Some businesses seized the initiative in lockdown, finding competitive advantage by adapting fast, but also securing their future with new ways of working.
Working with companies across a broad variety of industry sectors, we've seen what a positive approach can do, whatever you happen to do or sell. Attitude undoubtedly makes the biggest difference, and here's two very different examples of just that.
It's clear from their name what Attic Self Storage do, and whilst they remained fully operational during lockdown with customers requiring essential access to stored items, they were forced to minimise all physical interaction and cease previously normal face to face sales and demonstration activities. So how were they to maintain revenue streams, from potentially reticent consumers?
Clearly, online was the answer, and they rapidly deployed Virtual reality store tours, enabling customers to view facilities from the comfort and safety of their own home. Take a look at one here!
Including an online Storage Calculator, Online Quotations, Online Reservations, and Online Check-in, in their own words Attic offer - 100% contactless move-in - where a customer can complete everything online from quotation through to account management, and store teams can even arrange removals so that the customer doesn't even have to leave their home!
These services instantly created a lifeline between business and customer in lockdown, but they offer enormous competitive advantage for the future too. Soon every customer will EXPECT this!
And Attic didn't rest on their laurels, and immediately asked Yomdel to assess these new customer experiences as part of their ongoing Mystery Shopping programme. Because they need to make sure that these new ways deliver sales success even more than previous ways of working!
This incredibly positive reaction to their situation has already seen sales success, and customer response equal to that prior to lockdown. And it does not seem to matter what sector you operate in. If you can adapt and put the customer first, success will follow rapidly.
Hydropool sell hot tubs and swim spas throughout the UK, and faced an immediate, dramatic challenge when lockdown struck. Their showrooms were forced to close, and physical product demonstrations became impossible. So they turned to fully-live, one-to-one, video demonstrations and sales consultations.
Customers could book and enjoy a personalised product walk-around and demo, via video, able to chat with the sales consultant, getting answers to their questions in real time.
Receiving leads online and via 24/7 Live Chat, Hydropool were able to keep their sales channel open, and nurture every lead that they generated. As a consequence they converted 6 high value leads in the first 6 weeks of lockdown, more than paying back on their effort and investment, and standing them in perfect stead for ongoing sales pipeline targets.
It's this sort of approach, from businesses like these, that moves markets forward, and advances customer expectations and demands. So it follows that it is those same businesses who will enjoy the success of meeting customer demands in the future.
If you'd like to know more about assessing and optimising Customer Experience, get in touch with me at Yomdel: simon.taylor@yomdel.com