Shops are ready for business after lockdown, are customers ready though?
Overall, it was a very off-putting experience. A new physical shop service blueprint with digital solutions is needed if highstreet shops want to survive.
Last week, I posted an article about what can we expect in a new era of “Low-Touch Economy” (link in comment). I have spent a day shopping in central London, trying to experience the new normal first hand. Shops are clearly ready for business after lockdown, are customers though?
Here are a few new “normal” I have observed
1. Hand sanitisers are everywhere! I mean, EVERYWHERE! There are just enough to remind you we are still in the middle of a pandemic.
2. Awkward greetings
Since you are one of the few shoppers, you are greeted with a huge smile (I assume it is a smile behind the mask). However, with the 2-meter social distancing rule, there were awkward moments when you realised it too late, and out of politeness, I had to shout “Hi” back.
3. Awkward one-way system
Not that you will be fined if you don’t follow, but surely on-comers will give you a disgusted look when you in the wrong lane or direction.
4. Awkward queuing system
The queue lines were rearranged into a weird way with floor stickers, and if you don’t pay attention, you will end up in the lava.
5. Food and drinks hygiene
Of course, I went for some takeaway food and beverages. However, seeing the shop assistants preparing them without any facemasks or face shields, I wondered how hygienic it could be? How would a consumer know the handler is healthy and not infected by COVID?
Digital-to-Physical Service Blueprint (O2O — Online-to-Offline)
O2O will not only focus on how to bring digital sales back to shops but also look at how to integrate with the seamless purchasing experience online shopping offers.
Where are the bottlenecks that digitisation can smooth it out? From my observations above, there are two areas existing technologies can provide a swift solution: 1: Queuing and Paying with mobile POS; 2: Hygiene concerns with more transparent information.
Any thoughts?
