HOW IS TECHNOLOGY MAKING THE WELLNESS INDUSTRY AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO RURAL INDIA?

– “The study says the wellness industry is growing and steadily gaining appeal among consumers as compared to a decade ago not in terms of health but in terms of hygiene and clean living.”-

Today, the term “TECHNOLOGY” dominates nearly all conversations in boardrooms and living rooms. But what really is technology, how is it useful, and how is it booming the wellness sector for all?

Technology, or as it is sometimes referred to, the change and manipulation of the human environment, is the application of scientific knowledge to the practical goals of human life. Every element of our existence is being completely changed by technology. I estimate that the pandemic’s use of digital transformation has sped up progress compared to what would have been possible in five or ten years. Start-ups in the wellness sector also make sure that everyone in society, even those who live in rural areas, benefits from them.

The wellness industry is booming in India and other rural regions of India as more and more consumers are drawn to the practices and advantages of wellness through technology. The study says the wellness industry is growing and steadily gaining appeal among consumers as compared to a decade ago not in terms of health but in terms of hygiene and better living.

The idea of wellness has existed for a very long time. But since, consumer perspectives of wellness are constantly evolving the meaning of wellness has been completely changed its more like an easily accessible and affordable.

Consumers today perceive wellness through a much broader and more complex prism, one that includes not only physical activity and diet but also general physical health, mental health, better appearance and so on. Even due to Technology, people have more options for the kinds of goods and services they can purchase as well as for how they do so.

Companies connect end users with rural areas through their sophisticated, secure e-commerce systems, enabling them to take advantage of the services meant to promote pleasure and wellness. Numerous wellness tech companies are working on a wide range of strategies to improve rural India’s knowledge. The government’s initiatives to support tech adoption, telehealth, telemedicine, eCommerce and much more are speeding up the expansion of the wellness industry. This guarantees that rural areas may access top-notch services.

In 2022, the consumer’s view of wellness has evolved in 6 dimensions:

• Better Health

Better health, perhaps the most conventional wellness concept, goes beyond prescription drugs and dietary supplements to encompass consumer medical equipment and personal health monitors. Consumers are increasingly taking control of their health. According to some reports, the brands are witnessing an increase in targeted, data-driven care, apps that make it simple for consumers to schedule appointments with doctors or order the prescriptions they require, and gadgets that allow them to keep track of their symptoms in between doctor visits.

• Better nutrition

Wellness has always included better nutrition, but today’s consumers expect their food to do more than just taste good—they want it to help them achieve their wellness objectives. In the coming year, more than a third of customers worldwide say they “probably” or “certainly” intend to boost their expenditure on subscription food services, diet apps, and juice cleanses.

• Better fitness

Over the previous year, improving your fitness has been difficult. When they are unable to visit their gyms as regularly or engage in sports in the same activities as before, many consumers find it difficult to maintain their pre-COVID-19 fitness levels. For instance, a study indicated that most customers exercised less after the pandemic lockdowns started, and many consumers did not resume their prior levels of exercise even when the lockdowns were eased or abolished. The past year has seen an incredible increase in fitness goal solutions that cater to consumer needs at home.

• Better appearance

In order to appear better, you should mostly wear clothing and use cosmetic products (such as skincare and collagen supplements). Recently, a number of service-oriented options in this field have appeared to boost in terms of consumer growth.

• Better mindfulness

Better mindfulness has recently become more widely accepted by consumers.  Global complaints of mental anguish have increased throughout the COVID-19 crisis, and more than half of consumers in the nations say they want to prioritise mental health more.

• Better sleep

Given the strains the epidemic has unleashed, it may not be surprising that customers are interested in relatively new categories like better sleep. Modern sleep aids like melatonin and app-enabled sleep trackers are competing with traditional sleep drugs. More goods and services are wanted in order to address the demand for better sleep.

By delivering health and wellness information into customers’ homes, technology has altered how people live. The platforms that have been introduced to reach customers leverage cutting-edge technology, give a different user experience and take a customer-centric approach by offering tools that will make it easier for customers to plan their wellness. These platforms connect the end user, wellness centres, and supply chain technology across cloud and data platforms with a focus on delivering seamless experiences.

Over the coming year, consumers expect to spend more on both wellness products and services overall. The best user experience for online shopping is offered by platforms with cutting-edge technology ecosystems centred on cloud computing, data analytics, performance algorithms, elastic load balancing, memory caching, etc. A bright future that makes use of cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence, machine learning, an effective automated workflow, etc., together with user-friendly mobile apps, promises to improve the user experience even more for rural India.

By Dr. Nidhi Gupta Director of French Essence