COVID-19 Statements:
Over the past few days, we’ve put up a few COVID-19 statements on client websites. No two of them are the same, but they all do have some things in common.
I have also gotten a bunch of COVID-19 emails from businesses.
It seems like I end up seeing a COVID-19 statement everywhere I look.
I can’t think of a business that hasn’t been affected by the pandemic in one way or another.
As people are online more than usual, they are apt to visit your website. Why are you not telling them what’s going on? Where is your COVID-19 Statement?
If you’re having trouble coming up with a statement, here are some tips for what you should use.
Your Employees:
Are you closed completely or for a specific amount of time? Have you laid-off people, or are they working from home? If you’ve laid off people, have you shut your doors completely, or maybe just for a specified amount of time? How are your employees being affected and protected? If you’ve done layoffs, or you have people working from home, and you’ve forwarded your phone lines during business hours, then say so.
Your Customers:
What impact does this have on your customers and clients? Are you completely unable to serve customers? If that’s the case, then make that clear, along with your hopeful date of return. If you don’t know, then be genuine and say so. Are you a retailer offering pickup outside after phoning in your order? Have you implemented ordering from your website? Are you delivering to customers homes with a “drop off” or “no contact” policy? Good for you! Explain that.
Your Products:
Are you a manufacturer that’s still producing? Are you a retailer running out of a lot of products? Is it business as usual, and your shelves stocked? Depending on your state and city, you are under different guidelines than I am, so tell me what they are? Do people a favor, and don’t make them wonder what’s going on with your business.
Your Service:
Is your customer service affected? Are you slower to respond to emails, or perhaps, like me, you’ve lost some clients and now have even more time to respond faster? What about on-site service? There are quite a few essential services that are continuing. Is your company one of them?
Correctly what steps have you taken to ensure the health of your customers as your employees interact with the public? If you’re running something to my car at curb service, are you using hand sanitizer while wearing booties and protective masks? Tell people about that. Better yet, provide pictures.
Your Technology Options:
What new options have you begun offering that will enable your customers to work with you efficiently? Have you implemented live chat, or are you using video conferencing options?
Your Operating Hours:
Have the operating hours of your brick and mortar location changed? If so, specify what those are. Every business I look at still has its regular operating hours showing in Google, and the only way to know if they’re open is to phone them.
Tell me what those hours are, and while you’re at it, why not add them as a post both on your Facebook page and in your Google My Business?
Please let us know if you need help creating a COVID-19 Statement for your Website.