While you likely still support customers in a crisis like the epidemic, your customers probably won’t buy as much because of professional and personal uncertainty.

But how you treat them every day and the value you deliver now will make a difference in the long run.

Here are six things you can do now to keep the experience top-notch and set your organization up to continue success when customers spend more normally again.

Cover the basics

First, regularly update customers on your operations – the service, products and support that’s available to them. Share hours, best ways to purchase or contact you and your safety measures on your social platforms, in advertising and through email at least weekly.

Just staying in touch, communicating what you’re doing – and what you’re doing for customers – helps maintain relationships.

Study your customers

Even with less customer activity, it’s more important than ever to monitor that activity. What customers do now can help you meet their new needs when the crisis settles.

Use your existing systems, plus details from frontline employees’ interactions with customers, to look closely at their requests, questions and buying habits at least weekly. If possible, analyze it all daily because needs change that quickly in difficult times.

Identify unmet needs, new pain points and emerging trends so you can get a jump-start on responding to them.

Get more digital

Customers were asked to social distance, and they’ll likely continue to do so, and they’ll rely more on social media to stay in touch with people and businesses for professional and personal reasons. You want to be in their digital world more than ever, too.

Ask or assign employees to engage with customers and promote your brand and what your organization is doing. Post information that will help customers maximize using your products and solutions. Or connect them with content that meets real-time needs that aren’t necessarily in your realm of support (such as personal finances or safety). Post lighthearted items. Invite them to share good news on your social channels, too.

Rethink your experience

The customer journey – from discovery to sale to support and loyalty – will likely need to transform. Take a look at every touch point and, for those that aren’t digital now, find ways to turn them digital going forward.

For instance, can you make it easier for customers to place special orders online? Do you need to finally get your catalog smartphone friendly? Are there steps you can eliminate so customers are able to order and get their products quicker?

Evaluate policies

Now’s the time to be more flexible. Customers face unprecedented difficulties. Look for policies that restrict them and bend where possible.

Perhaps you can eliminate late or cancellation fees. Or maybe you can extend warranty coverage. What else can you change to give customers fewer pain points?

Participate

Let customers know what you’re doing to help, too. Are employees giving their time to help local food distribution? Are some working on the frontline? Do you have products or services being used to fight the pandemic? How has your organization contributed to the community and its needs?

It’s not bragging. It’s letting customers know you care about more than selling. It might even inspire more participation.

Resource: Adapted from Internet