Support During The Age Of COVID-19July 26th, 2020

In times of trouble like we are currently experiencing with the COVID-19 virus, it is imperative for service companies to step up their support function. The status quo is not good enough, not nearly good enough.

Listen, everyone is going through difficult times right now. Many businesses are suffering and some are in dire straits.

Here are four things you can do to help your clients/customers:

1. Be Responsive – when someone asks you for help or send you a request, answer them as soon as humanly possible. Since our inception in 1996 we have always practiced this. We always respond the same day. While this seems elementary, you’d be shocked at how many companies in my line of work don’t respond for weeks at a time.
2. Be Flexible – you will inevitably have clients/customers who are having a difficult time paying their invoices. Wherever possible you need to be flexible either give people more time, reduce bills and help them in anyway you can to get through this tragic in our history.
3. Be Proactive – when you see clients missing out on opportunities, especially those that won’t cost them too much money, let them know, provide them with any and all ideas you have that might help them survive, and eventually thrive.
4. Be Understanding – it’s always good to put yourself in other shoes. Perhaps your business is doing OK, but that’s not true of everyone and it always helps to try and show understanding. You will have people angry, upset, sad and experiencing every emotion there is. People’s frustration level is at an all-time high. So it is our job to try to calm them, help them.

As the expression goes, this too shall pass. Eventually we will have treatments and/or vaccines and we will be able to move on from this difficult time in our history. Until then it is our duty to help others in anyway we can. The least we can do is provide the best support we can. This will ultimately pay off and your clients/customers loyalty towards your company will result in more referrals and longer-term satisfaction. Everyone remembers those who helped them during difficult times.