Is there anything more unpredictable than business? Unpredictable, and not unreliable or inconsistent. Who would’ve thought, for example, that 2020 will be a year where businesses have to realign their values and reidentify with their customers? Before the New Year, there was a lot of optimism in various sectors and industries. It is the turn of the decade and many are expecting businesses to boom and flourish like never before. But it is during a crisis such as that of the pandemic that we will truly know the business and how reliable we can become for our customers.
Just how much did the pandemic change the game? The travel and hospitality sectors took major blows. Employees are working from home. Retail stores transitioned online. Restaurants closed and opened ghost kitchens (a euphemism for their home kitchens). But every crisis is an opportunity. This is how billionaires have made a fortune. They challenge themselves and come out stronger than ever.
Dependability and Reliability as Core Competencies
When a crisis happens, businesses must turn to their marketing strategies to combat the uncertainties. Last March 2020, the only way for businesses to survive is to depend on digital marketing strategies as they transitioned to virtual offices and e-commerce. But at the core of every marketing strategy lies dependability and reliability. Amid political upheavals, economic recessions, and public health crises, businesses must be steadfast in being a reliable source of information, products, and services.
Simply put, you cannot show customers that you have been shaken to your core. Continuity becomes a reliable tool for proving to your clients that you are the same business with the same quality products and services, albeit things are different because of the crisis. Marketing experts said it is important for a business to understand its roles to its stakeholders. They are relied upon these stakeholders to keep operating and to help the economy continue running.
Businesses that are still surviving today made as few disruptions to their operations as possible. One marketing executive said that they made a conscious effort to continue operating in a resilient manner. They did not let the pandemic disrupt their businesses and affect their deliverables. It was an affirmation to the stakeholders as they can see how valuable reliability is in a company.
Realigning Strategies
But of course, this does not mean that you won’t have to do anything to change your strategies and align them to the current crisis. The biggest mistake that you can do as a business is to stay put during a crisis. Staying put means failing to adapt to the new challenges your business faces. You have to start with the recovery and continuity plans as soon as the crisis hits.
Businesses that easily transitioned to remote operations are the ones thriving today. Big retailers that moved to e-commerce and home delivery gained their footing even with the pandemic rearing its ugly head. But it’s not just about realigning technology usage and marketing strategies. It’s about getting on the path to financial recovery by taking advantage of loan options, as well as identifying solutions that can put your business in jeopardy.
Crafting Communication Strategies
But what else can you do to prove your reliability as a business? You will have to take a look at your communication strategies. At the onset of the pandemic, how did you inform stakeholders about the changes in your operations? Did you email them or did you reach out to them via social media? Did you post a message on your website? These are the three immediate things you should have done: send an email, post on social media, and publish a blog on your website.
This covers the top three places where your customers might hear about any change you make to your operations. The strategy assures them that you’re on top of the situation and that they can rely on you to continue delivering products and services. Why is this important? Because at the end of the day, your customers don’t want to worry about your capacity to accommodate their needs (or even wants). They want to make sure they can get what they want from you—whether it’s a bottle of lotion or alcohol or a basket of fruits—when they want it.
Reliability and dependability are big in business during a crisis. Who can your customers turn to if not your business who they have been loyal and reliant upon for years? How can you assure them that you’re not going to let them down if you cannot communicate your strategies and agenda properly? A thorough look at your marketing strategies—and what kind of message it delivers—is in order.