How to Build Trust With Customers in Trying Times

Right now is a frightening time for almost any business. Some grocery stores are thriving. Others may have experienced only minor disruptions. At the other end of the scale, some businesses are simply impossible to operate under the restrictions of social distancing and shelter-in-place orders. This will lead some companies to cut corners in order to squeeze whatever they still can out of customers in the short term. That’s the wrong mindset. It’s easy to be trustworthy when times are good. Now is the time when ethics are tested and consumers will remember which companies maintained their principles in the face of uncertainty and dramatic change.

Here are some tips that you can use to build the trust now that will make recovery that much easier.

Be Upfront About What Customers Can Expect

If you do not know when operations will return to normal, communicate that to consumers. Saying you will be closed “until further notice” is better than a two-week closure that is extended by a week every week.

Anticipate, Don’t Just React

Do not set your contingency plans in stone based on today’s situation. Restrictions may be tightened or loosened any day. If you will be adding a service like no-contact delivery, think about what conditions (good or bad) might cause you to suspend that service before you offer it, and how you will communicate the change to customers.

Be Willing to Share the Burden

Your business is likely hurting right now. But so are your customers. Everyone is feeling the pinch. The more flexible you can be in things like payment terms, delivery/pickup options, and extra fees, the more likely you will be remembered as a business that pitched in to help everyone get through this crisis.

Show Abnormal Gratitude for Normal Business

Anyone choosing to do business with you is taking on a risk, whether that tomorrow’s press conference means they won’t get what they paid for, or that they are spending money when they aren’t sure their next paycheck will be on time. Acknowledge that your customers are going out on a limb by simply doing what they do with your business every day. Handwritten notes and a little something extra (lagniappe) can take the place of an in-person thank you.

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