Near Distancing

The value of every brand and business can be measured in how helpful it is to its customers, in short, its customer relevance. In times of crisis this relevance is ever more critical, and it is also now that true colours come to shine. How robust are your customer relationships, and is customer centricity really at the heart of your business? The Corona crisis is exposing these realities mercilessly. We see businesses tackling it in a range of ways. Some are adapting very creatively, developing new initiatives, offerings and finding new means of supporting their customers in ways that retain their value and relevance. Meanwhile an alarming number of businesses are using the current situation as an excuse for sloppy operations.

In his article, How to avoid f***ing up your brand during these Corona Times, Martin Lindstrom relates an encounter with customer service of the latter variety. His attempt to cancel a flight with Australia’s national carrier, Qantas, is met with the cool “We are busy”, from an overstretched customer services operator. During Corona customers have been unable to rebook or cancel flights with Qantas. Lindstrom continues with another offender, Katar’s national airline, Qatar, which has been charging customers 50 dollars in advance for every call they take, regardless of subject matter. Other service providers have pulled the plug entirely in an attempt to shield themselves from ever increasing customer inquiries.

But aren’t we all stressed and challenged during Corona? Isn’t it excusable to slip up? Yes and no. We’re all under strain, but how you choose to respond still defines your image, and will set the tone for your future. At STURMundDRANG we’ve been thinking about consumer behavior change during the Corona crisis in terms of three phases: the crisis of trust (Recession phase), the drive for alternatives (Rebound phase), and impetus for renewal (Re-imagine phase). When devising Recession-response strategies brands should bear in mind the Rebound and Recession phases ahead, and ask themselves, how can my actions now influence what role I come to play in the next phase?

So what is a positive example of this kind of strategy?

Patagonia is a great case that demonstrates how brands can use this crisis to prove their unwavering consistency and commitment to their values. Despite having to close all their retail stores, the outdoor clothing brand has shown its dedication to employees by continuing to pay all their employees’ salaries. „The scale of impact is still unknown, and we want to do our part to protect our community especially while testing availability is unknown”, writes Rose Marcario, CEO and president of Patagonia, in a letter that was published on the company website on March 13th. “It is everyone’s responsibility to stop the spread of this virus.” She also takes it as an opportunity to show optimism: “Over the years, as our Patagonia community has been faced with challenges, I have always been inspired by how we emerge stronger and with an even deeper sense of purpose. We will persevere through this challenge, too.”

Excuses? Quite the opposite. Patagonia is strengthening bonds within its own community, and thereby demonstrating how even during Covid-19 strong leadership can be demonstrated and underpinned by an integrity that puts ethics before profit. We can be sure that this decision will serve the brand well in the long term. This kind of relationship management is of key importance for businesses, because overwhelmed, stressed and isolated consumers have an especially good memory for who has been kind and supportive of them in the moments that really mattered. Service providers that act unempathetically, try to pursue business as usual and put profit first, are putting their long-term reputation at risk.

Now is the time to tell the right kind of stories, stories that will pull you through the next phases. But, how to understand what will have resonance with your community? The same way as always: through getting in touch with how behavior is changing, what narratives are becoming influential, which unmet needs are arising, and how other brands and providers are beginning to speak to these.

This is particularly important right now: consumers feel vulnerable, and are looking for reassurance and contact from brands to assuage their fears.

But how can we practice cultural and behavioral research remotely?

At STURM und DRANG we do so with our tried and tested indirect research methods, using mobile ethnographic observation and semiotic research to access consumer tensions, desires, and ultimately, “Jobs to be done”. In this indirect research approach we’re true to the principles of psychophysicist Howard Moskowitz, who famously stated, „The mind does not know what the tongue wants“. Our answer to that is to observe the tongue, not ask the mind.

It bears repeating: during social distancing, tending closely to consumer relationships is more important than ever. Using these research tools we can keep brands on the pulse of the emerging needs, concerns and narratives arising out of the Corona crisis. This ensures they are moving forward together with their community in spite of the distance, and in time with the transforming consumer and business reality.

Author: Stefan Baumann

Consumer psychologist Stefan Baumann develops brand visions and transformation and innovation concepts on the basis of insights into an evolving consumer culture. He consults frequently for owner-managed companies looking for effective renewal strategies to regain relevance in a changed market context.

Image references

Image 1: "Holding heart", https://unsplash.com/photos/4le7k9XVYjE

Image 2: "Cut connection", https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1564515151121

Image 3: "Mobile research", https://www.pexels.com/de-de/foto/frau-entspannung-smartphone-bett-3060643/

Image 4: "Open fence", https://www.pexels.com/de-de/foto/autos-strasse-fahrzeuge-himmel-3849168/