how the pandemic has impacted cx

How the Pandemic Has Impacted Customer Experience (CX)

how the pandemic has impacted customer experience

The pandemic has impacted customer experience in countless ways. Many everyday experiences that used to be physical have become partially—or completely—digital.

COVID-19 has created a new normal of social distancing, remote working and separation from friends and family. This new way of living has been challenging to all of us but in different ways.

Nearly every business is sitting on a growing problem: how to keep people engaged in a world where relationships aren’t built with physical interactions. Companies operating from a place of empathy for their customers created exceptional digital experiences during the pandemic that will no doubt continue to provide value in a post-pandemic world.

How the Pandemic Has Impacted Customer Experience

The pandemic has reminded us that we are all humans and our lives depend on our daily interactions with one another. The immediate effect of the lockdown restrictions on businesses means that:

  • Companies have fewer opportunities to interact with their customers.
  • The human connection deficit is taking a toll on customers’ happiness, health and well-being.
  • Trust between customers and service providers is on a rapid decline.

how the pandemic has impacted customer experience

How has all these impacted customer experience?

1. Feedback has gone remote, and there’s no going back

Before the pandemic, most companies relied on a mix of both in-person and remote methods to gather customer feedback and conduct research.

Naturally, in the wake of the pandemic, most feedback and research have since been gathered remotely. However, according to a recent study, this change may be here to stay. Many CX teams expect remote methods to not only remain but overtake in-person methods even when meeting face-to-face is safe again.

This is a great thing for customer-centric teams, who have learned that empathy can be achieved remotely, and taking a remote-first approach to customer and user feedback is a powerful strategy that promotes a customer-centric culture.

2. The time for digital transformation is now

The pandemic has accelerated most companies’ digital transformation efforts. In 2019, only 56 percent of businesses noted they were either in progress or had completed their digital transformation, compared to a whopping 71 percent in 2020.

The pandemic served as a powerful incentive for CX teams to dedicate more time and resources to digital transformation in an effort to improve the customer experience. Digital transformation initiatives that were on the roadmap years into the future were suddenly thrown into the spotlight as teams pivoted to find ways to connect with their customers through more digital channels.

3. Companies are doubling down on customer experience (CX)

One side effect of the pandemic is that it stripped CX teams of the luxury of analysis paralysis. As companies shifted their priorities to meet the needs of customers in a completely new environment, anything that didn’t directly impact CX or the bottom line instantly became a lower priority.

This helped teams to cut through the noise and step up their CX game. Although many customer experiences have changed, consumer expectations remain at an all-time high. It’s for this reason that 72 percent of companies plan to increase the frequency of their customer feedback and research to meet changing customer needs in 2021, and beyond.

4. Customer experience teams need to get resourceful

Nearly 70 percent of companies report that either their spending or workforce was reduced as a result of the pandemic. Adding to this challenge, over half (53 percent) noted that their workload had increased since the start of the pandemic. Today’s CX teams have to do more with less.

Leading CX teams are working harder than ever to meet their customers where they’re at. Lack of time and resources, or increased demand and workload can’t get in the way of creating an amazing customer experience. Now more than ever, CX teams must work smarter and more efficiently to stay competitive and continue to exceed customer expectations.

The pandemic has accelerated changes within the industries that were already underway, pushing customer-centric cultures and strategies into the forefront, no longer as options, but as a necessary means of survival for every company.

Credit: Janelle Estes, Chief Insights Officer at UserTesting (eWeek)

CONSUMER RIGHTS LAWS IN NIGERIA (2)

consumer rights laws

A consumer is any person who purchases or offers to purchase goods, products and commodities for consumption. This includes a person to whom services are rendered. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (“FCCP Act” which was enacted recently has copious provisions on a consumer’s right. Consumer rights laws in Nigeria are there for customers to file complaints and seek redress whenever their rights are violated.

  1. Right to reject goods before completing the transaction:

    A consumer has the right to reject goods displayed in open stock before the completion of the transaction.

  2. Right to goods corresponding with samples and descriptions:

    Where a consumer cannot examine goods offered by a supplier and the consumer relies on the samples and description offered by the Supplier. Upon delivery of the goods, they must correspond in all material aspects with the sample and description offered by the supplier. This is especially relevant to e-commerce and internet marketing, goods displayed by vendors must correspond with the goods supplied to the consumer.

  3. Right to reject goods:

    A consumer has the right to reject goods in the following instances:-

    1. Where the goods are intended to satisfy a particular purpose which is communicated to the supplier and upon delivery, the goods are not fit for that purpose.
    2. Where the consumer did not have the opportunity to examine the goods before purchase, for example, e-commerce and upon delivery, the goods do not match the sample and/or description or do not meet the quality and type envisaged in the sales agreement.
    3. and, where the goods are defective and unsafe.

    When a consumer returns goods in any of these circumstances the consumer is entitled to a full refund of money paid for the goods.

