Will The Contactless Mode Of Working End With the Pandemic?

With the era of social distancing setting in, the ‘contact-involving’ mode of working is a new challenge. It has created pressure on various industries to adopt and adapt to the ‘contactless’ ways of delivering services to the customers. In the present day, all the world’s leading enterprises are looking for solutions to provide contactless operations to their employees and customers.   
The applicability and effectiveness of these services have many aspects to it. Some businesses are convinced with the on-going ‘contactless’ mode and expect it to outlast the pandemic. In contrast, others as still apprehensive about its continued usage and are hoping for the previous model of direct interaction with the customers.
Here, we will try to point out its various aspects and highlight the ocean of benefits this new model contains in itself. 

Contactless is the New Comfort

Various new technologies are being bought into the market each day in the wake of COVID-19. Some of these systems/methodologies that have already started to prove their efficacy in delivering contactless delivery of services are: 

1. Development of new check-in software: The lockdown is starting to be uplifted by precisely abiding by the guidelines laid down by the government. The spread of the virus is still not entirely in control. So, all the operations are conducted while being distanced at public places and also offices. A method devised for the same is the ‘touchless check-in and sign-in.’ One such software is ‘The Receptionist.’ This software is in operation in many big businesses including, Sarah Suzuki. This app securely stores the database for the personal information of each visitor. Along with confidentiality, the app helps align the check-in with the personalized service for each visitor. 
2. Digitalization of the manufacturing process: Digitalization is paving its way into the product manufacturing process. The industries are shifting towards automation to reduce human-human contact. This shift is further helping in ways like employee safety, the productivity of assets, efficiency, and an overall enhancement in product quality.
3. Increased usage of online booking options: Although online booking portals are in the limelight since the Internet's emergence. Recent research has reported a significant spike in these services’ usage owing to the pandemic’s cautiousness. This increase is specifically substantial in industries like pharmaceuticals (online ordering of medicines), healthcare (booking virtual consultation sessions with a specialist) and tourism (hotel bookings), travel (flight and train bookings).
4. Cashless on-the-go: After declaring COVID-19 as a pandemic, World Health Organization (WHO) recommended increased usage of cashless modes for making transactions. It was done with a motive to limit the spread of the virus. For businesses, these contactless modes of payment offer significant advantages and, at the same time, help to maintain hygiene standards. 
5. Contact-free delivery and pick up options: Along with contactless payment options, the idea of entirely contactless shopping has come up. Contactless shopping involves placing the order and making the payment via the online portals of the concerned businesses. The order is delivered at the doorstep or picked up at a preassigned time. This methodology is in an application at big retail stores like Bunnings and Westfield in Australia.
6. Virtual trial facilities: There is significant growth in the acceptance and employment of technologies like Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Businesses primarily dealing with makeup, clothing, accessories, etc., are resorting to these virtual trial modes. Augmented reality (AR) has enabled both online and offline customers to try the products virtually. Along with customers, AR is helpful to the retailers in the way that they can now showcase the products that are still not available on-site. Thus, enhancing their reputation. 

‘Contactless’ Methods Over ‘Contact-Involving’ Methods

Contactless methods have benefitted many industries. These include healthcare, telecom, businesses dealing with home appliances, etc. Considering the positive effects of these methods, market experts have speculated that the contactless way of delivering services can most likely outlive the pandemic. The pandemic provided the world with a new perspective and opened up the field for the emergence of modified marketing methods.

Several industries benefit from this mode; in Healthcare Industry, contactless technologies like Virtual reality, video transmission, access to patient databases, etc., are beneficial to healthcare organizations like pharmacies and hospitals. The use of virtual reality enabled smart glasses in pain-management therapies and other related fields in another example.

In the clothing and accessories industry, virtual trials have enabled businesses to offer their online and offline customers ‘touchless’ trial sessions. This mode has ruled out the need to be well-equipped with all the products on-site. Contactless delivery and pick-up services are handy for grocery stores. It has decreased the chances of rush at these stores. Considering this advantage, the grocery store can continue practicing this even after the pandemic ends.

Contactless mode of marketing has equipped the employees and businesses with automated technologies like NLP (Natural Language Processing). NLP has helped overcome the language and cultural voids that earlier were considered barriers to effective communication between employees and customers.

The pre-pandemic working model that involved direct interactions between the involved parties is now discouraged by many industries. The main reason is the fortune that it cost to the organization. Virtual alternatives are proving to be better in this regard.

Possible Challenges

Despite the countless benefits that contactless services are providing businesses with, specific challenges limit its widespread usage. Some of these are:

1. Acceptance: Many businesses, especially the big ones, are reluctant to adopt these positive disruption methods. 
2. Employing a new technically-skilled workforce: After years of pursuing the ‘contact’ modes of business, switching to the ‘contactless’ methods requires hiring a new workforce that is appropriately skilled.
3. Difficulties in data collection: Data collection in the contactless mode uses e-forms, but there is a possibility of less-reliable data in this case.
4. Coordinating among various outlets: The efficiency of digital connectedness is questioned for keeping the operations at various outlets in sync. This mode requires highly updated technicians and security-ensuring software to prevent the leak of sensitive information.

Conclusion

There is an indelible effect in consumer behavior in the wake of a pandemic. Every individual and even businesses have prioritized health and sanitization. This requirement has pressured us to limit physical contact, thereby replacing it with contactless services. Several technologies have come up in the market to achieve the same. These technologies have been considered as better than the previous ones by some industries. In contrast, some enterprises are still resorting to moving back to older ‘contact-involving’ modes of running businesses. The formerly mentioned businesses mention the possibility of continued usage of these technologies even after the pandemic ends.