A new study has found that over a quarter (27%) of people in the UK worry that the businesses who have gone quiet – with no news or content being shared – during the covid-19 pandemic are in financial trouble and so are not spending with them.
Another perception consumers have is when their employer goes quiet, they worry is it is not good news for their job security, according to the study by Arlington Research. This is especially true among men (34% in the UK).
“It’s clear that without a clear communication strategy, you risk consumers coming to their own conclusions – and those conclusions might not even be right,” said Paul Stallard, MD at Arlington Research.
“Your business may be faring the storm, but your staff and/or customers don’t know it and may be reluctant to place that next order for fear you might not be able to fulfil it. Likewise, if we want to restore faith in our economies, it’s imperative we keep employees up to date on company news, changes and the future.”
LOCKDOWN
Unsurprisingly, many UK respondents surveyed (45%) said that their consumption of content had increased during the pandemic when compared with before. Much of this can, undoubtedly, be attributed to lockdown with people spending the majority of time at home, online.
The research has also shed some light on to the topics that consumers are craving. Over half (56%)of those surveyed in the UK agreed they wanted to hear non-pandemic news.
Consumers have also indicated what they want from brands in their communication. Forty-one per cent of survey respondents in the UK stated that during the crisis, brands that inspired them and gave them hope were the ones they wanted to spend money with in the future.
“People want news and want to be inspired. The majority of respondents who took part in our survey, of which there were 13,000 consumers from 14 countries across the world, told us that how well a company responds to the coronavirus crisis will have a huge baring on the likelihood of buying from them in the future.
“Do not underestimate the ‘power of now’. Now is not the time to go stop your communications – the beginning is always today,” concluded Paul Stallard.
