We don’t know how long the quarantine is gonna last but we do know most of the business got affected. People are losing their jobs as things are shutting down. Even if the current situation magically improves in a month and everyone is free to walk outside again, the economy is not gonna bounce back immediately. People will change their behavior in purchasing, working, social, etc. Regardless what’s the government policy for the next step, let’s just admit:
It sucks.
But let’s not bitch about it. Nor criticize the people who just went outside of their houses. You can embrace the changes.
Remote work actually works
I’ve been working at home for a long time, and I love it. I never like to work in the office and being interrupted or listening to coworkers chit-chatting for an hour straight. I have the idea that the less time you’re sitting in front of your laptop working, the more free time you have for yourself. I also love how much less traffic it is in the city (at this moment I’m in Salt Lake City). The air quality has been hugely improved. (This is the real news in China.) For a company, you need less or no working space. For individual, you spend your time wisely and locate those free time to do something you love.
Online service
I’m kinda bummed that I didn’t buy Zoom stock before all of this happened. Online communication is way more demanding than it has ever been. I don’t think online communication will totally replace face-to-face after things get settled. But some people are realizing lots of things can be done by sitting at home. Again, saving the traffic time. That’s being said, offering online service (with the huge discount offering now) is the way to go. Adobe already offered two free months for all Creative Clouds products. If you need to take the damage better take the future potential customers with you.
Door to door service
When Park City announced to shut down for 30 days, some restaurants started to offer deliver-to-door service. It’s a great idea for a business to minimize the impact. They still can operate, and pay their employees. So people still can pay their ridiculous rent in Park City. Lots of my friends are saying they don’t know what to eat now (since they usually don’t cook). That’s an opportunity to fulfill their needs.
Invest in Research
For companies that are selling physical products, I suggest to rethink about your brand positioning and review all the product lines. Drop the ones that don’t align with your brand. Only keep the core ones, and create the new products based on the new findings at this time. Streamline your products. Keep it lean. Make something that will really resonate in your tribe.
support your tribe
At this time, people appreciate any small helps. Depending on where you are at financially, supporting the community is a great way to create the bond. For example, some restaurants in Bend offer free meal for those who got laid off because of COVID-19 quarantine. Not saying doing this merely for the purpose of promoting brands. Your audience has been supporting you along the way. Giving a hang and showing gratitude will make this people think this brand is own by human.
enjoy it now, pay it later
If you know your product is more like a luxury product for users (something it’s nice to have a new one but it’s not necessary; it’s also more expensive), it’s nice to offer installment plan. People during this time is less willing to spend their spending on something that is not essential. Give them a chance to get something that will make them happy while not burdening their current financial situation.
do good
Similar to support your tribe, but extend to people that are not your users/ audience. For example, donate food to low-income families; provide products to those who need; give a certain percentage of profit to the organization that’s fighting COVID-19. It’s time to help each other to get through this difficult time together.
Every company’s product or service is different. You might find some useful and some not applicable. If you want to talk more, feel free to contact me: cerrateng@gmail.com