The Humanity of a brand is under a microscope now, like never before

Maintaining Brand Humanity in a Crisis Part 1

The first study into Brand Humanity by Forrester research found that customers want companies to communicate with them in ways that feel human. When brands succeed in that goal, they’re rewarded with their customers’ engagement, purchases, and loyalty. The findings in the first study were so significant, that Forrester continued with another study in 2019.

The updated data continued to show that customer demands for human communications are still rising. Forrester also found that brands need to start their human communication journey with customer insights and empathy. More companies are now investing in powerful tech to capture the customer and business benefits of human interaction.

Finding the human side to your brand can be challenging in the best of times. Things get even more complicated when you add globally transformational experiences to the mix. That’s something that many businesses discovered for the first time during 2020.

So, how do brands continue to demonstrate the value of human connection during a crisis?

Let’s find out.

Difficult Times Strengthen Human Connection

The entire world encountered an unprecedented period of crisis in 2020. The coronavirus pandemic emerged and dealing with Covid-19 altered everything we thought we knew about life. In these trying times, it’s natural for people’s values to change. Things that were once considered important start to take a backseat, and true needs rise to the surface.

As part of the strategy to prevent the spread of Covid-19, people were told to socially distance. Human beings interacting together was no longer an option, as the threat of infection was too great. Yet, bizarrely, the more that we were told to stay isolated, the more we wanted to connect.

During the Covid pandemic, video conferencing usage skyrocketed. Around 47.6% of people started using Facetime as a way to mimic the face-to-face interactions they weren’t getting in-person. People began using Zoom and speaking more frequently over video. The “video first” workforce also became more significant.

The lengths that people went to so that they could stay connected during Covid-19 made it clear just how valuable human connection really is. The strategy to reduce infection should have been called “physical distancing” not “social distancing”, as we discovered that we still have ways to be social, even when in-person interactions aren’t possible.

During 2020, brands have seen first-hand that they need to thrive in all landscapes, by adjusting to the shifting demands and values of their prospects and customers, while developing new ways to understand and engage their audience. Brands that can handle this process successfully will come out of the crisis stronger than ever.

Human Closeness, Empathy, and Trust

Critical elements of the human relationship, like empathy, trust, and closeness, have always been pivotal to the process of building a successful brand. The challenge that business leaders face, is having to react to changing circumstances at an incredible pace. All the while, it’s important to ensure that responses are being formulated with best practices in mind.

During 2020, the world saw companies innovating rapidly to cope with the emerging uncertainties ahead. Global KPMG research into customer experience in the last decade also found that investing in customer relationships during times of strife will pay off long-term. Knowing how to be there for your customer when they need you most is what leads to true and enduring loyalty.

The Covid-19 pandemic forced businesses to build and maintain relationships with customers when their world turned upside down. Companies started to face tension created by the demand to generate sales during a period of rocky economic hardship. The tension here is very real, particularly for smaller businesses and newer ventures that provide discretionary products.

The Covid-19 coronavirus crisis even had a negative impact on larger, more established brands. These companies changed almost overnight. The 380 Nordstrom stores across Canada and the US went dark in just one day, as customers and employees were asked to remain at a distance to avoid spreading the virus.

The good news? Even when unpredictable disasters take place, the steps required for companies to thrive remain simple. All you need to do is:

·      Humanize: Focus on the human elements of your brand

·      Educate: Make sure your customers have the right information

·      Assure: Provide stability, security, and safety

·      Revolutionize: Be ready to adapt your offerings and service

·      Tackle: Take charge of your future

The Harvard Business review refers to this process as the HEART framework for sustained communications and business growth in a crisis.