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COVID-19 was a transmutational event that had an unprecedented impact on consumer behaviour, business practices and life in general. Apart from the challenges posed by the pandemic, it also brought an opportunity for businesses to accelerate their digital transformation. In a KPMG commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting in 2020, we found that 67% of companies had accelerated elements of their digital transformation strategy moderately or significantly.^[1] This emphasis on digital transformation was quite evident in a follow-up research conducted by KPMG in 2021 where 62% of respondents mentioned they have advanced the creation of a seamless digital customer experience and more than half indicated the pursuit of ‘next-generation’ operating models.^[2]

The pandemic forced companies to double down their focus on customer-centricity, with 79% of respondents implementing a customer-centric strategy in the short term.^[3] This focus on the customer experience because of external stimulus can bring along multiple challenges with it. These challenges, such as evolving customer behaviors, the availability of technical skills and a focus on cyber security and data privacy are keeping companies on their toes. This paper aims to highlight the evolving business priorities with regard to customer behaviors and discusses how companies can develop new and engaging customer experiences in the post-COVID world.