By Adam Lenz – Lipton Media (Founder)
2020 may only be a little over three months old but already we are quickly learning that this year is unlike no other we have ever experienced in our lifetime.
When I decided to embark on a career in recruitment a little over a decade ago, a major pull factor for me was the opportunity to build invaluable relationships with fantastic clients and candidates alike.
Recent government guidance on ‘social distancing’ has been tough (but absolutely paramount) for many of us to take. Since it’s inception a few weeks ago I have continuously played the term social distancing around in my head trying to decipher the best route to keep engaged within a rapidly disengaged coronavirus world.
This led me to the rather simple but often overlooked conclusion that what we must adhere to is physical distancing not social distancing, this suddenly felt immeasurably more bearable and easier to accept.
Over the last few weeks I’ve been holding many calls with both clients and candidates trying my best to remain engaged in these most challenging of times.
Relationships are the heartbeat of any business, as a community of professionals facing unprecedented challenges now is the time to place social engagement at the forefront of all our businesses.
Remaining relevant and visible during major economic downturns can literally be the life saver of any business large or small. Sadly during this global crisis many businesses will suffer immeasurable damage, some will overcome this longer term and unfortunately many will not.
But what can we do as a business right now to give our business the greatest chance of survival? How can we keep our customers engaged during a time where so many of our trusted routes to communication with clients have been greatly restricted or in many cases closed off altogether?
Here are a number of tips we can all follow to help ensure our business is doing the best it can to remain engaged, relevant and valuable during times of immeasurable hardship for many of our clients.
Add Value: Engaging your customer base during a crisis is critically important and adding value in any way you can will be an invaluable contribution your clients will never forget. I’ve been listening to many podcasts and actively attending webinars over recent days and these have been incredibly insightful. I spoke with a client only yesterday and passed on valuable insight into how many of my clients have been adjusting to the new challenges facing their business. We shared mutually beneficial information which was much needed during unprecedented times like these.
Empathy: Our clients are facing incredibly tough times right now and for many these are unchartered waters. Being empathetic is absolutely paramount when it comes to winning the trust and respect of your clients. The failure to understand the thoughts and feelings of others has real consequences. Leslie Gaines-Ross, Chief Reputation strategist at PR firm Weber Shandwick reported in research the firm had conducted, ‘’85 percent of global consumers form reputational impressions about companies based on how companies react in times of crisis, thereby underscoring the importance of getting it right from the start.
Support your customer: We are all facing a period of great uncertainty with life as we use to know it very much on pause….for now. Naturally, our customer base will be feeling greatly concerned as to how the coming months will unfold for their business, now is the time to support them and gain their trust in you as a reliable and credible partner.
Positive communication and active support will unquestionably reassure your client base that we are all in this together. Now is a time to unite and support each other as best we can, pick up the phone and lend that reassuring voice.
My final thoughts centre on positivity and communicating this to your client base. Understandably there is much negativity surrounding business at the moment but breaking out of this bubble of doom and gloom is vital not only in instilling hope for our clients but also our own mental state. When this current crisis ends in the weeks/months to come a huge opportunity will present itself for many businesses. The message and tone we communicate now may well shape our businesses future for many years to come.
It would be great to hear from clients past and present as well as the wider professional community. If you have any tips/advice during these challenging times please feel free to get in touch.
All the very best for the weeks and months ahead….
Adam