Communicating to your customers the status of your business during this pandemic is paramount. It takes little effort to put together a short and informative COVID-19 statement.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR STATEMENT
BUSINESS STATUS
The very first item and most important, is the status of your business. Is your business closed, open, curbside pickup only? Be sure to include if your operating hours have changed.
A law firm might simply state that staff is working from home and all business will be conducted via email, phone, and video conferencing. Whereas a restaurant that is open for carry out and delivery may require more details. For instance, the restaurant may use an online ordering system or they may use delivery services like DoorDash and Uber Eats. These are important details and should be included in their statement.
SAFETY PROTOCOLS IMPLEMENTED
People want to know what you are doing to help keep them safe and curtail the spread of the virus. For a veterinarian, this might include disinfecting protocols, enforcing social distancing, requiring masks, and limiting the number of people allowed in the waiting room.
LIMIT THE FLUFF
Many companies are including statements of reassurance. If you are going to do this, don’t overdo it and keep it below the business status and safety protocols. During a crisis, customers aren’t really interested in these types of messages. They simply want to know what concrete, actionable steps businesses are taking.
COMMUNICATING UPDATES
It’s important to let people know how statement updates will be communicated i.e. website, email, social media, etc.
WATCH YOUR TONE
The COVID-19 outbreak is a serious, global crisis that has greatly impacted many lives. Your messaging should give credence to the seriousness of the situation, don’t brush it off as a mere annoyance or inconvenience.
PUBLISH YOUR STATEMENT
Once your statement is complete, be sure to add it to your website and social media accounts. You may also want to send it to clients/customers via email.