Lockdown has been named the Word of the Year by Collins Dictionary. That’s understandable because this is all a lot of people have been hearing over 2020. Indeed, the UK is now on their second lockdown and it’s expected that there will be more in the future. Plans are in place to save Christmas in the UK and America however there are no guarantees.
For businesses, things are a little different. Rather than simply accept the lockdown and admit defeat, companies have been forced to adapt to keep the lights on and the demand pouring in. Many companies with no online presence have already felt the impact of not being prepared for an impossible to predict scenario. For instance, Primark in the UK made zero sales during the first lockdown. Other companies have been quicker to adapt. Thanks to Covid, a lot of businesses have made the jump to the virtual world. What does a virtual model mean for businesses?
Virtual Services
There are countless virtual services that could be beneficial to your business right now. For instance, you can explore the option of virtual call handling. Call handling is always going to be important, particularly if you want to continue to provide the level of service that customers expect and demand. It’s not acceptable or advised to let your customers remain on hold for hours. Unfortunately, this was the case for a lot of businesses during the early days and weeks of the coronavirus pandemic. They simply weren’t prepared for the level of complaints and queries from customers. A big benefit of virtual services aside from the fact that they are perfect for social distancing is that they will allow you to save money and tighten up your business model. You can cut back on staff numbers and guarantee that you are more flexible.
Virtual Meetings And Events
One of the key things to consider when you are socially distancing and potentially running your company from home is how you are going to keep everyone connected. How are you going to ensure that customers, clients and employees still feel engaged with your business? There are numerous options to explore. For instance, you might want to think about completing a daily Zoom call with key members of your team. There’s a reason why the usage of Zoom soared during the lockdown. It wasn’t private users, it was businesses keeping in contact with their team. There are other options on the market but Zoom is certainly the most popular choice available.
It’s worth noting that you can have virtual parties and conferences too. This could be a great way to stay connected and engaged with your clients. For instance, you might want to explore the possibility of a virtual photo booth. It’s a fun way to make your virtual events just a little more memorable and exciting.
Virtual Marketing
Next, you might want to consider the virtual marketing possibilities that could be beneficial for your business. Virtual marketing is a great way to ensure that the spotlight continues to shine on your company. You could even think about using tech such as AR codes. AR codes are great because they are going to make your business marketing campaigns more interesting and engaging. For instance, if you’re selling a product online, AR can be used to allow customers to try the products on or even see what they look like in their home. This is a feature that has been used for years by various companies including glasses sellers to convince users to buy. There’s no reason why it couldn’t fit into your new virtual model.
Virtual Services
Finally, you might want to consider whether you can offer virtual services through your business. It’s possible that you can’t run your brick and mortar store right now. But perhaps, you can set up your site so that customers can order your product online and complete the service themselves at home with your support through a virtual tutorial. This is now an option that is being favoured by beauty companies. Personal trainers are also moving online with their business model to continue to provide the support that their clients need.
We hope this helps you see why Virtual is the real keyword for businesses this year. With virtual solutions, companies do have the support they need to continue to thrive even in a brave new market. With the right steps here, you will even be able to gain the upper hand against key competitors who haven’t been as quick to adapt.
