There’s no turning back, COVID-19 has left its mark and perhaps a future warning. Businesses take note; welcome to the new normal, where social distancing, temperature screening and PPE are all a part of your business model. In this new world, businesses must be prudent and transparent in their efforts to keep customers safe. The transition to working from home has opened up a variety of possibilities that as a society we might have been too comfortable to otherwise explore. These new possibilities have changed customer behavior drastically in just a few months. Big retail players like Amazon and other e-commerce businesses have given way to convenience shopping and are no doubt looking into ways to expand their market share further as we speak.
As governments all over the world ease the restraints on public interaction, businesses are slowly reopening, but if you’re a business owner here are some things to consider:
The Golden Rule of Building and Maintaining Trust
Building trust with customers is paramount in any successful business strategy, that hasn’t changed, the only thing that has changed is the opportunity to do so, that’s if you know where to look. Yes, physical shopping behaviors have been halted, however people look for leaders in times of crisis, your business provides a platform to breed trust but don’t take this lightly, trust as they say, takes a lifetime to build but only minutes to destroy.
The number one concern on your customer’s mind is how your business has adapted to keep them and their families safe. Building trust in this time of skepticism and uncertainty might be your most lucrative strategy and here are a few ways you can do it:
1) Social distancing is not always easy to enforce, but we can take a huge lesson from grocery stores and other businesses that are deemed essential, as they have become the guinea pigs for this new system. Floor stickers set six feet apart are a good start to help customers know where to stand and what a safe distance looks like. It can also help you, as a business owner, keep track of the amount of people in your store to ensure you are following health regulations.
2) Body temperature monitors are a must; temperature monitors that can be set at the front, to scan all those who enter your store, will give you and your customers’ peace of mind, knowing that anyone who enters the facility is fever free. Coupled with the other measures in this article, you can keep your customers safe and build genuine trust in the midst of uncertainty.
You want to try to eliminate the amount of interaction between staff and customers, so automating this process can save time, money and lives. One particular company, Thirty8 Degrees, distributes one of the leading products in the industry, the Thermal Guard Temperature Screeners. This discreet and sleek design is automated and contactless. It scans your employees and guests faster than taking a selfie! Aside from that, the Thermal Guard device has many useful features including mask detection technology, employee time stamping, AI facial recognition, maglock security door integration and several other benefits that you can integrate with your business.
3) Personal Protective Equipment: from the moment a customer reaches your storefront until they leave, all touch points should be reduced or eliminated. Providing PPE or sanitization is a great step businesses can take to show consumers they are being responsible. Aside from sanitizing main touch points, like carts, shelves and counters, providing protective equipment to customers provides a convenient customer experience and there is an extremely effective way to build trust.
4) Communications Strategy: From a communications standpoint, your business should be broadcasting its stringent health and safety routines so that the public feels confident in your ability to keep them safe and so they are aware of what to expect. Communication is key during times of uncertainty, with misinformation storming social media channels, ensuring that you have up to date, timely and easy to understand communications products will keep you in the running. Get creative and build a compelling call to action.
Navigating these unprecedented times is difficult, we remind all of our readers to continue to practice self care, soon the current state of affairs will be history, what we learn and how we adapt from this will pave the future of business.
