a structural change, where spaces are more modular, customisable and adaptable and providing flexible solutions that can change their uses and control the customer journey. Besides, this is a great opportunity to keep joining forces with e-commerce through digitization and offer the customers a global experience.
In a few words, COVID-19 is already accelerating a number of business strategies such as designing open centres. In the same way, different technologies are being implemented, from business organization to e-commerce and even the digitization of all processes. We need to adapt and innovate in order to create a future where all these digital tools address customers’ needs and expectations while staying on top of the industry trends.
