Three Tips to Prepare for COVID-19
It’s official: The World Health Organization has declared that the COVID-19 virus, commonly known as the coronavirus, is now a global pandemic. Health officials are urging individuals, institutions and governments to take immediate, significant precautions, if they haven’t already.
Life, and business, must go on. Loudoun Clear Marketing wanted to take a moment to share with you three things you can do right now to maintain a healthy immune system for your company or non-profit so it continues to thrive, in the present and when this virus inevitably passes.
Many companies already have a Business Continuity Plan – especially ones that provide essential services – but if your company doesn’t, you don’t have to worry. It’s just a matter of thinking through what you can do to make sure your employees stay safe and the business keeps running if there’s a disruption, like COVID-19.
Our advice, which we’re taking ourselves, boils down to three straightforward steps:
1. Make A Plan.
Make a company-wide plan of actions and behaviors for essential and non-essential staff, tailored to the sector you work in.
Businesses directly serving (and interfacing with) the public, like restaurants, retail stores, transportation, etc., need to maintain vigilance about their employees’ constant cleanliness and hand-washing. Companies who work in the field, like HVAC, house cleaners, roofers, etc., must do the same. Enforce a no-handshake rule; smiles and waves make for great customer service too!
Businesses or organizations operating in office settings should strongly consider telework for as many employees as possible, if not for everyone. In cases where workers must be physically present, like manufacturing or work within a warehouse, companies should require that employees who feel ill stay at home and follow the instructions of a medical doctor or local health officials.
2. Talk With Your Employees and Partners.
When your company or organization has come up with that Plan, communicate it to your employees, vendors, partners, etc., with one unambiguous message. Make sure everyone gets the same message by having them reply to a group email or sign a memo.
So what’s your message? Again, it should be tailored to your company’s unique circumstances as to the best ways to handle the ongoing viral pandemic, but the essence of your message should be calm and communicate that their safety and well-being is the most important thing – but the company or organization will be resilient throughout this ordeal because of 1) their continued hard work, 2) open communication in case of sickness and 3) the aforementioned plan.
3. Talk With Your Clients or Customers.
This is pretty important to those of us in the service industry, where disruptions in service can have consequences for those we serve. Utilize all of your company’s digital platforms, including social media, website, blogs, mobile app notifications, etc., to let your customers (and the public, where appropriate) know what your company is doing to protect them from this unusual outbreak while still serving them as usual. Make sure every employee who speaks with a customer in person, over the phone or via online chat, delivers the same message as to exactly what your company’s Plan is – even if that means giving your employees a script to follow.
If you have questions or need help finding the right messages, we’re – as always – here to help. We’re confident, however, that if you follow these three tips, they’ll help ensure your company continues to thrive. If you want to learn more about what Loudoun Clear Marketing is doing to protect our employees and keep our business moving, you can click here. We wish you good health as we calmly face this together. And we look forward to seeing you once the threat passes.
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