You may have reopened your business’s doors post-COVID, but running it may not be business as you remember. Local support for small businesses has been high, and that means you can expect an increase in new customers plus plenty of order and service requests. With that said, keeping a flow in customer communication is a must.
It’s time to have a chat — not with us, though. I mean with your customers. Proper customer communication is critical to your business’s success post-COVID, but we know you can’t afford to call your customers one by one.
That’s when having updated contact information in your CRM pays off big time. Emailing your customers to keep them in the loop is a way to keep the communication flowing continually and effortlessly — especially during a surge of business.
Communicate: New Hours
Perhaps you updated your Google My Business listing and sent out an email alerting customers of your return to regular business hours, but maybe you want to let them in on the post-COVID details.
Managing a wave of customers can be rough, but it’s not a bad problem to have. Let your customers know that they are the heart of your company and that you’ve seasonally extended your hours to meet their post-COVID service demands rather than turn them away.
Say This:
“We value you, the customer, and the overflow of support you provide. Without you, there’s no us. Because of that, we’ll be extending our business hours for the next month to ensure our customers, both new and returning, receive the quality service we’re known for, without the added wait time.”
Communicate: Delays
Just because you extend your hours, doesn’t mean you will magically keep up overnight. Whether due to a shortage of hands or time to produce your standard of quality, sometimes business can get backed up.
Rather than leave your customers in the dark, share any potential delays. If you complete the task before there’s ever a delay, then fantastic, but it’s best to cover your bases, just in case. Make sure these emails are empathetic and direct. Be considerate of your customers’ time. They want the details but no fluff.
Say This:
“We apologize in advance. We expect a delay in your service/product due to an unusual increase in demand. We hope you enjoy the complimentary gift we’ve included with your purchase. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to filling your future orders promptly.”
Communicate: Price Increases
It’s not always easy to raise your prices; however, it may be necessary — especially when you’re working to offset the price increase on materials. Your customers may not want to hear that prices are going up but, they deserve to. Plus, it helps avoid that dreaded sticker shock.
Related: How to Increase Prices Without Upsetting Your Customers
Transparency is important. Share your reason for why. This way customers feel reassured that the price increase was necessary and not an opportunity to take advantage of them.
Say This:
After carefully analyzing an increase in materials and overhead costs, our company will see an overall price increase on services of $1 beginning on August 1, 2021. This increase will enable us to continue to provide the quality service you love and expect from our company.
