My Response to Your COVID-19 Response Email
Dear Corporate America,
I received your touching email last week, and a couple of times this week. I’m so relieved to know we’re in this together. But I think you may have overlooked a few steps in the process. Once you tell people how much you understand their situation and that you’re “there” for them, you actually need to do something about it.
That’s right. We’re too far down the line for you to hand us the “these are uncertain times” bit. You know what people need. Do something other than draft an e-mail.
Grocery stores. Guess what? You’re not heroes, at least your parent company isn’t anyone’s hero. We’re all grateful to the “essential frontline workers” at the registers and stocking (bit of humor there) the shelves. But you’re not bringing literacy and clean water to the Sudan. You’re a for-profit business, open so you can make money. (We’re also all aware of your not-so-subtle price increases so don’t think that one went unnoticed.)
So here’s what you can do. Enforce mask and glove rules in your store if you have a policy. If you don’t have one, have one. And for god’s sake police it. We’re all tired of going shopping while people stand within a few inches of us, coughing on us, or coming the wrong way up the aisle. You KNOW this is going on. It’s YOUR job to remind people to follow the rules in the store. Don’t put your customers in the awkward position of having to confront people to remind them to keep their distance. Put someone in the store to walk around all day and facilitate safe practices. And if you do, look! You’ve employed someone! Win-win.
Service providers. I called Verizon because I had been unemployed for a while due to the pandemic and I had also received the biggest cell phone bill I’ve ever had. I asked if they could offer some relief. Here’s what the customer service person offered: If I paid off all my phones, my monthly bill would be reduced. So this first suggestion was that I spend more money right now as a solution to the problem that I didn’t have enough money right now. Then he said he’d look at my plan and see where he could save me money.
I told him he didn’t seem to get it. I wanted real help, not the same phony “help” the company has always had available. I asked if he could cancel my bill for the previous month. He thought this was an insane request. Of course shareholders and “the street” would never tolerate that. So PLEASE don’t tell us people matter. Revenue matters. Cash matters.
It’s obvious that Verizon (and so many other companies) has done absolutely nothing to truly help consumers in these uncertain times. (Sorry, had to stop for a moment while the bile came up in my throat.) No changes were made to policies and procedures, and in fact, it appears that customer service people have received no training in understanding and meeting the acute needs of customers right now. Verizon did nothing to empower customer service people to do anything meaningful for customers. In other words, Verizon’s COVID-19 letter was a sham.
It’s time for companies to move beyond canned responseware and step up to help. Do something meaningful. Take a financial hit so people can get some real relief. Or shut up.
So if you’re a communications professional, ask your company leadership of they’re really doing anything to help people, or if that “We’re in this together” email is a joke. I’m embarrassed for all of you, really.
And if you’re a C-level executive, don’t waste your time on feel-good emails. This is not your “moment.” Move beyond the rhetoric and do something for people. Take steps to protect their health and safety. (How come masks and gloves aren’t available at the entrance of every retail store? Why not refund everyone’s mobile phone and internet bill for March?)
Otherwise, please stop cluttering my inbox with your greed and deception.
Peace and love.
