It’s now time to begin imagining how customer experience will look like in a post-Covid-19 era.
There is no doubt that the anticipated changes around customer preferences and way business models are executed moving forward will outlast the present pandemic crisis.
It’s just a matter of time for consumers to get a grasp of the new normal which includes adjusting to remote work and embracing new digital tools.
Though it is expected that some of these changes have come to stay, apparently, they are pointers to the gradual shift of the post-Covid-19 world.
Moving forward to 2021, buzzwords like sustainable development goals (SDG) and Digital nomadism will take the spotlight.
There will be swift changes in business and technological innovations, and all these would be based on what people have experienced during the pandemic.
Highlighted below are a list of business and technological trends that will shape 2021:
Revolution in drug development
This is already underway as we have seen some advances in Covid-19 testing and vaccine development.
Since the earlier part of 2020 when the pandemic hit the world on an unprecedented scale, the global drug industry has witnessed a shakeup, calling for swift drug trials.
Researchers have put on hold a good number of conventional clinical trials while trying a virtual model through remote data collection and online consultation.
From indications, these changes might just altar developments in the drug industry.
In some parts of the world, there have been speedy developments of Covid-19 test kits with some significant development of vaccines by pharmaceutical companies such as AstraZeneca and Pfizer.
Notably, Pfizer has developed mRNA vaccines which is a testament to advances in technological innovation.
Moving forward to 2021, the pharmaceutical industry will develop more innovation in both new vaccines and Covid-19 test kits.
Video Conferencing and remote working
Before the pandemic struck the world in an unprecedented manner, some individuals and organizations have adopted video conferencing and remote working.
However, with the advent of the pandemic, these two have witnessed rapid growth in adoption.
Giant technology companies like Google won’t be bringing back its nearly 200, 000 workers to the office until July 2021 and so many other firms across the world.
They have provided their remote staff with tools to share content, interact, track projects, train employees, run virtual team-building activities.
Video conferencing platform which went public in 2019 has become a household name for 2020.
Other tools like Google Hangouts, Microsoft’s Teams, and GoToMeeting have also proven useful for global video conferencing and easy facilitation of remote working.
With these tools aided by technology, users can replicate their physical offices while keeping track of documentation.
Contactless delivery
As this is gradually becoming part of the new normal, the world is gradually moving towards this path.
For instance, in the US, there has been a 20% increase in contactless operation adoption.
Some companies have now implemented this delivery method, a development that reportedly emanated from customers’ desires to bring physical contact to its barest minimum.
Uber Eats for instance has grown its contactless delivery alternatives and this will get bigger moving into 2021.
It’s just a matter of time that delivery companies across the world adopt this model.
Even in Wuhan, China where the Covid-19 virus broke out, Meituan a delivery app has also implemented contactless delivery by getting grocery orders across to their customers through autonomous vehicles.
Telehealth
Healthcare institutions have been the center stage since the advent of the pandemic, therefore they have been working to minimize patients’ and workers’ exposure to Covid-19 through technology.
Individuals and organizations have commenced the adoption of telehealth applications such as doctor-patient video chats and no-contact-based medication delivery.
Post-pandemic era, telemedicine has seen a high increase in the application. By 2021, virtual care visitation may just reach billions across the world.
For instance in Africa health tech startups like Mobihealth in Nigeria, Eyone in Senegal and Mamaprime in Kenya have already implemented telemedicine.
E-learning
With the closure of learning institutions due to Covid-19, online learning platforms have increased massively.
E-learning either by the one offered by edtech startups or the normal educational institutions have come to stay with us.
A platform like Roducate through technology has redefined the way online learning is done with the advent of the pandemic
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