Post-Covid Businesses Need Digital Empathy
Digital empathy is not a new trend. However, it is a trend that needs to evolve and grow to tackle the needs of the post-COVID world.
Digital empathy was first described as the process of combining human data with digital solutions. The objective is to inspire a connection between the user and the tool or process. As such, digital empathy needs to deploy strategies that go above and beyond data interpretation. But anticipating needs through design and providing autocomplete texts can only go so far. In a world of clicks and remote connections, we need to add a new layer to the concept of digital empathy.
Most employees will stay remote
While some companies are reopening their offices, a lot of employees have demonstrated they can work just as effectively and successfully from home. Remote working arrangements are likely to be on the rise in a post-pandemic business environment. For employees with young children and nervous individuals who may be more vulnerable to infections, the home office is a safe and flexible place. But managers need to use their experience of lockdown to develop remote solutions that maintain team morale and the unity between co-workers. Working from home is an isolated situation. Consequently, maintaining regular social contacts, even online, can make a big difference. Talking to your remote employees to understand how they are doing and if you can help will bridge the digital gap.
Accept your team has no IT expertise
While most companies have in-depth digital security protocols, more often than not, cybersecurity threats are blamed on employees. Someone shared a password with a hacker who emailed them pretending to be a new colleague. Someone clicked on a suspicious PDF download link in an email, thinking it was an invoice for a client. As much as employees can be trained to recognise digital threats, it would be unfair to rely on your team for your cybersecurity strategy. Your employees’ expertise sits in a different domain. The management of cyberthreats, however, is the expertise of a managed IT service provider such as Concise Technologies. Businesses that create additional challenges for the team using digital technology fail to consider the person behind the device. An employee has unique skill sets and talents that can’t grow because of misplaced IT expectations. Make digital easy and stress-free to use for your people so they can achieve more.
Your customers need enhanced support
Employees are not the only ones who want to maintain social distancing. Customers will be less likely to meet in an office. They will carry on from home, using remote technologies to reach out to businesses. Live chats, social media mentions, emails, and phone calls are some of the most obvious methods. Video calls have also become hugely popular in the B2B sphere. It’s time to move your customer service to the next level with video chat too. A video call can not only help solve a problem quicker but also make your customers feel more valued. Talking to a real person can add the personality and humanity remote interactions lack.
Bringing empathy to the digital world is an essential trend in a remote-friendly environment. While there is no denying that relying on advanced tech and smart solutions can make a difference, nothing replaces the human touch. As a business, it’s your role to make sure that the person behind the screen feels appreciated.
Post a Comment