Post-Pandemic CX Protocols: Keeping Your Customers Happy and Healthy

As the world returns to some level of normalcy and as vaccines become more accessible, consumer confidence will follow suit. That means people will be making more visits to their favorite local businesses soon. Although some individuals may assume we’re back to business as usual, that certainly isn’t the case for everyone.

The pandemic has shifted consumers’ preferences with health and safety being one of their major concerns. Yes, people are ready to return to their pre-pandemic lives but they also have underlying reservations about safety.

Every type of business; from gyms, restaurants, and hair salons, need to make necessary adjustments to meet post-pandemic fears head-on.

Your location’s cleanliness and sanitation standards are an important factor in acquiring new customers and maintaining your loyal ones. Clearly communicating your newly adopted safety protocols and updated information are necessary in order to bring customers back into your business. Trust us, taking these steps will reassure your customers that you care about their health and well-being, not just their business.

Communicate Updates via Business Listings

According to research done by SmartInsights, 81% of consumers reported using a search engine to find information on a local business. This is why having an up-to-date and accurate listing is essential to building your brand’s credibility and online reputation.

Business listing sites like Yelp and Google My Business (GMB) have made it easier to get health and safety information from your favorite local businesses with their new attributes and features. These additions will help businesses adapt quickly to the ever-changing health standards.

According to a recent study, Yelp saw an increase in consumer interest by 41% for businesses that updated their COVID-19 safety protocols. Utilizing these attributes can help to improve a business’s online reputation while also boosting its local search presence.

One notable feature on Yelp was the ability for patrons to provide feedback on health and safety practices observed or not observed during their visit. This aims to instill a sense of confidence in consumers as they continue to support local businesses.

How does it work? All user-generated feedback from customers will be reviewed by Yelp and needs to meet several criteria to ensure it is a reliable source before it’s posted on your listing.

Yelp Attributes for Health & Safety include:

• Takeout

• Curbside pickup

• Sit-down dining

• Limited capacity

• Masks required

• Sanitizing between customers

• Social distancing enforced

• Staff wears masks

Google Business Profile (GMB) Attributes for Health & Safety include:

• Appointment required

• Mask required

• Temperature check required

• Staff wear masks

• Staff get temperature checks

Visit Chatmeter’s guide to Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) to make the most out of your online search listings.

Show Don’t Tell

The reach and impact of social media have grown exponentially over the past few years with almost 54% of its social browsers using social media to do research on brands. Social media is a great way to generate interpersonal communication with your customers and helps to build trust.

Because of this, we recommend using social media to showcase how your brand is going above and beyond to create a clean and safe environment.

When creating content don’t focus solely on pandemic-centered content, but incorporate health & safety language in your usual messaging to keep your audience informed. You can get your employees involved by posting content that demonstrates the steps your business is taking to keep your customers and employees safe.

Offering more information to your customers upfront encourages engagement and retention. The perception of your business will be improved by alleviating consumers’ concerns by displaying operation changes, hours, and safety measures. It will also help to rebuild the trust that may have been lost and restore confidence in your brand.

Monitor and Address Customer Concerns

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lasting impact on many individuals and local businesses. Brands need to quickly adapt to shifts in the CX to deliver timely and high-quality experiences. Consumers nowadays aren’t afraid to switch businesses if their cleanliness standards are unmet and will share their opinions through reviews.

It is important for a business to monitor reviews for potential signs of unsatisfactory visits and solve the issues early on. About 53% of consumers expect their reviews to be responded to within an hour of posting to feel their experiences are being heard.

We understand how overwhelming review monitoring can be while trying to manage your business’s day-to-day. Chatmeter’s sentiment analysis tool, Pulse, can help filter customer feedback and provide valuable CX insight for each location.

As brands navigate through the challenges of COVID-19, it’s important to consider the new CX expectations and how to evolve with them. We’ve learned that the health & safety of your customers should be a top priority if you want to boost your brand reputation and acquire new business. Make proactive efforts to communicate your safety initiatives to put your customers at ease.

See how Chatmeter can help your brand keep consumers informed at all times.

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