With Covid-19, it seems as though the whole world has changed, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that a business stays in business when it has customers.  Customer retention issues have always existed, but during this current Covid-19 crisis, many businesses are desperately trying to hang on to their customers.  This is a unique time, to be sure, but desperation has never solved anything.

The truth is customer retention strategies are the same that they’ve always been.  Customers are still looking for a quality product and a quality experience.  It’s just that there is no room for error anymore.  Customers want to know – are you there for them or not.  There’s no kinda, maybe, sort of. 

Just a few short months ago, businesses that didn’t pay attention to or care about their customers’ wants and needs could still survive.  But now, there is not that cushion.  Now, it is adapt or die.  Today, businesses either choose between meeting customer needs or not existing. 

But how do you keep customers interested in your products, services and business when it’s not “business as usual?” 

 The question isn’t “how can we get back to normal?”  The question instead must be, “what do we do now?”  Current world events have created an incredible opportunity to strengthen relationships with your customers.  How well do you know them? How well do you understand their needs?  And more importantly, how well do you understand and appreciate how their worlds have changed?

 Use this time to create stronger bonds and uncover missed opportunities.  Even if you can’t provide your usual products and services, chances are, you can provide your customers with something.  That “something” could turn out to be lucrative for your business and essential for your customers. 

Innovation isn’t always about creating something different; it is instead a result of looking at a challenge in a new way and designing something beneficial to both parties. 

Do you care more about your customers or your business?  You may think the correct answer is your business – if you have no business, you can’t provide for customers.  But if you have no customers, then you have no business.  Focus on your customers and they will keep you in business.  

Now, more than ever, is the time to understand what life is like for your customers. How do they want you to make their lives better?  How can you best provide that?

Because of Covid-19, customers’ priorities have changed.  Understandably, health and safety concerns have risen to the top.

But, as with all aspects of Customer Experience, are you mindful of how wide to cast that net?

When the Covid crisis began, most businesses were quick to require face masks, add hand sanitizer stations and promote social distancing.  However, that might not be enough.

For example, an appliance store believed they were doing as much as they could for their customers – the store’s inventory had been rearranged to promote social distancing, signs went up regarding face mask usage and limits to the number of people allowed inside at any given time, and the staff’s schedule had been tweaked to space out shifts.

It seemed as though the plan was working as sales were up.  One couple felt safe enough to enter the store and make a purchase for a large appliance that would require home delivery with professional installation. Because everything in the store appeared to follow Covid protocols, the couple felt no hesitation in making the purchase and scheduling the delivery/installation.

A few months later, the appliance was finally in-stock and after a couple of days, the delivery truck arrived.  The installers were polite, quick and all seemed well.

However, less than 24 hours later, the couple noticed water leaking from behind the appliance.  When they called the store, they were informed that it was a plumbing issue and not an appliance issue.  So, they contacted their plumber to arrange for an appointment to fix the leak, which by this point had ruined their hardwood floors.

A few days later, a plumber arrived at their home to assess the situation and realized that it wasn’t a plumbing issue at all – the leak was caused by a sloppy installation job.

Now, mistakes happen, this is true.  And the delivery/installation people were no doubt overwhelmed with the number of orders they needed to deliver.  But, in not installing the appliance correctly, this couple now had to have a plumber and a floor refinisher come to their house.

So, while the appliance store seemed safe enough to visit, this couple now had 3 separate visits into their home from workmen that should have only been 1.  So much for social distancing.

That appliance store no longer looks so safe.

When it comes to thinking about the health and safety of your customers, the plan shouldn’t necessarily end the minute the customer is out of the store.  When it comes to Customer Experience in general, the plan shouldn’t end the minute the customer is out of the store.  Think of the end-to-end journey. It might be longer than you realize.

Everything in business, Covid or no Covid, must start with the customer rather than end with the customer. Many businesses think of customers at the end of timeline, but customers need to be included at each step of the timeline and everywhere in between.

Covid didn’t change everything.  Not really. It just made everything more obvious.