COVID-19 Response Recommendations

On this page you will find some resources and recommendations for communicating with your customers during a crisis or an uncertain time. We’ve shared messaging suggestions, example survey questions, best practices, and ideas of how you can leverage Alchemer Digital to talk directly to your customers.

As you are considering how to communicate with your customers during this time, please keep in mind that people are inundated with information right now. Keep your communication relevant and helpful. Think about what will be most valuable for customers to hear at this time. Don’t message just to communicate something.

General Recommendations

Another option is to set up a Survey to find out how you can best assist customers during this period, or learn if they would like to be communicated with right now. You’ll see some recommendations for that below.

• Launch a Survey. Surveys are a great resource to gather a pulse from your customers or understand if they want to be communicated with at this time.
  • If you are in the position to help in any way, ask customers how you can do so:
    • What can we do to help?
    • What do you need from us right now?
      • Include single-select options relevant to your business, such as free delivery, promotions, travel alerts, news alerts, financial information, etc. 
  • Gather feedback from your customers on how you are handling the situation and use it as an opportunity to build trust:
    • How satisfied are you with how we are handling this issue?
      • Range of 1-5
    • What are we doing right and should continue? 
    • What are we doing wrong and should stop?
    • What are we missing that we should/could be doing?
  • Include an open-ended question to allow customers to vent or share positive feedback. This is a place for them to share feedback on items you didn’t cover in your previous survey questions. 
    • What else? Tell us! 
    • What other feedback do you have?

• Run a Prompt (formerly Notes). Prompts are a way to communicate proactively to your customers on a variety of topics. They also include an option to deep link (if your app supports this), link to an external URL or introduce a Survey.
  • Acknowledge and direct customers to an FAQ page informing customers of how you are addressing the COVID outbreak and what you are doing to support customers at this time.
    • Sample copy – Our team has put together resources to help answer your questions during this uncertain time. Click the link below to view our FAQ.
  • If you launch a new App version in response to your customer’s needs during this crisis, use Prompts to encourage customers to upgrade to the new version faster:

• Let customers know what you are doing to help, and share resources around where to donate if they are able.
  • Sample copy – We are donating to [X] charity at this time. If you’d like to contribute, you can do so by clicking on the link below.
• Launch a Prompt to introduce a Survey and allow customers to opt in. This helps customers cut down on too much noise while also letting those who have the time and capacity to give you feedback take the Survey:

Food & Drink

• Run a Prompt
  • Share an update on restaurant hours, or policy changes such as drive-through or take-out only:
• Notify customers of free or discounted delivery:
• Inform your customers of offers or promotions you have created to support them at this time of uncertainty.
  • Sample copy – We are now offering buy one, get one coffee when ordering through the app!
• Encourage customers to use mobile ordering to provide safe distance while speeding up orders:
• Launch a Survey
  • Are promotions relevant during this time? 
  • If so, what type?

Finance

• Run a Prompt
  • Share your support and resources for those who need financial assistance at this time:
• Link to an FAQ about what you are doing to help your customers.
  • Sample copy – Our team has put together resources to help answer your questions during this uncertain time. Click the link below to view our FAQ.

Travel

• Run a Prompt
  • Alert your customers that call volumes are high, redirect them to a help page or online support:
• Inform your customers of offers or promotions you have created to support them at this time of uncertainty.
  • Sample copy – We are now waiving change fees for all itineraries through September 2020.
• Alert customers that they may experience travel disruptions during this time.
  • Sample copy – Due to unforeseen circumstances, you may experience travel disruptions at this time. 
• Offer discounted or free memberships to travel programs.
  • Sample copy – Enroll in our travel program below, we are extending a 6 month free membership for all enrollments before April 1st.

Media

• Run a Prompt
  • Let your customers know about new content to watch.
    • Sample copy – Check out the latest episodes of [X] show, all seasons are now available!
  • Guide them towards the latest news and turning on app notifications.
    • Sample copy – Follow the latest updates on COVID-19 by turning on your app notifications. Click the link below to enable.
  • Encourage people to subscribe to your newsletter to keep them updated:

Shopping

• Run a Prompt
  • Promote ordering in-app since stores are closed.
    • Sample copy – Use the app to purchase your favorites items!
  • Let customers know they can schedule a grocery delivery
    • Sample copy – Schedule delivery windows for the next two weeks to have your groceries dropped off on your doorstep.
  • Alert customers an update to store hours
    • Sample copy – In light of recent circumstances, our store hours have changed. 
  • If you are offering free shipping at this time, announce that via a Prompt.
    • Sample copy –  Free shipping is available on all orders through April 15th!

Targeting Tips

• Keep in mind that typical targeting suggestions don’t necessarily apply in situations like this. You want to avoid interrupting customers, but get them information they need as soon as possible. With that in mind, consider using a homepage, dashboard viewed, or another event early in your app cycle to capture customers when you have an important message.
• Consider where in your app it will be most impactful to show the interaction and what is the right language to use? Use our suggestions above for language, or ask your Customer Success Manager or contact support for help.
• Think about the right cadence – should you show to users once? After checkout? How often?
• Which customers should you message? Do you want to send this out broadly or to a select group of your most-loyal or active customers?

Other Considerations

• Be thoughtful about the frequency of Prompts and Surveys you send to customers, to avoid being too noisy or disruptive.
• Please keep in mind that Prompts have character limits. You have 64 characters for your title and 320 for the body. 
• Prompts also allow you to link to an external URL. This can be used for App Store updates, links to FAQ pages and more.
• Consider how long to run a Survey or Prompt and ensure that the content is current. Update accordingly. 
• If your app is available in multiple languages/countries, be sure to upload translations once you have built your interactions.