Customer Service

Consumers want social distancing services, reveals research

Photo by istock.com

July 3, 2020

American shoppers want and expect social distancing services such as curbside pickup, local delivery and contactless payments given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and recent surge in coronavirus cases.

In fact, consumers will likely want the same services from local retailers once the pandemic has subsided, according to a Podium research report. A large majority, 84%, of Americans, have used such services and 86% expect to have access once the pandemic is over, according to a press release.

"While previously just a nice way to do business, offering options like contactless payments, texting and curbside pickup have become the only way for local businesses to operate," Eric Rea, co-founder and CEO at Podium, said in the release. "There has been steady movement towards digital transformation among local businesses in recent years, which was exponentially accelerated over the past few months. Consumers have become accustomed to the new forms of communications and services, and there's no going back."