How much of our service can we take online?

As public services, just like private companies, look to move services online, I wonder just how far and how quickly we can go.

We’re encouraging more people to pay their bills, talk to us, and find out what they need to know online. We’re recreating our high streets as social spaces and community hubs, as brands retreat into a tangible/virtual hybrid retail model.

The internet offers so much potential for efficiency, for automated services, for giving people exactly what they need within 3 clicks. But research by Dalziel and Pow shows that 63% of people love shopping for ‘a change of scenery and a bit of me time’. It seems it’s still important for people to see what they’re buying, to talk to real people, and to know we’re open for business.

So as we rush towards an increased online offer, aiming for a seamless customer experience, we need to remember that those seams can quickly become visible if our online offer isn’t supported by real people.

More on what people want from retail in Marketing Week.