Safe, convenient, and quick customer experience
Calling COVID a curveball is like calling an earthquake loud – it doesn’t do it justice. 2020 has thus far been a year of twists and turns unlike any in recent history. However, just like every major event that has come before it, the economic legacy of COVID will be determined by how online businesses adapt to their new circumstances. If the numbers are anything to go by, this challenge is one Aussie businesses are ready to meet head-on as more and more businesses focus their attention on their online presence – with mostly promising results. For those of you with already solid online businesses, you’ve likely already seen some of those promising results delivered.
Online businesses need to focus on their numbers
Whilst the increase in online businesses trade would seem an obvious outcome of storefront closures and restrictions, it’s always nice to see conjecture backed up by cold hard facts:
- According to research by Mastercard, eCommerce spending in April and May accounted for 22% of the entire retail sales as opposed to 11% in the same period in 2019.
- A 92.7% increase in eCommerce sales was recorded in May when states started opening up.
So why should you keep your chin up?
An American Express survey on small online business recovery in Australia indicates that nearly 52% of business owners expressed their concerns regarding survival. However, the majority of them remain optimistic about surviving the pandemic.
Whilst shoppers are still (understandably) nervous about shopping in stores, there is no denying the sense of community and support that has grown between businesses and customers. You have likely heard the phrase ‘we’re all in the same boat’ time and time again since this all started. Now I don’t know about your, but when I hear that, my brain conjures an image of 50 people all crammed into the one lifeboat hoping to be found. However, in reality it’s more like 50 lifeboats all realising they have a better chance together than apart. In the same way that you have adapted to ensure your customers’ safety, Aussie shoppers are becoming more mindful of supporting the businesses they want to see stick around.
What to do with that goodwill?
Take a deep breath, remember you’ve got your people (aka your customers) in your court, and make a plan. Make sure you’re looking after the health and safety of your staff and customers. Look at what other businesses are doing online to keep the experience feeling personal, even at a distance. Invest in innovative technology solutions and make sure your website is saying what you want it to – and talking about how you’re meeting/addressing Covid issues.
You might not have an abundance of working capital right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything. Now’s the time to communicate with your customers, make sure they know you’re putting up a fight and that you value their loyalty. The point of building a community around your brand is for times just like this, when you need support from valued customers.
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help, you are likely filling a few roles right now but you still need to think like a business owner. Your time is valuable and if there is someone else who can pick up one or two of your jobs more efficiently, giving you time to manage what you do best (and which makes you feel most passion for your business!) then you should make use of that connection and keep your customers delivery experience as professional as possible.
If you’d like help outsourcing your 3PL, pick and pack, shipping and logistics so you can save you time, space, money and sanity and you can focus more on creating the business you’re dreaming of. If that’s you, we’d love to chat. You can call us on 02 9828 0111 or get in touch via the form below.
Coghlan integrates with the following providers.
And we're adding integrations all the time. So, if you don't see what you're looking for, it's probably in development. So please call us and we'll find a way to make everything work as seamlessly as possible for you.
