How to Communicate Your COVID-19 Safety Processes to Customers

6/12/2020 (Permalink)

There's clean. And then there's Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.

As we move closer to the end of the coronavirus pandemic, more businesses are starting to open up to the public in Western New York.

This is exciting! If you’ve been closed for months, you’re probably chomping at the bit to get back to normal.

Here’s the rub, though: coronavirus isn’t over. We’ve flattened the curve and avoided overwhelming the hospital system, but it is still very possible to get sick.

Because of that, people are going to be very aware of the steps that businesses are taking to keep themselves safe and disinfected. While businesses obviously want to avoid alarming and inconveniencing people, they also need to make it unequivocally clear that they’re taking the necessary precautions to keep their patrons safe.

So how do you not only keep people safe, but effectively communicate that you’ve kept them safe without being annoying about it? We’ll tell you, with the 4 S’s of Showing You’re Safe. It’s not a comprehensive list of things you can do – rather, it’s 4 things you can easily do today to start showing customers that you mean business when it comes to COVID-19.

1. Sanitizing

First and foremost – you’ve got to sanitize your space! But you probably know that already, and most businesses have some kind of established daily sanitizing protocol that they’ve worked out with their employees to provide a heightened level of disinfecting.

But here’s the thing: you also have to show your customers that you’re doing the work. People are on the lookout for evidence that you’re taking care of your business. Which brings us to #2.

2. Signage

Hanging up signs is a great way to educate your customers about the steps you’re taking to keep them safe. The signs themselves don’t have to be super fancy or in-depth – for many customers, the mere presence of that kind of information will be enough to reassure them that you’re taking COVID-19 seriously. Here are a couple of examples signs you might want:

• A “masks required for entry” sign on the door;
• A “processes” sign near the entryway listing out all the steps you’re taking to sanitize;
• An “employees” sign that instructs your employees on the steps they should take to disinfect;
• A social distancing sign reminding people to remain six feet apart;
• A sign on any hand sanitizer station encouraging people to sanitize their hands.

A good rule of thumb: if you want your customers to know something, put it on a sign. Seems obvious, but many business owners expect customers to just notice the steps they’re taking without being prompted.

3. Social

At this point, customers are well-trained to check a business’s social profiles for up-to-date information about hours, events and everything in between. If you want customers to know about the steps that you’re taking to protect them from COVID-19, you better be posting that information on social.

That said, you should try to do something more exciting than just a text post listing out policies. You might also want to avoid anything too serious, technical or dour. People are burnt out on that kind of stuff. Post a video of one of your employees sanitizing a surface and having a blast; show off the new custom face masks you made; even if all you do is put your rules and regulations onto a nice image, you’ll be much more likely to catch your customers’ attention and show a little personality in the process.

4. SERVPRO

If you really want to go above and beyond to give your customers peace of mind, we’re here for you. Our Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned program does more than just provide the highest standard of disinfection on a regular basis. It also provides you with a plethora of resources to communicate your dedication to sanitizing and safety to your customers. From window decals to table toppers to digital collateral, we’ll give you everything you need to show you care.

Want more information? Give us a call at 716-674-1103 today!