— by Sam Lam
My first experience surfing was almost 20 years ago in Hawaii. I’m not good at it by any means but there are a few main steps: (1) look in the distance for a suitable wave to catch; (2) orient your board in the right direction; (3) paddle furiously just as it reaches you.
By catching it at the right time, you’re able to ride the wave, which is a beautiful feeling.
Similarly, during this uncertainty brought on by COVID-19, we need to make sure our messaging is coming at the right time for our customers. If either too early or too late, it could confuse or antagonize them. Using the 3 steps in surfing above as a guide, here are suggestions on how you can communicate effectively.
1) Predict the (Short-Term) Future:
The remarkable situation with COVID-19 is that by looking at the experiences of other countries (e.g., China, Italy, S. Korea) we generally know what will probably happen — maybe not the end game, but at least the next few weeks.
It’s like seeing a wave come to you from 50 yards out. You know COVID-19 is going to come, and the ensuing government policies, social costs, and effects on morale. You know which businesses are likely to be hit the hardest and how they are trying to weather the storm. You may need to adapt it a bit to your own context, but general principles will hold.
Remember also that this is not a one-time situation. Just as there are multiple rounds of waves when you’re in the ocean, so there are also multiple stages of government interventions or business implications or customer reactions. Look at what’s happened in other geographies to help predict what might happen in yours.
2) Get Ready for your Response:
By knowing what is coming, you’re able to adjust and think through implications on your organization.
Get ahead of the game and make decisions now that allow you to adjust at the right time. Have your message and communication plan ready, tailored to each stage of customer implications.
With COVID-19, information is updating daily, so you will need to modulate your approach depending on new developments.
3) Communicate at the Right Time:
Make sure you are not moving too fast or too slow. You might be far ahead of your customers given how you’ve prepared for this (which is great!) but you need to wait until they’re ready to hear your message.
Government policies and messaging generally act as a thermostat and adjust the mood in a country, though there is often a lag time between when they announce a policy and when the implications sink in. Furthermore, initial government restrictions have generally been precursors to increased restrictions in the future.
Since you have been observing what has happened in other geographies, you know the pattern this will take. However, the key here is to make sure your audience is ready for your message. For example, if you know the temporary lockdown recently announced will probably become indefinite, don’t assume that everyone else knows that. Wait for policies to be clearer before you announce a substantial change in your services. Otherwise, customers may not understand why you’re giving them different services during what, to them, is just a temporary restriction.
These lessons come out of the experiences of our portfolio companies as we’ve considered COVID-19 and its effects. In one location, we knew COVID-19 was coming and had been ready ahead of the market in adjusting, though we could have handled our initial messaging better. Initially, some customers were frustrated at that messaging since they thought there was just going to be a temporary lockdown. However, as the market has now understood that these restrictions are continuing for the long haul, they have become more amenable to change. At this point, thankfully things are quite positive but wanted to share this experience.
So, even as you consider the future, plan accordingly, and time your message at just the right time. You’ll be better prepared and more nimble, even as we all wait for more waves to come in.
Certainly, for us who are Christians, the water analogy is apropos. As Psalm 46 reminds us:
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
God is “ever-present” with us and that is all the comfort we need. We don’t know the future, but we can have confidence in Him who does. After all, our Savior, who silenced the wind and the waves (Mark 4), has delivered us from sin and given us an eternal inheritance.
We can thus trust and rest in Him. I pray that your confidence in Him would help you communicate with grace even through these uncertain times.
——
[Thanks to Jeremy Bishop for the cover photo]
