The new normal in a post Covid-19 world include one major shift in the way business will be conducted. There are a lot of new businesses have been created and the key to survival is classical segmentation.
Businesses and brands are now are making their way back into the business; planning their communication plans for a new world post the covid-19 lockdown.
In this story of Medianews4u’s super successful brand series, Back to Business, we spoke to Simal Soin, founder, AAYNA clinic
How are you coping up with the impact of Covid-19 on your organization? How effectively have you used the lockdown period?
During the lockdown period, we have been preparing and training our teams for what seems like the new normal post lockdown. We have been working behind the scenes to put in place stringent protocols to ensure the highest levels of hygiene and sanitation at our centres. We have been procuring the best safety gear for our clients and staff for when our clinics open. Our staff has been updating their skills on the new do’s and don’ts through online technical training. We have taken this unexpected opportunity to revise existing business models and create new opportunities.
What sort of innovation has or will the Covid-19 pandemic bring to your industry?
In general, the COVID-19 pandemic has made us look at our business with a completely new set of eyes. We are in the process of finalising our online courses. This is a completely new vertical that AAYNA Clinic is getting into. We did offer online consultations before the pandemic, consolidating that with home delivery of products and follow ups through video conferencing. Online courses, however, is a new ball game for us.
While some parts of the country have become Covid-19 free, cities like Mumbai and Delhi are still in a lockdown situation. How are you planning to resume business across cities that are not in the Red?
We have opened our Mehrauli Clinic in Delhi. Khan Market and Ludhiana will follow in the first week of June. We have also been keeping the staff engaged with online technical training. The clinic is offering only online pre-procedure consultations with an expert, no walk-ins are allowed. All customers must provide their medical and travel history and share the AarogyaSetu app screenshot with the therapist. We have ensured that our staff cover their faces and do not talk to the client while doing any procedure. There will be only one exit and entrance and the customers will be directly escorted to their allotted rooms where they will change their clothes to disposable gowns. All their personal belongings like mobile phones and handbags will be kept in a separate cupboard. They will not meet any other client. Before entering the clinic, each customer’s body temperature will be checked. Shoe covers, masks and hand sanitizing will be mandatory for everyone.
What will be your communication strategy post the opening of the lockdown? Understandably, bringing customers back would be difficult… What will be the objective of the communication and marketing strategy?
We do not see a challenge in bringing our customers back. In fact, we have been receiving multiple requests for opening up as soon as possible, as per Government guidelines. Having said that, our communications and marketing strategy in the early days would essentially focus on assuring our customers about the safe and sterile environment they will find at any of our three clinics. We are well-prepared to welcome our clients. Through word-of-mouth, we are sure our clients will feel confident about stepping into an AAYNA Clinic.
How did you keep up the morale of the employees during this lockdown period? On a personal note, what kept you positive?
We have been regularly in touch with our employees via video conferencing throughout the lockdown period. Our teams were kept busy with their training sessions on how to deal with COVID-19. They have been prepping to come back so we have not really had any issue with the morale. All of us are in this together and we are working as one. We have even been talking to them about what measures to take at home and while stepping out for buying essentials. To maintain a sense of normalcy, we followed a tradition that has been a part of AAYNA since inception — we had a Virtual Puja which everybody attended when AAYNA turned six on May 5th!
What are some of the post-lockdown business strategies that you will use to bring the business back on track or at least get it in the right direction and also create demand for yourself?
Other than tracking the expenses and possibly renegotiating the fix expenses, we would be focusing on engaging the clients through our social media handles and creating useful relatable content.
