Facebook has launched an online resource hub to help Irish SMEs deal with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Small Business Resource Hub provides a range of resources, including a resiliency tool kit and online training sessions designed to help businesses minimise disruption and survive the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
Facebook’s resilience toolkit prompts businesses to identify the business activities that are essential for continued operation during a disruption. They should then consider the impact to business and distributor operations, and determine an action plan to mitigate or plan for significant disruptions.
As part of the resource hub launch, Facebook has suggested five steps that businesses can take immediately to mitigate some of the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Keep yourself safe and informed.
Stay up to date by following credible, official sources such as the HSE and World Health Organisation (WHO), so you can respond quickly to changes that could affect you or your customers. Follow updates from the HSE at www.hse.ie/coronavirus or follow them on Facebook or Instagram. - Stay in touch with your customers.
Proactively share important information with your customers using email, your website, Facebook page, Instagram business profile or however you typically connect. It is possible to pin important posts to the top of your Facebook Page for quick viewing. You might include information about the measures you're taking to make your premises or products safe, or how you will handle customer enquiries if there are expected delivery delays. - Try hosting online events.
In case you need to postpone or cancel any planned events as a result of the outbreak, connect with your customers directly on their phone with an online webinar, or organise live sessions using social channels such as Facebook or Instagram. - Prepare a customer service plan.
In order to be responsive and transparent with your customers during this challenging moment, prepare for incoming questions and requests. Consider drafting templated responses for your emails or set up instant-reply messages with information you expect your customers will be looking for. Connect with your customers for free in real time using Instagram Direct messages, Messenger or setting up a WhatsApp Business profile. - Provide a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Prepare a list of responses for questions your customers are likely to ask, and provide as much detail and reassurance as possible in your answers.
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