The outbreak of the coronavirus has turned the world upside down – in both the private sector and the economy. Wherever we go, we have to adapt to new circumstances: Shops of brick and mortar retailers are being closed, but e-commerce is struggling as well – no matter if “only” with sold out products or longer delivery times. And yet: No reason to bury your head in the sand. What matters now is to continue providing customers with the best possible service. Even in times of COVID-19.
Some of our customers have made important improvements to their sites, so in this article we have compiled some examples. After all, we want everyone to be able to benefit from these ideas – together we will survive the crisis. So let yourself get inspired!
1. Shutdown in brick and mortar retail – what now?
Due to the far-reaching contact restrictions in Germany and elsewhere, many retailers are forced to close their stores. As a result, the business of multi-channel retailers is shifting to the internet. This means that many of the conveniences that we were used to in the past are no longer applicable. For example, free delivery to a store. One solution is to show prominently, that orders cannot be picked up at the shops. But the ordering options should also be adapted to avoid trouble afterwards. To avoid having to convert the entire shop, some customers have chosen the fast alternative with trbo. Through trbo, the button to choose delivery to a store is then simply hidden.
Additionally, many customers are insecure about the business hours of stores, so it is even more important that different banners (both as overlays and as inpage elements) or even news tickers are used to point this out. But what if the requirements for shops differ from state to state? In this case, the information whether stores in the region are open or closed can be simply displayed via geolocation. In this way, every customer receives the appropriate information for his location.
2. Constantly provide clear communication and up-to-date information
In uncertain times many people long for as much detailed information as possible. Especially in times of crisis, news sites are frequently visited to get the latest news about COVID-19 as quickly as possible. Especially when using news apps, you can work with push messages. In order to draw the attention of more users to this service, COVID-1ß news can include information about the possibility of push messages via app.
However, also customers in other industries are insecure and looking for up-to-date information – such as the travel industry. Especially the hotlines of tour operators are often overloaded. Here, a message can be added at short notice – in order to increase the user’s understanding and to show alternative contact possibilities. If the availability by phone can not be guaranteed anymore, the phone number can be hidden using trbo and replaced by other information and contact possibilities. Many tour operators – but also other industries – currently collect all important information on their own landing pages. These should be easy to find. Accordingly, tickers, banners and overlays can be used as eye-catchers in order to quickly provide users with all relevant information.
3. What changes in delivery times and stock levels?
Due to the lockdown, there is no more shopping in the city centers – and when boredom arises on the sofa, people quickly reach for their laptops and start shopping online. Therefore, many industries will soon see more online purchases than before. This is where retailers start preparing themselves to avoid disappointment later on. The return policy is being extended, but customers may also have to prepare for longer delivery times. Here, as with all campaigns, the key is to communicate proactively, highlight the information in the best possible color, display overlays, and so on.
Some shops are literally being swamped at the moment: online grocery stores. The delivery slots are partly booked for a long time, many products are not available. Accordingly, users need to be particularly well informed – because if the shopping cart is full and a shipment slot is not available for several days, customers may cancel the purchase.
4. Sharing special offers and appeals
Throughout Europe there have appeared repeated campaigns and appeals – whether to thank the people who keep everything going despite the crisis or to appeal to people to stay at home. This is where e-commerce joins in. Our customers have started special campaigns, there are discounts or free delivery for the heroes of everyday life – or people are encouraged to stay at home and stick together. Some customers also offer discount promotions in times of COVID-19. Of course, they have to be communicated and with the help of trbo they are integrated into the shop at all desired places.
There are many ways to provide the best service to users even during the crisis. And especially in case of short-term changes in conditions – that is where trbo comes in. Without putting an additional burden on IT resources, we can quickly change or hide shop content or highlight important information.
If you have implementation ideas or would like to implement campaigns from this blog post, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Let’s get through this together!
Your trbos