A price change, a delayed delivery, a service outage, a product recall: sooner or later, every company has news its customers won’t like. How, when and why you tell them decides whether the relationship comes out stronger or weaker. These four steps keep customer communication consistent, clear and effective, with examples from different sectors.
The 4 key steps
1. Know your customer segments
Start by mapping the different groups in your customer base, and plan the communication for each. Base it on how they buy (in store, online, through a distributor) and on what they need. Some groups, such as key accounts or customers with open orders, need more frequent or more detailed updates.
2. Choose the right channels
Decide the best way to reach each segment. Customer apps, loyalty programmes and account managers reach people quickly and accurately. Your website and social media reach everyone at once. When the issue is public, a statement to the media may be necessary.
3. Stay on top of the conversation
Customers talk about you 24 hours a day. Monitoring the main social media platforms and media daily tells you what customers, competitors and the public are saying, so you can join the conversation quickly when it matters.
4. Be proactive and honest
Companies that communicate early, openly and regularly are the ones that keep their trust and reputation. Set how often you’ll update customers, and stick to it. Acknowledge the problem, explain the solution and tell them what you’re doing.
Examples of good practice
Airlines: using your own channels
When customers worry about safety or delays, the airlines that do best explain what they’re doing on their own channels, with video and photos, before the questions pile up.
Food and beverage: third-party validation
Food companies facing questions about safety or hygiene often bring in recognized independent experts to validate their procedures, then show the process openly online.
Retail: segmentation in practice
When its supply chain broke down, one retailer identified its VIP and special-order customers and contacted them first and personally. Everyone else got a clear public statement, and affected customers were offered alternatives or discounts.
Hospitality: ready to act fast
A large hotel group prepared for incidents by organizing its guest and employee contacts in advance, assigning spokespeople to each audience and agreeing with the local authorities on how to validate its procedures.
Based on guidance from Edelman. EDC is Edelman’s affiliate partner in Portugal.
