A New Normal: Smart Businesses Must Re-Imagine CX To Manage And Thrive During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Let’s begin with a wish for good health for all our readers, community and world. That’s the most important thing! 

Let’s face it: The plague is here. And its impact has been fast and furious. Whether you believe that COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) is as bad as may be forecast (G-d forbid it be that bad, of course) or that the current hodgepodge of policy is a “cure that is worse than the illness,” or even if you think that a mix of each is possibly true, it is clear that we are all facing a new and disturbing time. Every business we interact with is weighing in on COVID-19 and how the pandemic may or may not affect its operations and ability to serve customers. The fallout will have a significant impact on businesses globally, and business owners are under intense pressure to find new ways to function — and stay afloat, navigate, and perhaps even thrive, depending on their sector and approach — over the next weeks or months. 

The precautions that various governments are enforcing might have seemed drastic at first, but as more scientific information emerges, most of us understand why we’re doing this, at least on a temporary basis. And it’s clear that a new normal is emerging for some duration.

In any moment, customers are the lifeblood of every business. And perhaps especially in a crisis, how a business communicates with its customers and the public can have a lasting impact on its reputation. But a crisis can also present an opportunity for a brand to rise up and demonstrate its commitment to customers and to delivering exceptional experiences and service, despite huge obstacles. Re-imagining customer experience (CX) must happen — and it must happen quickly — as it could be the only way for businesses to survive in the current environment.

Whenever there’s a situation that involves unknown variables, people crave information. We’re all flocking online with coronavirus-related queries — everything from “How many cases have been confirmed in my county” to “Is the pizza place near me delivering?” 

Healthcare organizations are leading the charge to provide information online, and many have stepped up their telehealth offerings, enabling virtual visits with practitioners so consumers can get advice and information without leaving their homes. Not only has this reduced congestion and wait times at healthcare facilities such as urgent care clinics and hospitals, it has been easing fears surrounding care accessibility while reducing costs for both patients and health systems.