The business that has engaged customers are more likely to have a faster recovery once the restrictions around Covid19 are lifted.  However, there is going to be a new normal when it comes to customer decision for stepping out to buy things.  At least for the next 2 years, customers are going to prefer a digital mode of communication.  Job for most of the business is pretty clear, they need to enable an online purchase for their goods and services.  In such a case, communication tools like Bulk SMS API, Bulk Voice, WhatsApp Business API, and a combination of these tools automated through either a chatbot or a marketing automation software are going to play a big role.

Strategies during COVID19 lockdown-

  • Keep a strong customer connect, while there no need to go overboard but periodic messages around how to manage the lockdown period, promotions of discounts during the period or new styles or products that they can expect on your website are going to help you keep your customers engaged.
  • Re-design your online interaction systems-  Expect a higher load on your websites immediately after the lockdown is over, its a good time to increase capacities and play with the website flow.
  • Automate interactions-  The chatbot button on the website will increasingly become important.  Look at opportunities for designing simple 3 step flows with at least 3 use cases to enable your customer to get most sought after information in an automated way.  Better still, get providers like mTalkz to design your chatbot and integrating the Whatsapp Business API with it so once the customer starts a conversation, your brand always remains in his phone.
  • Give your brand a numeric identity-  Take a dedicated long code (10 digit virtual mobile number) and add it to all your media promotions, make it easy for customers to just dial a number and reach out to you.
  • Redefine your target Segment-  As the buying preferences change and move more towards online, it’s likely that your target segments will take a little shift and there are more influencers who may come into play, so start designing content to appeal to people who earlier may not have been in the consideration set as influencers.

Strategies for Post Covid19 Lockdown-

Business’ will take their own course to return to previous levels of turnover as the world economies return to a new normal.  However, some business is going to see an immediate surge in demand. On one side there will be a surge in demand and on the other side, there will be challenges around mobilizing the supply chain.  Here again, the various communication strategies and tools can be deployed to meet the challenges.

  1. Marketing Automation– Irrespective of the where a business may be in the new normal, any communication spend that is not monitored may not give the right impact to the business.  In such a situation its important to have marketing automation deployed by providers like mTalkz.  For a little extra spend in OPEX mode, a 10x or higher return can be generated by hyper profiling and accurate targeting of customer promotions.
  2. Payment Automation– For business in the field, eg. petrol pumps, restaurants, hospitals and shops etc. a new payment mechanism orchestrated through 10 Digit VMN will enable customers to make a contactless payment.  They can still use their credit cards and stay anonymous to the onslaught of payment wallets.
  3. Bulk SMS and Bulk Voice– Automate every part of your customer or supply chain interaction with Bulk SMS and Bulk Voice.  Make sure that your stakeholders are receiving enough and more communications to stay engaged. Combine this with options to interact with the brand through an IVR or WhatsApp to go a step further.
  4. Whatsapp Business API:  This is going to be a clear winner and a differentiator. To start with business can simplify the interaction flow at the point of contact and enable the same through WhatsApp automation combined with a chatbot. Idea is to create presence in the WhatsApp of customer mobile and become the first point of contact whenever customer needs your brand.
  5. Surveys and IoT enablement:  Wherever possible enable your customers to submit a survey and to access physical services through IOT+SMS enablement. This could mean that even for opening a door or consuming services through unmanned vending stations the automation goes to a newer level.

To sum up, all the business should look forward to getting back to their pre Covid19 status as fast as possible and deploy a combination of Bulk SMS, Bulk Voice, WhatsApp Business API, Chatbots, and marketing automation to achieve the objective.  Service providers like Mtalkz can help you with all these technologies and even guide how to deploy these to best suit the desired outcome.