4/16/20 - Episode #10 
7 Actions That Speak Louder Than Words 
Standing out in the crowd of “we’re here for you!”

CHALLENGE/BELIEF: 
[Allison]
Ray, I don’t know about you, but I want to hurl my coffee cup at the screen every time I get an email that says we’re here for you. 

I know, you and I have said it before, but after weeks of quarantine, it’s just become ubiquitous. 

But this begs the question:
As a manufacturer, what DO we say in a time like this? What SHOULD we be doing?
‘Cause we know we want and need to do something.

[Ray]
Oh, no, I love knowing all those people emailing me right now (that I’ve never done business with) are caring for me! Ha ha ha ha

Seriously though, the first hurdle for many organizations was to stabilize operations and safeguard your employees. CHECK

Now it’s time to find genuine, creative ways to show empathy and emotionally connect with your customers. 

[Allison]
For sure! We’re all just human and, now more than ever, as customers we’re seeking -individual safety
-security and stability
-convenience and ease of use
-and emotional bonds and trust 

ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: 
[Ray]
Now, let’s talk about this for a second. 
This is a huge exercise in Change Management.

After years of a “Features & Benefits” approach to marketing, Mfg’s just started to turn the corner & talk about their culture & values in a meaningful way.

Then, in a 90-day period, COVID-19  forced mfg’s to evolve again to “We’re here for you”

And over the span of a couple weeks, they need to iterate again!

20 years of mkt best-practices has changed dramatically in less than 4 months!!!

There’s an old saying in mfg that goes:  “Speed and Quality are Symptoms of Precision”.

This can be observed within the four walls of most manufacturing companies because their business is founded/built around that technical capability.  It’s what they’re good at.

Communicating outside of the four walls doesn’t come naturally to a lot of mfg leaders.  It’s a teachable skill, but if you don’t have a basic framework, you’ll flail-around more than you’ll make forward progress.

Even pre-COVID-19, we were talking about the incredible opportunity of tapping into human emotion. 

We all know, people don’t make most decisions rationally...like only 5% of the time. 

So, why are we, as manufacturing leaders, so hesitant to really tap into that 95% of the decision making brain and really SHOW UP like no one else in our space?!

[Allison]
I have my theory! But why do YOU think that is, Ray?

[Ray]
It comes down to: Priority, Rate of Change, Domain Expertise.  

The default setting for manufacturers is to get product out the door.  COVID-19 is causing the ground to shift at an unprecedented rate, & most MFG companies don’t have marketing domain expertise to understand the opportunity available to them. 
That being said, they have examples around them every day.  I’ve heard from countless clients and friends that have all shared stories of their teams coming back to work with fear and fire in their eyes.  

That’s a powerful combination to deal with, but they’ve figured it out.  What we’re talking about today is understanding what to do about that same fear & fire our customers are feeling.

It’s easy to put your arm (figuratively) around someone you’ve worked with for years.  How do you do that ‘virtually’ for your current and targeted customers?   
-
LET’S GET TACTICAL:
Standing out in the crowd of “we’re here for you” is critical right now!!

[Allison]
Manufacturers have an incredible opportunity to step up and reveal their real character with ACTIONS that speak louder than words.

So, let’s get tactical and talk about what we CAN DO; the 7 actions that speak louder than words. Ray, you gathered these from a recent post from McKinsey...

Ray, why don’t you run us through 1-4 and I’ll wrap up with 5-7?!

[Ray]

1- Minimize risk by reducing physical interaction
-offer new contactless delivery options to eliminate direct physical contact between customers and delivery drivers. -More stringent standards for cleaning as well as new work processes.
2 - Actively contribute to safety by innovating the product portfolio Companies should ask themselves two critical questions: Do we have a product the world needs right now? Or can we rapidly adapt our product portfolio to provide goods that are urgently needed? 

-Use your strengths to provide essential products, even if those goods are outside of their current product offering. EXAMPLE: some distilleries are using their ethanol supplies to provide materials for hand sanitizers through partnerships with refineries.

-Step up to meet the demand for more medical equipment and personal protective equipment. Apparel manufacturers are responding to a drop in sales by producing thousands of urgently needed face masks instead. Some automotive companies are shifting production to manufacture ventilators, for example, General Motors is partnering with a US-based medical device company to produce respiratory care products.

3 - Provide pragmatic help to customers in financial distress
Once customers have secured their personal safety, their next concern is often financial. 
-So many companies are forced to decrease operations for an uncertain time period leaving individuals and business owners with massive income and liquidity issues.
-Providing flexible payment options
-Wave restocking fees
-Provide something for free if they purchase through your app or online

[Allison]

4. Bring joy and support the emotional needs of customers who feel ‘trapped at home’
Acting to make homelife more enjoyable and to also ensure the well-being of your customers.
-Check in with customers to help relieve stress. 
-Suggest meditation and mindfulness providers, like the Headspace app or offer free subscriptions
-Unlock free content 
-Share online courses

5. Actively shift customers to online channels
-Offer any virtual capabilities you may have, like videos and online tutorials. 
-Virtual trouble-shooting with sales people or your customer service team
-

6. Stay reachable and treat customers with care in personal interactions
-Equip your team with laptops and tool infrastructure that will enable them to take calls from their homes and work more efficiently from home. 
-Maintain communication and engagement and support
-Offer virtual product consultations or Lunch N Learns

7. Demonstrate care for the community through company values
-Form a purpose-driven bond with customers
-Stay true to your vision while showing them you genuinely care
-The actions taken during this crisis will build trust and reinforce brand values
-One of the most talked-about company initiatives in Germany came from McDonald’s and ALDI. The two companies initiated a staff sharing plan so that interested McDonald’s workers from temporarily closed branches can redeploy at ALDI stores to ensure that the retailer can meet the currently increased customer demand. 
-Supporting local communities while linking these efforts back to company values
-Public service announcements and other on-brand communication can be used to send messages of unity

WRAP UP:
[Allison]: 
Leading in a caring, empathetic manner during these difficult times has the potential to create real connections that will outlive the social and economic impacts of the pandemic.

[Ray]:
Every action you take now should reinforce what customers already know—that you care and are willing to invest in helping them and their community.

[Allison]: 
Remember, we’re all in this together! 
You’re resilient. Capable. Innovative. And strong.

As always, thank you for listening and being part of this tribe. 

If you’re not already, please subscribe to this podcast. And sharing is caring, so tell a colleague to tune in and GET REAL already.

[Ray]: Here’s to forging lasting relationships with customers. 
And, remember to keep manufacturing out loud! We need you!