The coronavirus epidemic, or COVID-19, has been a major human catastrophic disaster and with that, it has also turned out to be an economic catastrophe that has infected millions and millions of individuals and businesses all around the planet. It has an obvious and unparalleled impact on the world economy and pushes internet companies such as Amazon and Google to adapt to its consequences. But there are a lot of things we can implement in order to make ends meet and keep our businesses going. Here is a guide to help you with your business during this pandemic.
Give employees flexibility and empower them
As we all are well aware that schools and workplaces, stores, companies, and commercial centres are closed throughout the region. With the world heading gradually to complete lockout, it is expected that the working of your staff might shift. As a good employer, you must be flexible and understanding with your employees.
Different organizations and companies are firing their staff and so people have insecurities about their jobs, you need to keep your staff involved in different productive activities in order to prevent them from stressing on what’s coming in the future. This will enhance their efficiency.
Online marketing strategy
You will keep your clients up-to-date with your own website, database and company profiles at the local level. Keep your clients up-to-date with FAQ pages that discuss specific concerns such as adjustments to your hours, improvements to goods or services and how the business is coping with the COVID-19 situation. You may even write blogs and articles related to COVID-19, and how the pandemic have harmed your business and the clients.
You can use structured information to prioritize content and “tell” search engines, based on the form of company you run. For example, if you have a retail business, you can tell consumers of the current product listings with the structured data type “item availability.” When you are an event manager or have a gathering, structured information forms help you notify your customers on the progress of the gathering – whether it is underway, cancelled or streaming.
In order to keep the clients updated to make sure you update the business hours and service available if there are any changes. Make sure to update your Google My Business profile with any alterations to keep your customers informed. This will save the precious time of your costumers, making things in your favour and keeping them happy.
Develop a more efficient customer care service
In these times you need to have a more enhanced customer care service, in this way you can stay connected with the costumers. Inform your clients that certain items can currently be unavailable or out of stock, based on their location. Try to make things as feasible for your clients as possible.
Are you eligible for government assistance?
Different governments are offering different relief packages that you can check and put an application forward for. The financial help might support your business in this difficult time. You can visit www.business.gov.au for more information.
Seek professional help on deferring tax payments
If your business is impacted by COVID-19, then your regional Tax Office can grant you a deferment of some tax obligations. Speak to your tax professional about the different options you have. Deferring payments will affect your eligibility for certain stimulus package options, so seek advice from a specialist.
Be all ears to your costumers
All you need is your costumers, they can either make you prosper or can make your business end up as a fail. You need feedback in order to know what are your costumers liking and what are the things they would like you to improve in the future. There are different methods through which you can allow your costumers to give you feedback:
Online surveys: This is the simplest approach and the most scalable. Determine the end objective to yourself and your staff before you carry out a survey, and explain precisely what you want the survey to accomplish. Try to make your surveys comprehensive and easy for your costumers to understand.
Social listening: this doesn’t only implements on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter but also other reviewing platforms along with the comments on the products or services. This will give you an insight into what your costumers are appreciating and what they find problematic.
Net Promoter Score: This is a useful gauge of who your loyal customers are. NPS asks its customers regarding their choice of promoting the services to their friends, family, and others on a scale of 1 to 10. This method is easy for the costumers to use and is far less time consuming as well.
Be productive and utilize your in-house comfort
Having a comfortable space like home to work can mean working at various hours of the day. Prepare a schedule that takes into account time gaps, working hours, and periods you need to take a break to resolve personal issues. When you and your staff members are working from home they will have a comfortable environment to work in and thus things can be a lot more creative and efficient when done with a peaceful mind.
Be transparent and vocal
Everyone is facing and dealing with this crisis situation together, so be honest about what is happening to your business and all that can happen. As long as you interact with them honestly and keep them well informed, consumers will empathize with companies dealing with a crisis. There is a fair chance that they will co-operate with you in this situation. Moreover, it is important to tell the costumers the measures you are taking to ensure their safety.
Build contacts
This is a crucial time to bring help and advice into your networks. It is important for your overall mental health to be able to maintain some influence over your situation. Continue engaging with your support networks and connecting to other small companies to exchange new ideas and activities. This will help you in staying updated on different creative ideas, you can support each other and build good friendships and support in the long run.
