COVID-19 is having a dramatic impact on service-based industries. With many countries requiring quarantine or imposing mandatory closures of businesses, the impact is being felt across businesses small and large.
Here are some of the best strategies that BookingTimes clients are using to make the best of the bad situation.
Put yourself in the shoes of your clients. They probably don’t know if you’re staying open or if you’ve closed. And if you are open, then they’d like to know the measures that you’re taking to keep them (and your staff) healthy.
Here’s a few ideas:
- Update your website with any local updates.
- Send emails letting everyone know your status.
- Tell customers how you are handling things and how that impacts them.
- Text all cancellations immediately (to staff and customers).
Last week, BookingTimes clients sent out over half a million emails to their customers. The emails simply stated that:
- Services are continuing.
- Highlighting the disinfecting process between clients.
- Offering free cancellations for anyone who may be experiencing any flu symptoms.
Not only does this strategy keep their customers fully aware of their status, but it also builds trust & goodwill.
Similarly to communicating your hygiene standards, being transparent about your availability and allowing your customers to book, pay and manage bookings online means that people feel confident to make an appointment without having to ring and check if you’re open.
It’s also a good time for those home-based & mobile services as customers won’t have to enter the public realm and make contact with undesirable germs.
For those offering services at a business location, make sure that you manage the customer overlap and give yourself ample time to clean your equipment, surfaces, etc, in between customers.
Additionally, having a central, online booking system allows your employees to do everything from home. Remember, you need to take care of your employees who take care of your customers.
Wuhan (ground zero) has seen already its first COVID-free days!
Many people are happy to hunker down during community isolation and spend their days watching Netflix.
As a business owner, you’ll also want to find some easy wins (even in a shutdown) to ensure the continuity of your business and staff. Unless you can get some toilet paper to sell at a huge markup today, the next best thing would be to pre-sell some gift cards for your services.
If you offer a discount (and that’s going to be important in the upcoming weeks/months), you’ll be able to have some income now, PLUS some momentum after the lockdown ceases. Despite the heavy atmosphere surrounding COVID-19 as a service based industry owner, there is a light at the end of this tunnel. With a little skill, tactical strategy, and social responsibility - we will all get through this - and we are in it together.