Getting People to do the Right Thing During Lockdown: What can Brands Learn Right Now?

Table of Contents

By Cathy-Anne O’Brien

Sitting on a park bench isn’t okay, unless you need to rest, in which case, sit on the bench. Don’t go outside, unless you have to in which case maintain six feet of distance.  A mandatory trip includes groceries or medication only. But you can exercise outside too.  

Being the good Canadians we are, we are following the rules and we’ve been reasonably good at social distancing, and if you aren’t, your fellow law abiding neighbour may take to social shaming.

But the messages are confusing as this tongue-in-cheek news conference mocks. 

Whether it’s the US President thinking aloud at a news conference about the ingestion of disinfectant as a potential cure, to claims the whole thing is a hoax, misinformation can be dangerous, setting us back during this very fragile time of a phased reopening. 

It’s interesting to observe the countries managing through this crisis the most effectively.  Countries with a high degree of trust in their governments are recovering quicker. Denmark, New Zealand and Singapore, and arguably Canada, are great examples of strong leadership communicating clear, consistent messages, resulting in high compliance on social distancing and bending the curve.  

What can brands learn from this?

“Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair.”

As a business, when you build up good will over time and establish brand credibility with your customers, they are loyal and supportive.  Studies are showing (https://www.marketingcharts.com/brand-related/brand-loyalty-109127) that trust in leadership is growing in importance in this era of fake news and false information.  Consumers want value for their money, to be treated fairly, have their issues quickly resolved, and when they feel you are doing a good job they’ll give you good ratings and reviews. It starts with trust.

Play well with others.

The importance of finding common ground, putting politics aside and working well with others is undeniably apparent during a world pandemic. “We are in this together” extends far beyond our borders. From testing, treating and ultimately finding a vaccine, global efforts are required now to safeguard our future. 

A lack of coordination and collaboration has given the US the dubious honour of first place in coronavirus infections and deaths. 

Companies can learn from this. Putting aside competitiveness and thinking in a more open, collaborative way helps you stay innovative and deliver on evolving customer needs. Thriving companies have already recognized this. Whether its Apple and Google coming together on contact tracing https://www.apple.com/ca/newsroom/2020/04/apple-and-google-partner-on-covid-19-contact-tracing-technology/ or the “unprecedented collaboration’ of competitors GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/14/gsk-ceo-covid-19-vaccine-with-sanofi-is-unprecedented-collaboration.html on finding a vaccine, partnerships play a pivotal role in broadening a company’s relevance and growing market share. And the companies that do it right during COVID will be remembered. https://strategyonline.ca/2020/04/07/driving-trust-and-purchase-during-covid-19/

It’s not about you right now. Or ever, really.

Value your customers not your sales. While UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned citizens that they should prepare to lose loved ones before their time, New Zealand’s Prime Minister’s Jacinda Ardern was clear that she would value people not just the economy. Comparing how each country is managing through the pandemic, a people-first approach may be more effective. 

According to a Deloitte study from last year, companies with a customer-centric business model are 60% more profitable than companies for which customers aren’t a primary focus.

https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/de/Documents/WM%20Digitalisierung.pdf

Similar findings can be said for highly engaged employees leading to increased profitability. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236366/right-culture-not-employee-satisfaction.aspx

When you’ve established trusting relationships, acted collaboratively and put people first, it’s a winning formula that gives you a lot of leeway. Even when you don’t have all the answers — and the messages aren’t straightforward right now as scientists learn and report on this disease in real time, sometimes getting it right, sometimes not — people will listen if there’s transparency and accountability, and when they feel their best interests are at the core. 

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