For a lot of us, the past month has seemed like a reality we never could have imagined. Change is always hard and adapting on the fly without a clear picture of where we are headed makes that even more challenging. While we have all had to make personal changes, businesses have had to adapt as well and have only had a very short window of time to do so. How marketers have and continue to respond will not only show impacts in the short-term but can have long-term benefits or consequences well beyond the COVID-19 outbreak.
This week, we continue to highlight a few of our Loyalty360 Members and their stories on how stores, employees, franchisees, and entire organizations have been able to adapt and drive positive customer experiences and loyalty in their own way.
Below are links to previous articles in our series:
April 13, 2020 – featuring Food Lion, Lenovo, and TELUS
April 6, 2020 - featuring Papa John’s, American Eagle/Aerie, Kellogg’s, Brierley,
and Social Media Link
March 30, 2020 – featuring Ally Financial, The Vitamin Shoppe, and Bloomin’ Brands
Domino’s Corporate and Franchise Stores Nationwide are Dedicated to Delivering a Difference to Their Communities During this Unprecedented Crisis
To help keep Domino’s store employees and customers safe, Domino’s quickly pivoted and launched an option for contactless delivery on March 21, and starting April 13, 100 percent of Domino’s deliveries were officially contactless. Domino’s is also encouraging curbside carryout.
Domino’s has already made numerous contactless delivery pizza donations to millions of frontline workers. Medical professionals at Doylestown Health in Pennsylvania, pharmacists at CVS in Kentucky and grocery store employees at H-E-B in Texas are essential workers who have received ‘pizza relief’ from our appreciative franchisees and team members in the recent weeks. Thousands of Domino’s pizzas are being donated to school districts and children’s charities on a weekly basis to feed kids who are out of school and in need of a meal in Arizona, California, Indiana and Michigan.
On April 6, Domino’s announced that the company would band together with franchisees to amplify their efforts by donating 10 million slices – the equivalent of 200 pizzas from each of the 6,126 Domino’s stores nationwide. These donations to millions across the country will take place in the coming weeks.
To meet the critical staffing needs that come with increased demand during this epidemic, Domino’s also announced an effort to hire more than 10,000 team members. Stores across the country are looking for delivery drivers, customer service representatives and assistant managers to help ‘feed the need.’
"While many local, state, and federal rules have forced the closure of dine-in restaurants, the opportunity to keep feeding our neighbors through delivery and carryout means that a small sense of normalcy is still available to everyone," said Richard Allison, Domino's chief executive officer. "Our corporate and franchise stores want to make sure they're not only feeding people but also providing opportunity to those looking for work at this time, especially those in the heavily-impacted restaurant industry."
In corporate stores and supply chain centers, Domino’s implemented enhanced sick pay policies and will provide additional compensation for hourly team members during this crisis.
Domino’s franchisees and corporate employees are grateful to have an opportunity to support those in need through pizza donations and employment opportunities. Domino's will continue to share stories of these teams making a difference in their communities at
biz.dominos.com/web/media/stories.
Floor and Decor and its PRO Services Team Pivot to Continue Supporting Customers
Like most companies, Floor & Decor has had to adapt to these uncertain times rapidly. Most stores are open with a curbside delivery model, and associates and customers have done a great job adapting. Floor and Decor's PRO Services teams are committed to ensuring that professional customers will be able to purchase the products and supplies needed to keep their businesses going. Since the start of the pandemic, Floor & Decor pro customers have been increasingly utilizing the brand’s PRO Premier Mobile App and website to shop and order products. The PRO Services teams at the store level are serving as a much-needed resource for our customers--assisting with orders, pickup, and account management.
Additionally, as part of the brand’s loyalty program, PRO Premier Rewards, Floor and Decor will soon be implementing a special promotion that will provide additional rewards as a way to thank professional customers for their business and drive sales. Floor & Decor is very proud of the way associates and pros have responded to new operating procedures and are thankful for their loyalty during this difficult time.
How Brands Can Break the Boredom, Entertain Audiences and Focus on Health During Trying Times
The team at Jebbit has been busy working with its brand clients not only to stay top of mind with consumers but also to position themselves as an outlet to alleviate stress, boredom and anxiety during this highly emotional time. Almost all of us are spending more time online right now, in addition to working, learning and staying at home. These changes in behavior mean that brands must adapt as well.
Any small part brands can play in supporting customers can help increase engagement. The Jebbit team
shares a few recommendations with a reminder for brands that, even though these are trying times, it does not need to be an end time for brands. We are in this together, and authentically connecting with customers can help develop emotional bonds for long-term loyalty.