The COVID-19 pandemic has sky-rocketed even the late adopters into cyber space, forcing them into often uncomfortable and largely unknown territory over-night. While the early starters had enjoyed a competitive edge, the surge of on-line transactions is crowding the marketplace and the real rewards will now only go to those companies who can distinguish themselves from the pack.

What are some of those distinguishing features? As we reopen our businesses, one in particular stands out above all the others – the need to connect with your customers with care and concern. According to research done by McKinsey & Company, due to all the issues with safety and having to navigate a new set of challenges, our customers, more than ever, want to relate to service and product providers who they can trust. 64% of customers surveyed, choose to purchase from companies with socially responsible brands, a significant increase over previous years. It is inspiring to see how many international and local companies have stepped up to the plate and have found ways to give back even while revenues have fallen or are non-existent. Sometimes this can be accomplished with very little additional expense by simply reallocating underutilized space or systems to help others in need – providing free internet access/platforms for students; hotels rooms for quarantine facilities, to name two.

Another way to build trust is to reach out to your customers, not just to sell products and services, but to offer genuine support – interest waivers, better credit terms and payment relief for example. Meeting customers where they are – home delivery, self-service and other ways of providing contact-less service. Offering more digital options, if well-managed, is an important tool for reducing operational costs and improving customer service, but it’s critical to find ways of making the digital space more human. For example, introducing live video-chats, where customers can connect with representatives in real time. Also, companies need to bear in mind that for many customers, navigating the on-line world is new and often intimidating. Here, support and guidance are keys to keeping the customer experience positive. Of course, learning the NLP skills of rapport are critical to establishing a REAL connection behind the mask!

In the rush to please customers, often employees are overlooked. According to Sir Richard Branson, the mega-successful entrepreneur, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your clients”. Nuff said. Being transparent with employees, sharing data and information on company performance, management pay-cuts as well as employee salary reductions, keeping health benefits despite lay-offs, giving employees new skills, tools and coaching to provide a superior customer experience, are all vital ways to demonstrate care and concern for employees.

Finally, a word of caution. If your customer service was lousy pre-COVID, it is highly unlikely that it will magically improve as your doors reopen. As digital channels take precedence over face-to-face interactions, aloof or uncaring exchanges are more easily facilitated – an angry customer whose call is accidentally dropped for example; a customer complaint which gets tied up and lost in the virtual vacuum. You know them. Training and coaching of staff is critical to ensure the issues are fixed and major problems averted. Call us today for a free Discovery Session so we can show you exactly how to do that!