Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, many businesses have suffered setbacks and challenges. Some of these businesses have stepped up to the challenge and experienced positive outcomes. By taking a look at how many other businesses have handled these issues, you can learn many effective lessons to better position your business to deal with any challenges your business may face.
At The Chubby Trout and The Flippin Cow, owned by Cam Snyder and his wife, it's simply not possible for workers in the kitchen to maintain safe distances from each other. After trying to keep the restaurants open for a couple of weeks with a carryout and delivery model, like many other restaurants, Cam decided to shut the doors entirely to reduce the risk that his employees would infect one another. Instead, he chose to pivot his business model and try out a different concept: he started selling groceries like meat. He offered pre-made specialty items that customers could pre-order and pick up at a designated time.
Not only has this been an incredibly successful way for Cam to keep his business up and running in a world impacted by COVID-19, but it has also proven so successful that he's seeking to continue these services even when the coronavirus crisis comes to an end.
Here’s a video clip of Cam connecting and communicating directly with his customers on recent changes and updates.
During a crisis, it can be hard to see how your business can continue normal operations or cope with customer needs. By pivoting your business model, however, you can often keep your business functional and even find new opportunities for expansion.
Jeff of Mold, Fire, and Water Restoration Services usually handles emergency services: fires, floods, and mold in homes. Jeff, the owner, is used to thinking on his feet and handling emergency services. When the COVID-19 crisis arrived, Jeff jumped in to make sure that his employees had aggressive training to handle CDC guidelines for COVID-19-related cleanup. The team still responds to home needs for fire, water, and mold concerns. However, they're also going above and beyond to provide commercial cleaning services for essential workers and businesses across the community, including grocery stores, banks, factories, restaurants, and more.
Here's a video of Jeff walking through the strategy of how he pivoted his business and the outcomes from that decision.
There is often opportunity even in the midst of a crisis--including needs that only your business can fill. There might be a decreased demand for your usual services, but that doesn't mean that you can't offer highly useful services to your community. Think fast and be willing to invest in your employees. A little training can help transform the services you already offer into something highly beneficial for your community.
To celebrate the arrival of spring, Clear H20 Tackle, located in Edwardsburg, Michigan, traditionally hosts a three-day sale that has a huge customer draw, with tons of people in the store over the course of those three days. This year, in light of the pandemic, Clear H20 Tackle has chosen to prioritize customer safety. Instead of hosting a three-day sale that would cram countless people into the store, the business has decided to hold a six-week sale with multiple shopping options: in-store, with heightened safety precautions to help keep guests safe; online or phone orders for delivery; or curbside pickup. The curbside pickup option is not one that the business has offered in the past, but it has allowed customers to continue shopping in ways that make them feel safe. The business even provides pickup outside of regular business hours for customers with specific needs.
During a crisis, it's critical to keep your customers at the forefront. Consider what your customers need and how you can deliver it to them. By extending the sale, Clear H20 was able to meet the needs of more customers while avoiding store overcrowding and keeping both customers and employees safer.
Waypoint VRcade is a brand new business that opened its doors in February, only to close them again a few weeks later in response to COVID-19. While the business cannot continue normal operations, it turned its space to something productive: producing hand sanitizer. Now that they've completed their production efforts, they're partnering with a local radio station to pass out their product to the community safely. This tactic has helped keep the company relevant and top of mind in a time when they cannot cultivate customers through normal means.
Even if you can't continue your normal business functions, you may well still have something--and potentially something very important--to offer to your community. Consider what measures you can take to remain top of mind in a crisis, which will, in turn, help bring customers back to your business when the crisis comes to an end.
Crisis business operations and marketing have looked very different throughout the COVID-19 crisis than they ever have before. By taking lessons from these smart brands, you can respond to the changing times and keep your business both relevant and functional.