Consumers’ ways of buying have evolved. They are now more informed and can make more decisions than before. As such, brands now have to adapt and position themselves carefully in order to stand out from the crowd.

Over the last few decades, consumers’ ways of buying have changed radically, notably due to the growing influence of the digital sphere. Individuals are no longer traditional consumers with a simple choice of different products and services but are now informed players that make the decisions! This new situation forces brands to distinguish themselves from their competitors and establish a strong link with their consumers.

The promise of a close, long-lasting and quality relationship with the consumer therefore requires brands to take a “consumer-centric” approach. Brands can no longer simply offer their products and services unilaterally. To get closer to consumers and integrate themselves into their close sphere, they now must adapt to the consumers realities, to their needs and adopt a position that matches their values - but that’s not all.

A close link

Today, consumers look for products and services that are suitable for them when they need them, rather than an offer that meets their societal concerns. To do this, brands can take a “data-oriented” approach in order to get to know their client better and provide a tailored offer, almost in real-time. The current health crisis has highlighted the importance of this approach for brands in order to ensure a close relationship with their consumers and to support them in their daily lives.

This new stance, now dictated by consumers that are both more demanding and more fickle than before, means that brands have had to make far-reaching changes to their organisation models to respond to the new forms of interaction expected by their customers in real time due to the ever-growing popularity of digital practices.

Additional service

Adapting their offer to respond to the demand for customisation, reorganising production and distribution to meet the need for immediacy, activating new communication levers to nurture a richer relationship: For the consumer, who is often influenced by brand communication, the associated service and other little special touches are an extension of the proposed product or service. This is “Additional service”, but also an “Additional benefit”.

Adopting an attitude and way of communicating that is more compatible with the expectations and habits of the consumers, putting out content that is useful and relevant to them and offering a service that is in line with the terms of use all adds value to the brand. This strong link that forms between a brand and their client contributes to a stronger commitment from the consumer, guaranteeing a longer-lasting relationship and consequently resulting in a “meaningful performance” for the brand.