From the perspective of corporate communications, it feels like we’re entering the next phase of the COVID-19 response: one where companies see this not as a short-term crisis they can take cover from and ride out, but a new normal that they need to adapt to. Our research suggests getting this next phase right is tricky and requires a more user-focused, genuine and engaging response than we’ve seen so far.
We’ve been conducting research for clients who want rapid insights to help them navigate the crisis, talking with consumers in the UK and across the world, using both ‘face-to-face’ online focus groups and online surveys.
Listening to the public, it’s clear Coronavirus has cast a long shadow over the life we used to lead. For everyone, the crisis has been deeply worrying and, for many, the impact has been devastating.
It’s also true that most people continue to live their lives as best they can, adapting to the restrictions and seeking out new ways to shop, to entertain the kids, to keep fit and to stay healthy.
Make no mistake, they want and value companies that can help to make this possible.
The initial response to the crisis by companies has, in general, been impressive. Communications have largely been quick, action-focused and sensitive to the moment tonally. Having reviewed a cross-section of corporate communications over the last month, phase one of the response to the crisis has been marked by three themes:
Immediate action – almost all companies have communicated about what they’re doing to help meet short-term needs, whether that’s getting us the goods we rely on or managing the refunds or cancellations when they can’t. In the public’s view, supermarkets have stood out for their speed of action and helpfulness of response, an approach others like the airlines have largely been lacking.
Internal focus – this has been one of those very rare occasions when internal communications have become the central message for external audiences. The vast majority of comms have emphasised what companies are doing to keep staff safe and healthy. The stand-out companies have gone further – like Timsons, who are continuing to pay staff even when their businesses are closed.
Helping the health service – what companies are doing to help health professionals combat the virus has also been a noticeable feature, whether it’s manufacturers switching production to make hand sanitiser or face visors, or others repurposing their products and services, like offering care workers free food or access to hotels near hospitals. In the UK, there are currently 75 offers for NHS staff listed on the NHS website. I’m sure in general these are hugely appreciated, although some feel a bit tokenistic and less useful.
While the response from companies so far has generally been positive, there are also lessons to be learned from this initial phase of communications.
First, a lot of the communication hasn’t felt relevant and it has been conveyed in a way that’s pretty ineffective. Consumers have been overwhelmed by emails detailing largely meaningless or trivial information. These responses have felt half-hearted and are often not read.
Second, in their comms, companies have struggled to separate actions that are expected as opposed to those that will have impact. It’s fair to say consumers expect companies to look after their staff, to ensure the workplace is clean and safe, to move staff to working from home, etc.. These are required steps. While organisations who fail to meet them stand out negatively, there’s little positive upside for those who do and not much value in communicating about them.
In contrast, there’s not been enough focus on those actions or messages that will really stand out in a cluttered and noisy environment. This requires talking less about your company, and more about what customers need from you right now.
Third, consumers appreciate the challenges being caused by the crisis but are very cynical about communications that overclaim or don’t match reality. For example, one internet service provider has made a lot of their own online support where “it’s easy to order or get help”. Help, it turns out, is far from easy to get and, while it is possible to order online, it’s not possible to cancel subscriptions without phoning the call-centre. Even the most generous spirited of us are forced to wonder whether they really want to make it easy for their customers.
None of us know how the health crisis is going to play out. It seems the containment strategy has some way to go. Yet no matter how long the lockdown lasts, what follows will not look like life did in February.
Companies need to move beyond their initial response to the crisis, rethink their communications strategy and start adapting their messaging to a new ‘normal’.
Each specific company response needs to be tested and made relevant for their own circumstances, and now more than ever, comms needs to be constantly reassessed and adapted.
Nevertheless, the next phase of communications needs to be noticeably different from the first:
More user focused – drop the generic corporate comms. It’s about understanding your audience right now, what they think, feel and need in this moment, and matching that with your response - like Zoom offering free video calls for schools, supermarkets paying small suppliers early, or mobile networks offering unlimited mobile data. Relevance should be a key metric for all future comms.
More engaging – no more impersonal emails please! If it’s worth saying, say it in a way that engages the audience and has impact. Cornish clothing retailer Seasalt hasn’t sent emails with general guff, they’ve sent “a little piece of Cornwall in your inbox” with recipes, stories and pictures to help you escape from the day-to-day grind of the lockdown.
More genuine and authentic – make sure your comms are lived. Expectations of companies have not diminished because of the crisis and they will be judged not just in what they do to help healthcare workers but also in whether they do the right thing in their everyday activity. For example, forgoing bonuses for those at the top feels like a required short-term move, not a meaningful shift. Given the audible appreciation felt during this crisis for everyday workers – from healthcare staff to deliver drivers – companies will need to think carefully how they provide fair rewards for everyone in the future.
At the beginning of March, the response of some companies was to pause their communications, to watch and wait. Other didn’t stop to wait – they lent into the crisis, adapted how they work and communicated in a relevant way that has helped people make more of their life during the lockdown.
The longer this crisis goes on, the less it requires a crisis communications response. In the new ‘normal’, the successful companies will be those that really understand their customers, communicate in a way that engages them and ensure their messages are lived in all aspects of what they do.
