The ongoing COVID-19 response has tested everyone on a global scale. Many businesses have been forced to radically change the way they operate. Quarantines and social distancing have led to a stark rise in telecommuting and more people using telemedicine for the first time. While some companies have been forced to shutter completely, others are able to remain operational by embracing remote work. While this is a privilege, it also presents those companies with a unique challenge: how do you avoid disruptions in communication when the usual people you communicate with aren’t available in person? 

What is the most effective way to communicate when you cannot be in person?

Unfortunately for many businesses, the COVID-19 crisis has forced them to face the most difficult obstacle in communicating at a time when communicating is of utmost importance. Now is the time you’ll need to connect with your customers, investors, and employees to keep them updated on what’s happening and how you’re responding to it. 

The crisis may represent an obstacle, but it can also present an opportunity to reinvent and innovate your communication strategy. Workers around the globe are uniting to remain productive through the use of software like Zoom, the app Houseparty, and Slack for messaging. Videoconferencing software is more popular – and necessary – than ever, and one glance at the rising stock prices for those technologies will prove that. 

In short: now is the time to pivot to embracing video communication. Not only is it necessary at the moment, but it will also help you be more flexible going forward, post-crisis. 

Why you need to adapt with video

Your business needs a way to communicate with all your stakeholders in this time of uncertainty. It’s needed to reassure them that your company is being proactive and has a plan of action as the scenario unfolds. One of the best ways to do this is through the use of video. This crisis has prompted tons of corporate outreach as you can probably tell from your inbox. Video is a great way to stand out in a cluttered inbox filled with repetitive messaging.

Companies need to adapt their communication and reach people where they are so they can show they are organized and handling the crisis well, video is a great way to do this. Video is a collaborative, flexible format that can be used in a multitude of scenarios where communication is necessary. Think of schools and online learning centers shifting to video available on-demand. Local town board meetings are being made available via video as well. When in-person isn’t available (and sometimes, even when it is) video is consistently proving to be the next best thing – and at times, even better. 

Industries where video can assist remote communication

While some sectors are seeing closures in the wake of the coronavirus, others have been thrust into greater action to help society rebound. For those industries, video can continue to be a vital tool in how they continue to spread their message while they respond to the emergency at hand. 

Think of a shipping company ramping up to support the medical supply chain. Or a grocery store hiring extra workers to support an influx of customers due to shelter-in-place guidelines. The healthcare system is sure to need video as cross-training of staff grows in importance. Hospitals will also need to share their activities and status with the local community. Video can play a role there in reassuring the community that the trains are running on time and everything is not shutting down. 

These impacted companies can certainly leverage video to promote stronger remote communication methods. But other companies who may not directly be responding to the crisis can also get in on this as well. 

How any company can use video to enhance remote communication

Industries in the middle of the response aren’t the only ones with a great opportunity to use video to manage the crisis. Pretty much any company could use a well-produced short pre-roll to talk about how they’re responding to the pandemic. It could instill confidence in the minds of customers, employees, and stakeholders alike. Or you can produce an online training video to help your team members stay sharp and up to date on skills they need to do their jobs. There are so many options for how video can help enhance your business during this uncertain time, including: 

  • Live video 
  • Training videos for newly hired employees
  • Pre-recorded videos with messages from key executives
  • Higher budget communication videos meant to emphasize what you’re doing to aid in the response
  • Presentations or keynote speeches you would otherwise make at conferences that can now be shared virtually

Don’t rely on video alone

Video communication isn’t the only way to stay connected with your various audiences, either. The ability to quickly convey information to your followers (customers, employees, investors) is critical during an emergency response. That’s why having some sort of messaging software or program in place for rapid communication is important as well. One study conducted by the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) found that during a crisis, instant messaging becomes a “vital part of the NHS toolkit.” It’s a way to quickly share information with your most interested parties. During the COVID-19 response, you can use any messaging mechanisms you have to spread the word about safely social distancing and keeping the community safe. It can work as a great supplement to your video communication resources. 

Summary

Video is a flexible, versatile tool for enhancing remote communication during a crisis. It can be used for a multitude of reasons: 

  • To show customers that you’re still providing them with solutions even in the face of an emergency. 
  • To give employees a channel to understand your operating status and talk with each other to get work done. 
  • You will reassure investors that despite an economic downturn, you’re still able to achieve your mission and will bounce back stronger than ever. 

With a variety of video types and formats, you can demonstrate this to all interested parties in a way that’s easy for them to understand. To help you understand how to best use video to bolster your remote communication during a crisis, let DigiVid360 be your trusted partner. For more on how we can help, contact us today