  4. Misleading, false, fraudulent and deceptive information:

    No producer, importer, distributor, retailer or service provider shall in pursuance of trade or to market goods or services to a consumer make any representation that is misleading, erroneous, fraudulent and deceptive. Such a person shall also not use physical force, coercion, undue influence, pressure, harassment etc. to get a consumer to enter into a transaction for goods and services with him or take undue advantage of consumers with physical, mental or educational disabilities. Any undertaking that violates these rights of a consumer will be liable to the consumer for damages and restitution.

  5. Right against unfair prices and terms:

    An undertaking shall not supply, offer to supply, market, or negotiate goods and services to consumers in a manner and/or for unfair, unreasonable, and unjust prices. The undertaking shall also not require waiving the consumer’s rights or the consumer assuming the liability of the undertaking or assuming any obligation in a manner that is unfair or unjust.

  6. Notices detrimental to consumers:

    Any notice which seeks to limit in any way the risk or liabilities of a supplier of goods or services, constitute an assumption of risk by the consumer, impose an obligation on the consumer to indemnify the supplier or is an acknowledgement of fact by the consumer must be brought to the attention of the consumer in a conspicuous manner and form that a reasonable man won’t miss such a notice and the consumer must be given adequate opportunity to receive and comprehend the notice.

  7. Right to quality service:

    A consumer who enters into any transaction for the performance of services has a right to timely performance, quality performance and completion of the service. The consumer also has a right to the use, delivery or installation of goods that are free from defects. If there will be any delay in the performance of the service then the consumer must be given timely notice. Otherwise, the consumer will be entitled to have the defects remedied. Including a refund of a reasonable portion of the price paid for the service based on the extent of the failure.

  8. Right to safe and quality goods:

    Every consumer has the right to receive goods suitable for the purpose they are generally intended. If the consumer has a specific purpose and has informed the supplier, they must be suitable for that purpose. The goods must be of good quality, and be free from defects. The goods must also be useable and durable for a reasonable period of time. Furthermore, it must comply with any applicable standards set by industry sector regulators. There is an implied warranty that all goods and services must comply with these requirements.

Enforcements of Consumer Rights

A consumer whose rights have been violated by any person can either refer the matter to the undertaking for redress. Or, file a complaint in the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (“the Commission“). The Consumer also has the option of seeking redress in a court of competent jurisdiction. The Commission has the power to investigate complaints and issuing appropriate orders. The Commission can register its orders in the Court as consent orders of the Court.

Credit: Faith Saiki, mondaq

CONSUMER RIGHT LAWS IN NIGERIA

consumer right

A consumer is any person who purchases or offers to purchase goods, products and commodities for consumption. This includes a person to whom services are rendered. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (“FCCP Act” which was enacted recently has copious provisions on the right of a consumer.

Rights of a Consumer

1.      Right to be given information in plain and understandable language:

  1. A consumer is entitled to be given information in plain and understandable language where such is required to be given by an undertaking (“this includes a seller, supplier, distributor, importer and a manufacturer”). The test of whether the information is in plain and understandable language is the reasonable man’s test of the standard of persons to whom the information is disseminated.

2.      Right of disclosure of prices of goods and services:

  1. The prices of all goods and services must be displayed clearly so a consumer can take notice of it. An undertaking must also not require a consumer to pay a price higher than that displayed for the good or service.

3.      Right to adequate trade description and to have products labelled:

  1. A trade description is any description, statement or indication as to the number, quantity, and quality i.e. of goods. An undertaking is mandated to ensure that trade descriptions are applied to goods either directly, nearby or by any commercial communication and that they are labelled appropriately for the benefit of a consumer. Furthermore, an undertaking shall not supply a trade description that is misleading or likely to mislead a consumer or which is false.

4.      Right to disclosure of second-hand or reconditioned good:

  1. Any person who offers to sell goods that are second hand or have been reconditioned, rebuilt or remade must clearly notify the consumer of the nature of the goods.

5.      Right to be given adequate information of every transaction:

  1. A consumer must be provided with a written record of every transaction by the undertaking. This record should contain the business details of the undertaking, the full details of the transaction, tax payable etc.

6.      Right not be given a condition before making a purchase:

  1. A consumer must not be given a condition to fulfil first before entering into any transaction with the undertaking or a third party for the supply of goods and services.

7.      Right to cancel an advance reservation, booking or order:

  1. The consumer reserves the right to cancel reservations, bookings or orders for goods and services. The supplier or service provider may require the consumer to pay a fee upon cancellation. But, such a fee must be fair and not excessive, considering the transaction.

Enforcements of Consumer Rights

A consumer whose rights have been violated by any person can either refer the matter to the undertaking for redress or file a complaint in the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (“the Commission“). The Consumer also has the option of seeking redress in a court of competent jurisdiction. The Commission has the power to investigate complaints and issuing appropriate orders. The Commission can register its orders in the Court as consent orders of the Court

To be continued…

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