SiteSpect Synopsis: Trends to Watch in 2021

Between shifting to remote workforces and creating digital-first experiences, businesses went through many changes in 2020 – and quickly. Now that we have rung in the New Year, there is a lot to reflect on and much to look forward to. Here are three articles with customer experience, retail, and martech trends to watch in 2021 and beyond. 

MarTech Series: Top CX Trends and Changes You Should Expect in 2021

With the pandemic disrupting typical consumer behavior, businesses have had to find new ways to support their customers. Customer expectations will only continue to evolve, which means customer experience strategies will shift in the years to come. In this article, author Baker Johnson discusses five trends he believes will shape CX in 2021 and beyond, including embeddable experiences, data privacy, and artificial intelligence. Johnson says, “After the many challenges to businesses in 2020, we can look ahead to 2021 as an important shift forward to deliver a modern, connected journey on a single device for digital and mobile natives.”  

Forbes: The 5 Biggest Retail Trends in 2021

It’s no secret that the retail landscape changed dramatically in 2020. And as COVID-19 continues into 2021, we will certainly see more changes in both online and offline retail. One of the biggest retail trends we can expect to see this year is omnichannel. Since many customers will opt to stay indoors, omnichannel is crucial in bringing the in-person shopping experience online. Personal shopping is also expected to emerge as a top retail trend, which can be facilitated online through personalization and product recommendations. Author Bernard Marr says, “technology is now ushering in a new age of mass-personalization, allowing this to be carried out at scale across a growing range of goods and services.”

CMSWire: MarTech Leaders Share 2020 Trends That Will Impact 2021

COVID-19 significantly accelerated digital transformation and forced many companies to rethink their businesses as a whole. As author Rod McLeod states, “companies had to execute their five-year digital transformation plans in three to six months in order to stay in business.” So, how will these learnings from 2020 carry over into 2021? Aside from continued digital transformation, McLeod cites the importance of breaking down silos in your teams and technologies. He also expects privacy regulations to return to the limelight, specifically creating a distinction between first- and third-party data sources. 

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