From hybrid working to hybrid retail

I attended a college reunion via Zoom the other day. Since the start of the pandemic, I’ve also attended a wedding, a child’s birthday party, 4th grade and 8th grade orientation, and even a doctors appointment. I think we can all agree on one fact: Virtual meetings aren’t just for work anymore. After all, if that were the case, my 10-year-old would not know how to turn on the Zoom mustache filter, which she happens to love.

It’s no surprise, then, that the application of virtual video meetings is now beginning to expand beyond even those categories and into the world of retail. People still want to shop! And some have important buying questions that require in-person 1-to-1 meetings. But they also want to do it on their own terms - for example, perhaps via a guided 1:1 experience that includes expert consultation and no crowds. Some others don’t want to come in at all - because the culture of Zoom has made the whole world realize that we can accomplish a whole lot more over video than we thought we could.

So, all these things considered: What do you have to do as a retailer to meet consumer expectations these days? Three things, actually:

1. Be willing to meet customers more than halfway.

2. Build a truly omnichannel experience and give control to customers.

3. Be human and offer a meaningful experience.

And how do you actually do that? Check out this recent article in Total Retail, which tells you more about what, exactly, you need to put on your to-do list.

No matter what you sell, the bottom line is: You better be ready to be flexible about how you do it. Because it’s not just a hybrid work world anymore - it’s a hybrid everything world.