There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic saw an unprecedented shift in technological adoption across Australia, and the world. But even before restrictions and lockdowns forced us to stay home and revert to online spaces, we were already a nation of rapidly rising digital consumers.
According to the 2021 Telesyte Australian Digital Consumer Study, the decade between 2010 and 2020 saw the most rapid technological change in Australian history. As a nation, we went from spending $2.2 billion on digital goods in 2010 to $14.4 billion in 2020.
Within that decade, we also saw smartphone ownership quadruple from 2.2 million to 21.6 million, and the eCommerce market grew from $11.5 billion to $32.9 billion.
Impact of the pandemic on digital consumerism
During the pandemic, restrictions and lockdowns have seen Australians spending more time online - including interacting with friends and family, working, attending appointments, and shopping. These shifts towards digital spaces have helped consumers feel more confident and comfortable online.
According to Telesyte’s study, one in three Australians learned to use new technologies or online services during the pandemic. 42% of their respondents also said they were more comfortable shopping online.
This aligns with findings from Deloitte’s Digital Consumer Trends 2020, which saw 26% of respondents purchasing a new device due to being at home more. 25% of their respondents also said they’d shopped online for items other than groceries during the pandemic, and 13% said they intended to continue doing so post-lockdown.
What this means for Australian businesses
This rise in technological adoption has seen the creation of both new and more evolved digital consumers. These consumers are savvier, expecting more personalised, seamless, and intuitive experiences from businesses.
To keep up with consumers and ensure they’re not left behind, it’s essential that businesses adapt to the digital economy.
Key considerations when doing this include:
Use multiple channels of communication
Everyone has their preferred methods of communication. Some respond well to direct SMS marketing, others engage better with social media, and others take stock in email content.
It’s important to make sure you understand your various demographics and create communications across various channels accordingly. Whispir allows you to send messages to multiple channels from one platform - including SMS, email, social media, video, and more.
Read more about the three pillars of successful multi-channel communications.
Let the data tell the story
Data is one of the most useful tools for a business. It allows you to better understand and cater to consumer behaviour, creating better experiences and in turn boosting brand loyalty.
Whispir provides real insights and reports that show how your customers are engaging with your message. You can then use this data to adapt your communications and find new ways to connect with consumers.
Make it a two-way conversation
Communicating with consumers shouldn’t be a one-way street. After all, what’s a better source for learning how to improve customer experience than consumers themselves?
Creating two-way communications can include automating responses to customer queries and actions. For example, you could automatically generate a confirmation message when a customer makes a booking online. Another idea is inviting feedback from consumers. With permission, you can also amplify positive reviews and further generate business.
Whispir makes it possible to automate two-way communication with customers. Using our simple code-free platform, you can build responses that are automatically sent based on the kind of messages customers send.
Learn more about Whispir
Whispir has been intentionally designed for everyone to use. You don’t need technical or coding skills to get the full benefit of our digital communication tools. We’ve helped countless businesses around Australia and the world and would love to show you how we can help you, too.
To gain more insights on utilising technology to engage with customers, download our free guide on digital transformation strategies for businesses.
