Slowly customers return to restaurants and points of sale, now more than ever it is key to understand trends in consumer experience, only then will we turn the brave into loyal buyers. Although many media want to present an image of restaurants crowded with insensitive consumers, the reality is that most of the week they are empty. But the daring few want a lot for their time and investment. The same happens in the offices, if the work will be face-to-face, it must be accompanied by experience and meaning.
A few weeks ago I visited for the first time in a long time a “trendy” restaurant in the Polanco area. The so-called “Taboo” is a restaurant in a privileged location with a significant investment in its facade and interiors. The food would not win any prizes, much less the high price; however, that is not the problem. The place was visited every 60 minutes by a saxophonist who played the hymn to Saint-Tropez at full volume. A server had the audacity to ask for the decibels to be lowered, to which I was invited not to return if I did not like such a scandal. The manager’s explanation — not so kind — is that this was his “concept” whether I like it or not. It is clear that I am probably not the target audience or I lost – during the pandemic – my taste for loud music. I do not blame the place and I do not seek to lose visitors but I use them as an example of disconnection between the leadership and the operation of the venue. I assure you that if the owner had attended me, a solution would have been sought, perhaps a change of table or decrease in decibels. That is, they would have tried to avoid saying “if it is not to your liking, do not come back.”
The lesson in my opinion is the lack of empathy with consumers, who fearfully – even if they do not admit it – return to the centers of consumption. The solution goes beyond taking the temperature at the entrance. The trend in consumer experience is to reduce the time and effort of consumers to interact with your brand. Many times that means that we must invest the time and effort instead.
It will also be necessary to invest in empathy to manage the expectation that consumers have of our product or service. Whether it is a restaurant or a retail we must understand what the consumer feels when visiting us. For example, a few years ago a children’s play section would have been the norm, but today parents may not feel that their little ones can be safe with other children.
Finally, it is essential to react faster. Our customer service must be expeditious, the consumer demands it. The return of product or money should work almost automatically. For this purpose, companies have implemented automated artificial intelligence systems, the results are amazing when they work. However, when they fail there is no one to talk to, that greatly affects the consumer experience.
The biggest challenge is recognizing that consumer experience conditions changed in 2021. Not just because of COVID-19, it is a rethinking of priorities on the part of shoppers. The concept of work has changed, interpersonal relationships are clearly different and take place in more intimate circles and governments have become an active part of people’s lives through mandates, restrictions and policies. Everything is new and paints a different face to what was considered a positive experience.