One day, hopefully soon, the COVID-19 pandemic will subside, and businesses like yours will return to normal operations. In your vision of tomorrow, you’ll open your hair salon, restaurant, or retail store, and customers will walk in the door, grateful for life returning back to normal. However, with much of the world’s population turning to online services during this period of social distancing, quarantines, and isolation, how confident are you that your customers will return? Sure, your business will be open, but will they come?

Forward thinking business owners are already preparing for the next day, and maintaining contact with their customer base. They are cementing relationships and engendering loyalty through messaging applications that can help bring their community together, even while physically apart. Here are a few things you can do to so that the next time you are able to open your doors, your customers will continue to use your services.

Continue to Serve Your Customers

Does your restaurant have a signature dish? Or do your nail salon customers need help with home gel removal? Are you a local tour guide, focused on showing your customers different areas in the city?

Your doors may be shuttered, but that doesn’t mean need to stop thinking about customer service. Create a series of do it yourself videos using low-cost tools on your computer or phone. Share recipes. Offer home nail care tips. Show interesting sites in town.

Offer Emotional Support

Most customers don’t normally turn to businesses for emotional support. However, people do share their feelings with hair stylists, bar tenders, baristas and other service professionals.

If your customers often treat you like a therapist, let them know that you’re still there for them during this time of stress. Share daily affirmations, positivity quotes, and maintain two-way conversations when needed.

Organize for a Cause

If there is a local cause related to your business, consider rallying your customers to participate. Even if they aren’t able to participate financially, they will appreciate the difference you are making in the lives of local families.

For example, if you own a toy store and would like to donate games to children stuck at home with nothing to do, run a fundraising campaign to cover wholesale costs involved. You can manage the campaign through messaging applications, and update your contacts with amounts raised, and pictures of families receiving gifts.

Focusing on Tomorrow

These techniques will help you maintain your relationship with your customer base. When the pandemic subsides, you’ve laid the groundwork for them to come back for your services.

Talk to us to see how we can help you find new ways to engage with customers.