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How to Understand South African Customer’s Needs & Expectations

Although digital transformation has proven to be more valuable than ever during the pandemic, marketers need to take a step back and ask themselves whether or not this is all a brand needs to be relevant in these uncertain times, and in the future. Is it all just about embracing digital maturity, or is there more to it? Let’s find out.

A recent survey conducted by Kantar shows that when it comes to customer’s needs, South African consumers want more; they want brands to be more helpful than ever. But how do businesses heed the call and pivot their efforts to adapt to new conditions?

Uncover Opportunities to Meet Customer Expectations

When consumers were asked what their primary expectations were for brands, 28% said they want businesses to “be an example and guide the change”, where 21% want brands to “be practical and realistic, help consumers in their everyday life”, and 12% stated “to reduce anxiety and understand consumers’ concerns.

This signals that consumers are open to brands showing them their plans to address customer concerns. By focusing on creating an environment that caters to customers and understanding what they need from you will be a pivotal point in your efforts of meeting demands.

Champion Local

Social responsibility is now 3x more important than it was a decade ago. And what better way of exercising social responsibility than by supporting those you’re immersed in? With 69% of shoppers believing local shops are important for the community, consumers care about this too.

By encouraging people to support local businesses, brands can be a champion for local and signal their commitment to their communities.

Value > Price

It’s understood that consumer loyalty is not guaranteed. Due to such, brands need to be competitive on more than just price. It’s no longer about offering a similar product at a better price; it’s about striking the value equation with the optimal balance of price and benefit.

Consumers are willing to pay more for brands that offer meaningful value; businesses need to understand how customer’s expectations weigh up against the price they’re asking.

Know Consumers’ Concerns

It’s true that knowing your customer is more important now than ever before. With a terrain brittle from the pandemic, knowing your customer is not only an essential part of your business but a highly valuable one; it fuels your business and its success on a plethora of levels.

While embattled businesses still face hurdles going forward, there is plenty of scope for growth for those who strive to understand their customers and plan to be innovative in their quest of keeping them happy.