How to save your business during the coronavirus crisis?

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread on Earth and has affected the life and surroundings of almost every human being. Today we feel we're part of one whole story more than ever, that's why we must be socially responsible and help each other.

Business Survival

It's evident that for those businesses that have the online component only as a tool can feel difficulties right now. Behind the online life of a company, there's always an offline base. All of the actual work of manufacturing, growing, packing, or shipping is provided in the real world. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, we're forced to observe the failure of most debugged systems that makes the work possible.

So what do we have here? We have new challenges, and we have to do everything possible to save what we own.

And I say that we'll succeed in this fight!

Analyzing

To successfully deal with the possible adverse effects, let's TURN ON THE LIGHT and look at the monster.

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• Yes, almost a third of the world's population is now self-quarantined, and this makes a mess in all usual processes in the world of trade.
• Yes, there's a risk of infection if one of your workers doesn't follow specific rules of self-safety.
• Yes, potential buyers and regular customers have now shifted their priorities, and it may be not to the benefit of your company.
• Yes, the number of orders and purchases may decrease.

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• Thanks to the Internet and social networks, we can communicate with employees at any physical distance.
• Many modern activities that support your business can be done remotely.
• We can provide a safe environment for offline work by following the recommendations of epidemiologists and doctors.
• Thanks to delivery services, buyers can still buy and receive goods.
• Online payment helps to avoid unwanted contact right now.

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• We can offer and encourage customers to be active now with discounts, promotions, offers and favorable terms of delivery.
• People spend a lot more time online during quarantine, and this is an opportunity to expand your audience and get more customers involved.
• You can help your customers and show that your products are useful now, even in isolation, and how to use them.
• Entertaining content will bring your brand and your store closer to the buyer.
• It's an excellent time to make plans for the future of your business and do more improvements as there was always not enough time for this before.

Any challenging times are not a time for panic and despair. Right now, we need to get a grip and gather all the efforts to maintain the level of business that we have already achieved. Calm, regular actions will help your business stay in the same state as before pandemic, or even improve.

Employee safety

The first thing to pay attention is safety, directly your, your employees and customers. An essential rule now is to comply with government instructions. Minimize social contacts and remotely address any issues you may have. If you have your production or you have employees who cannot work remotely - provide them with protective gear and form a safe distance for them during work.

Set up regular cleaning, ventilating building and washing hands protocols. Especially if your business is dealing with products, medicines, hygiene products and anything that can potentially serve as a transfer of the virus, it should be settled to monitor the health and body temperature of workers by several times a day.

Remember that the future of your people and your business depends on your current actions.

Delivery

As of early April, almost all shipping companies have been forced to change their delivery procedures. Due to flight restrictions, shipping is currently unable to offer services in some areas. Delivery may take longer to ship and may not be accessible in certain regions.

What we can do is to set up the most convenient delivery for the buyer in such conditions. There's an option to create your shipment if your business operates locally. Also, there's another option to make individual terms and arrangements with a delivery service during the quarantine.

For many companies, the need for free shipping is a must-have solution. This proposition is desirable to buyers during the quarantine.

Free shipping can shift the choice between your product and your competitor's product. An even better proposition is to offer delivery not only to the nearest post office but free no-contact delivery to the door. The courier can leave the package at the door, and the customer will pay online. This way, you take care of everyone's safety.

Announcement

Report about your awareness and preparedness in the situation to buyers. Describe on your website what kind of safety actions you have in the company to prevent the spread of the virus. Tell your customers what measures have you put in place to ensure this safety for buyers. Let them know the internal processes in the company that affect everyone's safety. This information will help customers to continue to buy products from you without worry and have a positive impression of your responsibility and high professionalism.

Another good idea is to arrange online office tours for your clients. Show the processes that take place for making or packing your goods. A review of the inner workings always increases trust, and it's also enjoyable!

Let your company "live" online and be transparent. It would be the best practice you can do today.

Pay particular attention to your online presence right now. Make sure that anyone who wants to contact you, can do so. It‘s time to remind everyone how your pages can be found on social networks. It's the right time to stop postponing virtual development of your brand until better times. Take care of your customers while they're at home. Depending on the direction of your business, you can entertain them, encourage their interests, provide online services, and promote that all to make more people get to know about you.

Get ready to extra load to your website during the quarantine. When isolated, people spend more time on the Internet. Make sure your site can be serviceable for lots of visitors.

High-quality useful content

Your presence on social networks doesn't let the world to forget about your company and keep in touch with it. Answer questions, create engaging surveys or make videoconferencing. It's a good option to entertain the public and remind yourself. By being active on the Internet, you have the opportunity not only to retain the interest of regular customers but also to gain new loyalty.

Being too perfect isn't respected by the audience. Be real and alive. If you are having difficulties, you can share it, have an online discussion and get recommendations from customers. They'll be glad to feel involved and useful. Great idea to make a live conference with a well-known person and discuss your products. People will love it.

Online masterclasses, online courses and webinars deserve to be discussed separately. Learning and sharing knowledge is always a good idea. Online stores and companies can make reviews of products or conduct master classes on their use at home. Informative posts and research are excellent content. Get your customers involved with your online life. For example, you can organize a contest for the best video response, start a challenge or a flash mob with prizes for the best entrants.

Need for products and support

You can offer to buy certificates for a product or service now on good terms. This way the buyer can exchange it after the quarantine. It's also good to know that after this isolation, something nice is waiting. You can also support your customers in many other ways, such as making discounts on the products they need, even if the discounts are small. Or offer more chat-, shop-, phone conversations. Have your support managers add "Take care of yourself" at the end of the conversation. Simple little things get great results.

Even if your business doesn't deal with the essential things for quarantine needs, such as medicines or food, this isn't a reason to be disappointed. Any shopping always generates positive emotions, it's vital at a time when someone is physically distant, and the ability to receive emotions is diminished.

For example, a clothing store has the opportunity to promote home wear, because to be in quarantine doesn't mean to be untidy. An auto parts store can help repair the cars yourself according to the instructions etc.

The quarantine can be seen as a reboot point and an opportunity to change something for the better. You can be as much close to your customers as you always wanted. Possible difficulties are given to overcome them.

Be strong and take care of yourself! :)

Regards, Mageside team.