woman on phone and computer in restaurant
From communicating openly to revising your marketing strategy, there are many things yous can do to keep providing dandy customer service in times of crisis. — Getty Images/andresr

Over the past month, small businesses have been grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. During challenging situations, it's important to be transparent and proactively communicate with your customers. Listed below are six ways you lot can provide great customer service during a crisis.

Take a plan and stay calm

Right from the showtime, it'south essential to establish a plan and stay calm. When y'all accomplish out to your customers, you want to audio confident and knowledgeable. Your customers need to hear that you have a handle on the situation and that your concern is available to help them.

Avoid making hasty, impulsive decisions during this time. Make sure y'all consider all your options and be open to changing the plan as the situation evolves. You don't want to lock yourself into a stance that later becomes irrelevant.

Be proactive nigh communicating with customers

When there'southward a crisis, your customers need to hear from you lot. So you should reach out to them as before long as possible and have a schedule for following upwardly.

When you contact your customers, look for ways to exist empathetic and acknowledge how the situation is impacting them and their families. Only make certain the information you're communicating is authentic and relevant.

Don't speculate near the facts and don't set unrealistic expectations that your business concern won't be able to meet. This will only hurt your business's credibility in the long run.

[Read more: 15 Examples of How Companies Are Communicating with Customers Near Coronavirus]

Want to learn more well-nigh how to re-connect with customers mail-pandemic? Sentinel this episode of our CO— Blueprint series on re-engaging with your customers.

Your electric current customers are your best bet for staying profitable in the months to come.

Coronavirus Guide for Small Businesses

CO— is working to bring you the best resources and information to help y'all navigate this challenging time. Read on for our complete coronavirus coverage.

Have a cardinal point of advice

Don't brand your customers search for the information they need. Accept a central reference point where they can find the answers they need. You can direct customers to a public page on your website where they tin find all the information they need.

On this page, you tin include the most current information you have about the situation. You tin also address some of the nearly ordinarily asked questions well-nigh how your business is treatment the situation.

It's also a practiced idea to regularly share updates on any social media platforms where your customers are agile.

Revise your current marketing strategy

Your business likely already had a marketing plan in place for the coming months. But in the midst of a crisis, that program is no longer relevant.

Review all of your advertising, email marketing, social media posts, and any other planned marketing efforts. If yous don't exercise this, you lot risk sharing something that your customers might view as insensitive or inappropriate.

For case, mass emailing your customers and encouraging them to try a new product or feature may non be well-received by some customers.

Proceed to focus on the customers you already have

When problems occur, many businesses shift their focus to how they'll find new business organization. And while new business organisation is always helpful, don't lose sight of the customers y'all already have.

Your current customers are your best bet for staying profitable in the months to come up. Now is the fourth dimension to focus on delivering fantabulous service and providing for your existing customers.

[Read more: How Small Businesses Are Supporting Coronavirus Efforts]

Share what your business is doing to help

During stressful situations, your customers desire to be inspired and feel like things are improving. Then share that your business organization cares about what's going on, and bear witness your customers what you're doing to aid improve the state of affairs.

For case, Ford announced that it plans to make l,000 ventilators inside 100 days to aid efforts in fighting the coronavirus. CVS and Walgreens waived prescription delivery fees to its pharmacy customers. And so practise all you lot tin can to help, and invite your customers to contribute every bit well.

To stay on peak of all the news impacting your small business concern, become here for all of our latest small concern news and updates.

CO—is committed to helping you lot start, run and grow your small business. Acquire more near the benefits of small business organization membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here.

Published April 03, 2020