Step 1 – Communicate

“When it comes to crisis communications, if you always focus on building a relationship with your customers, fans, and followers, you will always find yourself communication in the right direction.” – Melissa Agnes
o YOUR TEAM – How are you communicate with your employees? People in the office? How are you relating the changes in the company to them? – Communicate daily via emails, video, in-person, etc.
o Your Customers – Communicate to them about the company changes on how you are adjusting your standards within the company to keep them safe as well as support/helping them.
o Your Networks & Suppliers and Stakeholders & Community – Communicate with them through social media and the people you do business with. Constant communication helps keeps communication growing and where everyone stands.

 Step 2 – Be Positive

“The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis’. One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger- but recognize the opportunity.” – John F Kennedy
o When there are MASSIVE changes, there are always opportunities! You need to be looking for opportunities and how you could ADD to the business. Look for Small wins every hour
o Sometimes absenting yourself from the news, provides a clear mind for the moment vs always keeping up with it. Give yourself a moment to think and plan PIVOTS within your company. Sometimes Less News is Better
o Focus on the wins, focus on the success, FOCUS ON THE GOOD at the moment. Lead your people through this crisis and YOU HAVE to be the most POSITIVE person on the team. Lead Your People

 Step 3 – Know the Cycles

“Spring passes and one remembers one’s innocence. Summer passes and one remembers one’s exuberance. Autumn passes and one remembers one’s reverence. Winter passes and one remembers one’s perseverance.” – Yoko Ono
o Be aware of the global impacts and how it’ll affect the US. China was the first country to be affected and now they are coming decreasing in cases which is a good thing. Italy is the next country to watch and be mindful as well as Japan and so on.
o Knowing the cycle and preparing for the length of when the virus stays, and leaves is important to stay ahead of the curve.
o PIVOT will fast but do not panic. Shifting your changing your mind is so important to gain business! Things will get better, not get worst!

 Step 4 – Change

“The only constant in life is change.” – Heraclitus
o We have to understand change and we CANNOT wait. We must Get Ahead. Take ACTION
o Be the Change and Lead the Change. The formula for Change is (D x V) + F > R
 (Dissatisfaction x Vision) + First Steps > Resistance
o IF you wait until your dissatisfaction is too high, ITS TOO LATE.
o Looking at every aspect in the business is key! Products, Services, Pricing, Delivery, Staffing. Are you going to be working harder in the business? Yes! You’re going to be putting in long hours thinking and planning- not necessary working, about what products needs to be shift and so on.
o Some of you would need to shift the WHOLE BUSINESS. These next 30-90 days, we need to shift business to accommodate the needs and demand of ppl. I.e. where you were selling RV homes, you are now renting to individuals immediately.
o If it ain’t broke don’t fix it? YOU NEED TO BREAK IT! You need to break some things to get the business where it needs to be during this crisis.

 Step 5 – Cut Back

“Cost-cutting has to be the top priority in the crisis. The key is to lower costs intelligently and flexibly, thus minimizing negative long-term repercussions.” Hermann Simon
o When falls happens, you cut down the trees. When falls happens, you plow under the field. WHEN FALLS happens, you gotta cut back. Don’t wait and don’t hold back.
o Cash is King/Stop Spending- Don’t stop growing the business. Continue to increase your marketing and sales and developing your company. HOWEVER, don’t spend on unnecessary items/purchase.
o At this point is survivor mode and making sure the business is here for the next 6 months and being ready for the turn around to boost the economic status.
o Where can you reduce outlays? Re-negotiate is key and NOW – having the extra cash from the cutbacks are going to be vital
o Slow things down or Postpone BUT Keep Marketing and Selling

 Step 6 – Extend Credit

“A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.” Bob Hope
o Extend your credit NOW while they are still lending. Apply for more credit cards, increase your credit lines, etc.
o EVEN IF YOU DON’T NEED IT NOW, you may or may not in 6 months or so. But it’s there as a cushion and a safety net.
o Re-Finance is the best time and FINDING the lowest rates ASAP. IF you don’t have credit available, go get it as fast as you can. So, you have the ability to do the things you need to do during this time.

o Take a mortgage payment holiday. Lenders are offering this.

o Apply for the business interruption loan. Your bank will offer this by April 1st. The government will pay the first 6 months’ interest. The government will provide up to 80% security.

o Call HMRC and defer two month VAT and PAYE/NIC payments. Once you pay you can’t defer it. Call before it is due.

 Step 7 – Staffing Cuts/Changes

“One way to reduce the need for layoffs would be to cut back on hours, spreading the available work among more employees.” – Adam Cohen
o Some businesses may have to do this, but this is necessary – but start staffing cuts. You may not want to but it’s important because of the shift of the economy.
o Ways to get around this:
 Have employees take a vacation if possible
 Have layoffs all at one time OR by attrition- all it but do not replace
 Cutting hours
 Pay cuts are an option
 Suspend bonus programs

 Step 8 Plan Work from Home

“The option to work from home when needed, or to try a different lifestyle without having to change jobs, is a win for everyone.” – Scott Berkun
o Business would need to work from home or have the employees work skeleton style. Remaining safe and healthy
o But how should you handle the operations from home??
o Technology needed – are you equipped from working from home and communicating to others? What technology will you use to continue to work
o Meetings and Reporting/Customer Service – how are we going to report? Where should we host our meetings? Skype/Zoom/Webcam
o Banking and Mail/Communication to Staff
o The world is shifting, economic is shifting and this is what we need to do to accommodate with the shift. It may be weeks or months but it’s not long term.

Step 9 – Online or Deliveries
(CNN) Beginning immediately, CVS Pharmacy will waive delivery fees for prescription drugs due to the coronavirus outbreak.
o Need to add delivery to the business OR Online/Phone delivery – how to provide your service and/or products to your customers virtually
o Staffing Changes
o IF people won’t come to you, you go to them
o Packaging and Accounts & Communication with Customers

Step 10 – Marketing and Selling

“For a business not to advertise is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing but no one else does.” – Stuartt H. Britt
o Continue to market but CHANGE the way you market
o Increase not decrease
o Negotiate Rates & Create New Offers/Rate
o Measure Your 5 Ways – WATCH VIDEO
o Get Cash Up Front

 Step 11 – Repeat Business

“Every contact we have with a customer influences whether or not they’ll come back. We have to be great every time or we’ll lose them.” – Kevin Stirtz
o Existing Customers are Best Customers – The most vital basis is to KEEP YOUR REPEAT CUSTOMERS!
o Create Deals just for them – CANNOT Ignore our existing customers
o Bulk Buys, Cash Up Front
o Keep at All Costs
o COMMUNICATION is Vital – Make sure they feel loved and feel IMPORTANT and VALUE!

 Step 12 – Common Sense & Compassion

“The key is to set realistic customer expectations, and then not to just meet them, but to exceed them- preferably in unexpected and helpful ways.” – Richard Branson
o Over Deliver on Customer Service – DO MORE than the usual and go above and beyond
o CLEAN and Don’t Touch
o Provide Sanitizer
o Put People First
o Be Nice and take a Chill Pill
o Don’t buy too much toilet paper