Deloitte surveyed 2,000 Australians in lockdown during June and July to understand consumer lifestyles.
The resulting Digital Consumer Trends report released today replaces the annual Mobile Consumer Survey which Deloitte has run for seven years.
Some of the findings:
- A quarter of Australians say working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic has made them enjoy work more.
- 45% are seeing quality of life improvements through the flexibility of working from home.
- Women are more likely than men to find working from home easier.
Peter Corbett, a Deloitte partner and national telecommunications lead, says the devastating impact of COVID-19, and the resulting lockdown, has undoubtedly acted as a catalyst: speeding up digital adoption and introducing trends at a rate few could have predicted.
“During lockdown, digital became our window to the outside world, and each other, as we craved connection,” he says.
“This year’s Digital Consumer Trends survey explores the rise in online shopping, banking, video streaming and device purchases in response to the lockdown.
“As Australian businesses look to define their new normal, understanding the immediate and long-term impact of COVID-19 on digital behaviours is paramount. We believe the extreme events of this pandemic will spawn the digital trends of tomorrow.”
Working From Home
Digital technology enabling work from home (WFH) is improving perception of jobs overall.
Twice as many respondents (25%) say they now enjoy work more as a result of working from home, compared to those who find it more stressful (12%).
Whether it’s more time spent with the kids or fitting in a quick surf before the workday starts, 45% say greater flexibility to manage our day is improving lifestyles.
More than 90% of Australians are benefitting from reduced travel needs, with a third gaining nearly a whole productive day back per week (5.5 hours). It’s leaving more time for life admin and recreational activities.
Deloitte consulting partner, Kate Huggins: “Thirty-seven percent of our Australian survey respondents are now working from home – almost five times more than pre-pandemic levels.
"While over half of Australians who work from home have had an almost seamless experience from a technology perspective, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for all respondents – one in five said they lose a productive day a month due to ineffective tech. And without access to the office, technology issues can be hard to remedy."
Overall, most are positive about the shift, with more survey respondents finding the experience of working from home easier (41%) than harder (28%) to manage.
There is one clear trend in the data: female respondents appear to have an easier working from home experience (50%) than their male counterparts (35%).
"This not only suggests they may be more adept at the art of flexible working but could be more likely to continue working from home after the pandemic too," says Huggins.
“Siri, what day is it?”
As days in lockdown rolled into one, digital devices emerged as both a source of entertainment and a point of connection, with 26% of respondents picked up a new digital device as a direct result of being at home through the pandemic.
Laptops, smartphones and televisions saw the biggest increase in one-off purchases, with close to 10% shelling out for these personal or home entertainment devices.
Laptops are proving popular for online shopping, and television and game consoles have re-established their dominance in streaming and gaming.
“We may techically be in a recesssion, but consumers appear to be spending on the devices that help them feel connected,” says Peter Corbett.
“While forced isolation and closed off borders could have created a more insular society, we’ve seen a focus on connection through the pandemic.
“We have increased our use of all screens in our search for ‘collective experiences’: using devices to connect over Zoom, through email, via networked gaming with friends and by plugging into pop culture to watch the same TV streaming shows as our friends and colleagues.
"A lasting legacy of this pandemic will be a greater awareness of the preciousness of human-to-human contact – whatever form it takes. This focus on connection is likely to persist, along with the technology and devices that make it possible.”
More than half say they used smartphones more during lockdown – primarily for communication or entertainment – reinforcing our search for connection. Thirty-five percent of respondents spent more time checking social networks, 31% streaming films or TV series, and 26% watching TV programs.
The rise in the number of people using social media can be partly explained by lockdown. More than half (52%) believe smartphones have made them feel less isolated, solidifying connection with both the device itself and social media platforms.
“Clearly, our connection with social media is complicated,” says Peter Corbett. “In the 2019 Mobile Consumer Survey, 60% of Australians said they wanted to limit their mobile phone use. While we appear to have compartmentalised our concerns about smartphone addiction for now, this may return with a vengeance after the pandemic.”
The way we pay
More Australians are logging on to shop. During lockdown, online purchasing of non-grocery items increased to 24% of respondents in 2020, with 55% stating that the shift is permanent.
Laptops have taken over as the dominant device for online purchases, as we perhaps squeeze in a quick shop between Zoom calls. But 46%are also using smartphones to browse shopping websites and apps, with 34% purchasing a product via their mobiles.
More Australians are accessing banking services on smartphones, with 63% of respondents regularly checking their bank balances. Specifically, older generations (55+ years) are embracing the push towards online banking, with 80% of respondents intending to continue following the lockdown.
“The pandemic has not only made Australians more comfortable with online transactions but could pave the way for digital interactions to be our default,” noted Kate Huggins. “Consequently, we anticipate that the role of physical sales and service channels in the customer journey needs to be reimagined.”
Will Technology Save Us?
Contact tracing apps, QR codes and temperature checks – technology is helping the fight against COVID-19 with 80% say they believe the companies they interact with use their data, yet only 31% of respondents were significantly worried regarding the use of personal data by companies they interact with online, a decline from 54% in 2018.
Peter Corbett notes that technology has generally benefited during the pandemic and any privacy concerns have been put to one side for now.
“While privacy is usually seen as a right, there has been a shift through the pandemic," he says.
"Sixty percent of Australians support the installation of thermal cameras in densely populated public spaces and nearly half of us (46%) support government-organised location tracking to stop the spread of COVID-19.
"Technology is helping us stay one step ahead in the fight against COVID-19. But it’s coming at a cost to privacy. While right now, Australians see the ‘greater good’ in using their personal data for health outcomes, this collectivist impulse is unlikely to outlive the crisis.”
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.