There’s no denying the severe impact the pandemic has on individuals’ lives and the global economy. However, as we’re fast approaching the end of the pandemic and businesses are reopening, everyone needs to address the changes in culture. Especially businesses, as the shift in cultural norms will affect how they run their operations. Here are some tips to help companies update their process to stay competitive in a post-pandemic era.
Improve Your Relationship with Your Current Customers
Getting new customers is always challenging, regardless of the time. However, it’s even harder nowadays as people feel safer with their established service providers. Instead of focusing too much on getting new customers, it’s a better decision to see how you can improve your relationship with your existing ones.
This is especially true since they’ll most likely be demanding a refund or a change in business terms. It’s best to address their concerns before they’re even raised, such as offering refunds if your business really can’t continue operations or offering to switch them to an alternative service that’s a better fit for the current social landscape.
Offer Deals and Discounts
As the days go by, more businesses are starting to reopen their services, and a great way to bring more people in is by offering deals and discounts. Doing so will communicate that you’re willing to help them as many are still struggling financially. It can also develop loyalty among your customer base.
Deals and discounts give your clients more reason to choose your business over others, and the marketing hook of a discount can garner more interest than you might initially assume. The increased attention will bolster your brand image and awareness, and as a result, you will be able to get back to working order soon.
Adjust Your Communication Methods
Because the pandemic greatly affected people’s schedules and routines, your former means of communication might not be applicable anymore. It’s wise to adjust how you send your message to your customers to better fit their new routine. What this means is that you might have to adapt your content to what the market currently prefers.
You can do this by being direct: send messages to your clients and ask them how they would like to be contacted. Perhaps their work-from-home situation makes them more accessible during the day to attend to other concerns. Or maybe they prefer after traditional working hours.
Utilize Technology to Improve Performance
Technology is continuously helping us improve how we accomplish different tasks and activities. It’s best to utilize this to enhance your business’s current performance, especially since there is a need to adjust to the other demands. Take, for example, remote working through video conferencing tools or collaborative communication platforms to work around travel or commuting issues that plague many people.
There’s also the idea of migrating your services into an online format. It’s something many restaurants and other service providers have done. This is the time to look for opportunities through technology to make your current operations more efficient. You can also open your business to an entirely new subset of service or perhaps simply a change in format.
Adapt to the Cultural Changes
The pandemic showed how fragile and easily destructible our routines are. Even businesses with a fail-safe or a contingency plan could not predict this event and have suffered dramatically as a result.
Fortunately, technology is here to help alleviate or solve some of the problems that have been bothering many people. It’s important to remember that this technological integration into almost everything we do isn’t a way to supplant traditional methods. It’s a means to enhance them.
People are still expecting stores and restaurants to have a physical store while selling their products online. Fitness instructors are expected to offer face-to-face and video conference coaching. These are the cultural changes society is facing, and it’s crucial to adapt to them.
Emphasize Hygiene and Cleanliness
This is of particular importance when you have a physical location such as a brick-and-mortar store or a physical office. Because people are concerned about contracting the virus, it’s best to guarantee their safety by hiring a hygiene service contractor to help disinfect your store or office.
The improved cleanliness and attention to disinfecting your location should be communicated to your customer base. This way, they can feel safe whenever they go to your store. This will not only alleviate your clients’ concerns when it comes to sanitation but also decreases the risks to your office workers.
The pandemic continues to impact businesses with how they operate and reach out to consumers. With this, know how you can remain relevant and competitive in your industry.
