Qualtrics, the global leader in customer experience management and creator of the experience management category, today launched new research outlining the extent to which COVID-19 has encouraged consumers to embrace digital channels.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, two-thirds (67%) of the respondents* said they have purchased more online and increased the frequency they use online banking (62%). Shopping for groceries online also increased (53%). In contrast, 55% of respondents said the frequency at which they visit retailers has decreased.

The move to online shows no signs of slowing with 76% of people saying it is likely they will continue online shipping over the next 6 months. In further proof of how COVID-19 is changing the behaviours and preferences of people in the Philippines, 47% said it is more likely they will pick up food from a restaurant rather than dining in.

There are hints of things returning to the previous normal in the coming months. Although many respondents (94%) still say they are very concerned by the pandemic, 40% said it is likely they’ll choose to eat at a restaurant in the next six months. Respondents were also planning to take a family holiday (37%), use public transport (36%), and visit the mall (34%) over this same time frame. Not surprisingly, travelling by air is the least likely behaviour to return, with more than half saying it’s unlikely they’ll travel internationally (57%) or domestically (54%) by plane within the next 6 months.

Over the past 6 months, the number of people in the Philippines expecting COVID-19 to affect their day to day life for more than a year has increased by 5% (45% today, up from 40% in June 2020).

“After months of disruption, we are beginning to see new behaviours and preferences emerge that are likely to remain post-pandemic. There is no doubt that there has been a massive shift towards digital, making it critical for brands to ensure they are able to optimise the experience they deliver on their digital channels including mobile applications. Simultaneously, even though consumers are beginning to go back to some previous habits, high levels of ambiguity remain, meaning businesses must be able to understand and quickly respond to changing environments. Businesses can deal with this ambiguity using tools like Qualtrics to get an “always-on” and integrated understanding of their customer experience across touchpoints, equipping them with end-to-end insights to continually deliver superior customer experience.” said Harish Argarwal, Head of CX Strategy for Southeast Asia.

*Qualtrics surveyed 328 people in the Philippines (aged 18-65) in September 2020.