How to heed the call for connection.

The past year has shown us that distanced doesn’t have to mean disconnected.

When apparel company Life is Good saw a 50% drop in business due to retail stores closing or canceling orders, their mission to spread the power of optimism looked bleak at best. But by immediately investing in new technology, they were able to shift their business model to e-commerce. They ramped up inspirational designs like “Maybe Kindness is the Cure” and “Grateful Dude,” and printed all orders on demand — allowing customers to not just get their apparel, but to customize everything from the design to the shirt style to the color. The company was able to replace their retail store business and meet their customers’ needs in a more personal way.

Since the onset of the pandemic, we’ve seen an increase in digital experiences that were more empathetic, responsive, and vital than ever. Fortunately, it’s a trend that’s going to continue.

“Ways to deliver care that were important before became critical today. We won’t go back to operating the same way that we did.”

Adam Rice

CMO, CommonSpirit Health

But here’s the conundrum: consumers feel conflicted about the role of technology in their lives. They know they can’t live without it, but at the same time, they want less of it.

So now, more than ever, is the time to push those digital experiences to be as personal, empathetic, and relevant as possible. It’s time for art to meet science. For creativity to meet technology. And for brands to meet the needs of their customers in ways that show true humanity and understanding. Do it right, and you can deliver exactly what consumers need.

“It’s like a light bulb turns on when our customers realize that we really care about them,” says Steve Schultz, head of marketing technology at Esri Geographic Information Systems. And that’s a change for good.

Learn how Adobe Experience Cloud can help you create more empathetic, personalized, and relevant experiences at scale.

For additional survey data, read the full Forrester report here.

Sources:
Sapna Maheshwari and Michael Corkery, “Customers Still Like to Shop in Person, Even if they Get Only to the Curb,” New York Times. October, 9, 2020
“Expanding the possibilities for healthcare,” Mayo Clinic HealthLetter, November 2020.
“Telehealth Guidance by State during COVID-19,” American Psychological Association Services. November 7, 2020.