The Week in Charts

Digital fast-forward: Homebound consumers forced companies to jump years ahead

COVID-19
Digital
Surveys

In response to the crisis, companies have accelerated the digitization of their customer interactions, accomplishing three or four years of progress in seven months.

In response to COVID 19 crisis, companies have accelerated the digitization of their customer interaction accomplishing three to four years of progress in seven months (chart)

Chart: The COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the digitization of customer interactions by several years

Chart summary

2020 adoption acceleration1

  • Global: 3 years
  • Asia-Pacific: 4 years
  • Europe: 3 years
  • North America: 3 years

Chart data

Average share of customer interactions that are digital, %
Date Global Asia-Pacific Europe North America
Precrisis
June 2017 20 22 18 25
May 2018 20 19 19 25
December 2019 36 32 32 41
COVID-19 crisis
July 2020 58 53 55 65

Notes

1Years ahead of the average rate of adoption from 2017 to 2019.

McKinsey & Company

To read the survey, see “How COVID-19 has pushed companies over the technology tipping point—and transformed business forever,” October 5, 2020.