The importance of communicating with your customers frequently and openly has been made glaringly clear by the pandemic. As the stages of the quarantine progressed, customers needed to be updated on business closures and adaptive offerings, and now that Alberta has begun its phased reopening this is all the more true. Wherever you’re at - reopening, sticking to curbside pickup, or something else entirely - if your customers aren’t informed, they’ll likely find it difficult to support your business despite their best intentions to do so. Looking for inspiration to bolster your communication efforts regardless of your current state of operations? Keep reading!
If you are reopening…
Communicate hours and expectations.
Will your customers need to bring their own mask? What are you providing (hand sanitizer, disposable masks, etc.)? Are there new systems of operation? For example, will they be expected to wait in their vehicle prior to appointments? Are there social distancing markers in place? What forms of payment are you accepting?
Outline how you’re doing your part.
What are you doing to protect the health and safety of your patrons and your staff? Are you following guidelines set out for your sector by the Alberta government and/or recommendations from a professional association? Are there additional disinfection procedures you’ve been undertaking? We’re all facing so much uncertainty in almost every regard, so communicating your efforts to slow the spread and ensure the safety of your customers is paramount for rebuilding trust and consumer confidence.
Inform your customers of price adjustments.
If your prices have changed, be transparent and upfront. Customers are much more likely to respond positively if they are aware of the details and know that you’re being honest about pricing.
Remember, customer satisfaction is about meeting and exceeding expectations, so be sure to set appropriate expectations to begin with.
If you’re not opening…
Let your customers know!
Are you awaiting a certain time in the future? Is your business in a later phase of reopening? Loop in your customers so they know what to anticipate and when they might be able to stop by your location in the future.
Keep communicating what you ARE offering.
Are you directing customers to an online shop with curbside pickup? Are you doing deliveries or offering take-out orders? What about services available via telephone or video chat? Again, adapting your offerings to suit current restrictions won’t help your business to succeed if your customers aren’t aware of them.
Times are rapidly changing, and most customers are understanding of entrepreneurs altering their distribution channels. The key is letting them know where to find you.
If you have nothing to sell right now…
Don’t stay quiet! There are multiple ways you can continue to engage with your customers organically, including:
Building out your email list for future email marketing opportunities.
Providing value-added content by sharing your expertise, such as tutorials, informative blogs, behind the scenes material, sneak peeks of upcoming products/services, showcasing your employees, the list goes on!
Building out your social media profiles; brainstorming, writing, scheduling content that you may not have had time for in the past will help generate buzz for when you are ready to begin selling again.
Just as your customers trust you to provide them with a superior product/service, trust that the community you’ve built will stick around through tough times like these, so long as you continue to connect with them!
Methods of Communication
Yes, social media is a big part of communications in 2020, but don’t forget about other important lines of communication!
Your Website
When you have a question, where do you turn? Google! As the most important source of information, your website should be a priority to inform those actively looking. Update your website frequently with your current hours of operation, offerings, and other pertinent information.
Email
Sending out a newsletter to your customers with valuable updates ensures that information is sent straight to their inbox. Just be careful to review and segment your mailing list - no one needs another COVID-19 related email from a place they got an oil change five years ago. If you’re looking for tips, Campaign Monitor has some relevant best practices here.
Phone
If you offer appointment-based services, this is a very beneficial method. When scheduling or rescheduling appointments, it is convenient and effective to contact your clients directly and outline any new processes or expectations. Other options could include recording a greeting message with important things to note, or an updated voicemail message if your doors are still closed.
Social Media
In addition to the above, social platforms are an effective method of disseminating information. Nonetheless, don’t assume that all your customers are seeing your social posts, be sure to use other methods of communication in conjunction. Furthermore, social media can be quite the black hole of information, so do your best to cut through the clutter rather than add to it. You may also consider advertising on social networks to spread the word about new online offerings, or your reopening.
The current landscape for business owners has been changing rapidly for months, and it will likely continue to do so for months to come. Accordingly, communicating with your customers is a necessary and worthwhile endeavour. Most importantly, you want to be open and honest about the situation your business is facing. Managing times like these well, you can end up farther ahead in positive perceptions and customer loyalty while showcasing the humanity behind your brand.
Still not sure where to start with your communication efforts? We’re here to help! AWE offers advising services to assist with communications, business strategy, managing cash flows, and more.
