2021: The Year of The Customer

Canada has witnessed its fair share of business-oriented hardships throughout 2020 and into 2021 and the impact on grocery stores has been a challenge.

Throughout all news coverage of the state of affairs this past year, little has focused on the customer. It’s time for that to change. Without customers grocery stores would have no goods to sell.

This is where the need to place greater focus on the customer will be paramount to success in 2021 and beyond. In fact, businesses that began to embrace that mantra in 2020 are already reaping the rewards.

If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that customers are fiercely loyal—until they are not.

Whether being a local business or a national chain, location as it relates to grocery plays a considerable role in consumer choice. Loyalty—not the program but the actual human trait—is what distinguishes one business from another. Loyalty will ensure people travel further to support a business, or simply choose one over another.

So how does one create and—more importantly—maintain loyalty? It starts with knowing the customer on an individual basis—the reason why data is now king and why all businesses are adapting quickly to embrace the data revolution. 80% of customers want personalization from the brands they interact with and it’s single-user-profile data that enables grocers to embark on individual journeys with their respective customers. From knowing what their favourite foods are, to dietary preferences and allergies—the list is endless, and highly personal.

By embracing every customer as an individual, the emotional connection becomes that much higher and can result in increased revenues of 25-95%.

Here’s what customers are looking for in 2021.

This is why 2021 is the year of the customer. Customers are seeking connections—wanting to know that they are cared about and subsequently cared for. omNovos’ digital customer engagement solutions simply make every interaction special and personalized to increase sales and loyalty.

There is an opportunity to make 2021 an amazing year for many reasons, but making the customer the number-one priority is the only reason any business owner needs.