Amid an ongoing, global pandemic, companies are slowly starting to let nonessential workers back into their offices.
Whether you had to shut down completely or adapt to a fully or partially remote workforce, you’ve been adjusting to a new reality.
But what does this change mean to your customers?
How do you keep their needs front and center when you don’t fully know what tomorrow will bring?
Here are five ways to best support your customers right now:
Thinking about what you’re doing internally isn’t the best way to amp up your customer service. Instead, think about what your customer is going through. What products and services do you have that would be useful to someone?
Keep lines of communication open with your customers and prospects. Give them accurate and up-to-date information about what’s going on in your business. And keep in mind the way this update will impact them.
However, this tactic does not involve overloading your customers and prospects with unnecessary information.
Here’s one of the best things to come out of COVID-19: Companies that were previously resistant to technology are quickly adapting to virtual meetings and other technology-based measures.
If you’re one of these companies, don’t turn away from technological advancement now. Embrace it. Think of the way you can keep improving on what you already have.
Maybe you started texting your customers because it was quick and easy. Did you know that you could more efficiently text them with Sugar Messaging? With this tool, you can text any record with a mobile number on the fly. And all texts are stored in the Messages subpanel under contacts, leads, etc.
Think about the way you can take the technology you’ve implemented one step further. Especially consider this tactic when it makes it easier to better serve your customers.
When your team members are scattered all over the place, systems that hold your important customer data (such as your customer service platform and CRM) become even more crucial.
Encourage team members to keep your CRM up to date with customer data. This practice will ensure everyone has all the information they need—no matter who has the next touchpoint with a client.
During times of uncertainty, companies tend to buckle down on sales and customer support and push marketing to the wayside. Many businesses are pausing marketing efforts, in the hopes they can simply restart their previous efforts within a few more weeks. But that’s unrealistic.
Here’s the truth: We don’t know what the new normal is yet. So what worked before might not work the same way again.
Dive into your marketing automation data and pinpoint the ways people are currently interacting with your brand. What types of content are they reading? How many people are coming to your landing pages from social media and other campaigns?
Do you have automated email campaigns running? Are they being opened and read?
No one wants to get bombarded with marketing messaging that isn’t relevant to them. Take an inventory of the ways people are currently engaging with your brand, and pivot your marketing plan accordingly.
Most importantly, everyone has been going through a crisis they have never experienced before. Your team members are simultaneously juggling their work and home lives, and they could use support.
Taking care of employees may look different to different companies. If you have staff working from home, trust them to do their jobs. Don’t micromanage, and individually address issues as they arise.
Be transparent with your team about what’s going on in your company. Let them know the options they have for flexibility, as well as anything else they might need.
Conclusion
Since the business world is challenging right now, you must be a strong source of support for your customers. Take a breath, think about what their needs are, and adapt your plans accordingly. By following these steps, you can put your company back on the right track.
