As COVID-19 changes the way we look at hygiene, social distancing, and interaction in all aspects of our lives, here’s how to maintain a healthy and close relationship with your clients during this period. 

Here at YEWS, we’re focussing on the long-term, and in the short term, playing to our strengths. 

Business is as usual for us. Our clients are at the core of what we do. 

We are:

  • Thinking out-of-the-box and looking at the bigger picture to develop new strategies,
  • Delivering innovative solutions to our clients, 
  • Keeping a cool head as we work out how and where to pivot our strategy,
  • Implementing flexible work arrangements so that all team members can stay safe and healthy to continue to focus on delivering the best outcome. 

We’re changing our processes by: 

  • Focussing on a faster turnaround to client response,
  • Implementing detailed checks that all changes are consistent in this period of rapid change,
  • Increasing our communication – we are reaching out to and checking in with our stakeholders, our community and our team,
  • We are increasing how and the frequency at which we monitor successful strategy. 

We’re looking for opportunities:

  • To demonstrate your value and to build a strong connection 
  • To help other businesses – support your local, support your clients and communicate within your network 
  • To adapt better than our competitors, differently from our competitors 
  • In changes to your clients’ behaviour – how are they searching if they are working from home? How are their search inquiries changing? How can your services be tailored to the current situation? Can you create a new offer with a service delivered in a new way?  

Isolation does not mean a disconnection from your network. 

Here are some of the resources we’re sharing to unify our approach while working remotely. 

Forbes Magazine: When A Recession Comes, Don’t Stop Advertising

 Our takeaways from the article: 

  • Now more than ever, advertising is so important.., Pizza Hut and Taco Bell gained market share when McDonald’s reduced advertising in the 1990-1991 Recession
  • Don’t let your brand lose share of voice, especially when bigger players are making less noise.
  • Prepare for now and plan for when ‘normal’ returns – it’s easier to maintain a customer relationship than it is to rebuild it. 

Prepare for Now. What are we using to facilitate our remote working arrangements?

Loom: 

We have always loved Loom at YEWS.
This tech allows us to be unified in our approach. Sharing is caring and that’s what Loom enables for us. 

Not only that, but we are also so impressed by their pivot and leading strategy in reaction to the COVID-19. 

Google Hangouts: 

As a Google Premium Partner, we are big fans of Google and the G-Suite.

Over the next few weeks, we are using Hangouts to share screens, calendars, check-in and meetings to maintain transparency, routine and communication to work effectively in these new arrangements. 

We’re asking ourselves how can we use technology to our maximise our capabilities.
Can you change an event to a webinar or a meeting to video call?

Tips on Effective Video Communication from Grammarly

We love this advice from Grammarly – simple but effective. 

  • Video is important for communication, especially while working remotely. Prioritise speaking face-to-face, not just for meetings having the opportunity to read facial expressions and hear vocal tone is integral to communicating effectively- even just a casual check-in. 
  • Remote meetings come with their own set of challenges. Not being physically present means it can be hard to manage interruptions and the flow of the conversation:
    “One way to manage a meeting flow is to use a system of hand cues: If somebody is already speaking, raise a finger to indicate you’d like to go next. If somebody already has a finger raised, you can raise two fingers, and so on.”
  • Turn on the ‘Do Not Disturb’ or ‘Aeroplane’ mode to minimise distractions during the meeting and have your team ready ahead of the start time. 

In times of uncertainty such as these, the best thing we can do is to pivot, not panic.

If you are looking for some help regarding your next strategy, please feel free to get in touch with one of our friendly YEWS team members.