How Should Home Services Companies Communicate During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

Let’s cut to the chase: This whole COVID-19 situation sucks—on multiple levels. For the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical shops I’ve been talking to this week, the uncertainty is what’s causing the most concern. Since we don’t know how many people are currently carrying the virus, we can’t predict how long it’ll take for it to move through the population… which means we have no idea how long we’ll need to practice social distancing. And though you have a critical service to provide at this time, social distancing for home services companies is brutal.

I’m going to offer some suggestions for navigating through this, but I want to say a couple of things first:

1. There’s no secret formula for keeping your business afloat through a global pandemic. None of us has ever done this before, so we can’t know what “works” and what doesn’t. I’ll share some ideas, but keep in mind that’s all they are: ideas, not promises.
2. This thing will be over at some point. As Matthew McConaughey recently noted, “Every red light eventually turns green.” I realize some of you reading this post are genuinely concerned about your businesses surviving until the light turns. If that’s you, I hope you’ll find these ideas useful.

This tip is less about how you communicate with customers than it is about your leadership at your shop. As always, you will set the tone for your techs, so it’s important for you to be calm and clear-headed. It’s OK to be concerned and frustrated, of course, and it’s certainly fine to be cautious and prepared. But resist the temptation to freak out and/or give up. 

Instead, make a plan. What do you need to do in the next 30, 60, and 90 days to protect your business? 

• What capital purchases can you pause?
• Do you need to work out payment arrangements with vendors to help with cashflow?
• If you have credit accounts, can you temporarily switch them to cash?
• Do you have techs who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19? If so, can you temporarily move them to positions that limit their exposure to the public?
• Should you consider ordering overstock of supplies, tools, and equipment in the event of a longer-term supply-chain interruption?
• If you experience a significant slowdown, at what point(s) will you have to lay off employees, and how can you support them through that? (e.g., helping them apply for unemployment, offering a small severance to help with immediate needs, and so on)

I’m guessing you’ve been inundated with email messages from every company you’ve ever done business with—each of them describing what they’re doing in response to COVID-19. Many of those messages share the same two flaws: they’re too long on words and too short on empathy. When you communicate with your customers about the virus via email or social media, keep these three things in mind:

Here’s a potentially controversial opinion: You don’t need to give the details about every single precaution you’re taking. At this point, people are glazing over when they read a sentence that includes the phrase 60% alcohol solution. 

Don’t misunderstand: You should be implementing everything the CDC is recommending, and you should be prepared to communicate specifics to anyone who asks. But you don’t need to put that level of detail in your email. If you do, it likely won’t get read.

Here’s an especially engaging way of communicating, “We’re being super careful” without using the standard language everyone else is using:

Many of your customers will experience some type of financial burden from the COVID-19 pandemic. Consider how you might ease some of their worries by, for example, offering a special discount or extending service agreements.

Here’s a sample email you can swipe, edit, and send to your list and use on social media:

If you’re feeling overwhelmed about how to get your phone ringing more—particularly in light of our global health crisis—let’s chat. I can offer some simple ideas to keep your business on track. Schedule a call here.