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Education

retailers. Others soon realized they could create similar
monthly deliveries for items like diapers, and even dog Lockdowns, which took place
food, from various providers.

The repurposed home to varying degrees across the
country and around the world,
Along with the personal demands of the lockdown, most
people had to adjust to the reality of working from home. didn't just impact us as payment
Those who had not done so previously quickly realized it professionals and merchants as
wasn't just a simple matter of "plug in the computer and
you are good to go." our partners; it impacted all
of us as consumers.
I have worked from a home office for many years, but my
wife had never worked from home before the pandemic,
nor had she ever wanted to do so. Her reluctance was driv-
en by her concern over interruptions. She often said, "If Navigating a new normal
I worked at home, I would find myself loading the dish- As time in lockdown passed, what had been seen as
washer or running a load of laundry. I just wouldn't be as stop-gap measures for consumers slowly evolved into
productive. And I would miss the interaction with others." common practices. Online ordering was easy. It started to
feel normal. Even those of us who rely on mom-and-pop
Yet when COVID-19 came into our lives, she had no choice. merchants' in-person sales for revenue shifted much of
She needed a computer with access to VPN. And she had our shopping online.
to figure out how to interact via Zoom and Team meetings.
At the same time, she needed space where she could work Today, we and our merchant partners who survived
without interruption. In addition, when inevitable issues the worst of the pandemic are facing this new normal.
would arise, I had a second job as an unpaid IT consultant. Consumers who are heading back to offices are likely
to keep receiving scheduled deliveries and enjoy the
Everyone faced similar situations. In many instances, two convenience of online ordering and delivery rather than
jobs were transplanted to one home. Workspaces had to stop to pick up items on the way home.
be created, along with homeschooling areas for families
with children. For people living in apartments, space was The buying habits of consumers have changed and are
an especially precious commodity. Internet connections not likely to revert back to the way they were before
required sufficient bandwidth to support work needs, as COVID-19 altered our lives. This may not be due entirely
well as any other needs, including online school. You also to lockdowns. The baby boom generation's influence is
needed to have some office supplies on hand. waning, and today's typical consumer (and payment card
user) is technologically savvy and has been comfortable
People generally believed that working at home was some- transacting online for years. The lockdown escalated what
thing they could tolerate, for a short while at least. No one was previously a gradual evolution. I don't see consumers
anticipated the lockdown would last more than a month taking a step back.
or two. But by month six, no end was in sight, and virtual
school was starting. Short-term inconveniences suddenly As merchants open their doors, few believe sales will
felt like permanent change. Leaving home was rare for all immediately return to normal. In fact, many are worried
except our nation's essential workers, and when people about what to expect. This is the reality we all need to
did go out, it was not normally any kind of pleasure trip. recognize. The consumer has changed faster than ever
For those who enjoy eating out, cooking every day quickly before.
grew tiring. Finding time to grocery shop also became
difficult, especially with all the family members home. How should the merchant respond? What should we do? I
Taking time to wait in line at a market to pick up one or discuss that in my next article.
two needed items was impractical. Restaurants adjusted
to offer a form of curbside pickup or delivery. It wasn't the
dining-out experience people were accustomed to, but at Jeff Fortney is vice president ISO relations for Signature Payments. A
least it offered a respite from cooking. long-time payments industry executive and mentor, Jeff is focused
on strengthening and developing partnerships and evaluating new
Again, options like Amazon grew more convenient and business opportunities. He can be reached at 214-458-1379
more common to fulfill both work and personal needs.
Need printer ink? Order next-day delivery. Running low
on toiletries? Again, get it the next day. In my subdivision
the most common traffic seen on many days was delivery
trucks from Amazon, UPS, U.S. Postal Service and other
delivery services.

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