“We knew we needed to take ample time to assess and design our new workplace procedures and layouts to address the threat of COVID-19,” said Todd Soller, head of global logistics and supply planning at Patagonia, in an email to Forbes last month.
Mr. Soller was explaining why the outdoor clothing chain decided on March 13 to close its online store along with the physical location, as the coronavirus outbreak was taking the world by storm.
It took more than a month for the company to re-open its e-commerce business to orders from the U.S and Canada.
It was not the only thing the Ventura-based brand did differently in recent weeks, compared to how other companies reacted to the global pandemic.
The company has a slogan when repairing its customers’ products: “If it’s broke, fix it.” And now, “the company is putting those words into action for the city of Ventura,” as reported on the VC Star just before the weekend.
“Patagonia employees are repairing some 20,000 N95 face masks with broken straps that belong to the city’s emergency response team. The repairs, which began Monday, are being done at the company’s research and design facility, known as the Forge, in Ventura,” it was reported.
We at PostFunnel admire such helpful, outside-the-box actions by brands. We were curious to see how closely the brand is following other Best Practices, so we used our “Seven Commandments for CRM in a Post-Corona World” checklist.
1. Be Transparent 10/10
Patagonia is checking off the box on this one. The company has dedicated an entire section in their help center for customers to learn more about their operations during COVID-19.
The page details employee and customer safety, website orders and shipping information, returns and exchange policies, and more.
On the top righthand corner of their homepage, there’s a link to COVID-19 updates that you can click on for more information.
The brand communicates with customers here in various ways: thanking them for their patience, keeping things in perspective, detailing shipping and safety requirements, providing updates on retail stores, repairs and dealers, etc.
The note ends with the following text:
“We appreciate the words of encouragement and support you’ve shared with us. Stay safe, be kind to one another, and thanks for stopping by.”
Also, when attempting to order food from their site, we were prompted with this very “transparent” popup:
2. Give Discounts 4/10
While we might not expect a brand such as Patagonia to offer similar kinds of promotions as an H&M would, we do like the “free ground shipping on all orders.” Any promotion around deliveries is on-point in these days of social distancing. And by placing it on the top bar, next to the COVID-19 update, the promotion feels right at home (see what we did there?).
Still, we think Patagonia can do a little more in that area. Perhaps they could offer to cut costs on more shipping options other than ground, include a bonus item with purchase, provide curbside pick-up, offer the “Buy Now, Pay Later” promotion (popular when customers are struggling for cash), or so many more offers that are relevant and helpful. These are just a couple of ideas they could have implemented that other brands already do.
3. Be Relevant 8/10
As we mentioned at the top of this article, the company is fixing masks. In their hometown. This is a unique way to be relevant.
The only thing we would have liked to see again is an actual “stay at home” or “lockdown” banner campaign on their website. Perhaps with a take on the fact it’s an outdoors brand – along the lines of what Jeep did with their “explore the great indoors” campaign. Anyway, a brand like such, with a highly loyal customer base, surely has some influence over its customers.
4. Be Helpful 10/10
Patagonia is checking off this box too but in more of an evergreen way.
Patagonia’s mission is, “We’re in business to save the planet.”
Just a simple example of this is their fleece pullovers, which are made from soft organic cotton/recycled polyester. Patagonia being helpful isn’t a new thing.
In addition, they have an entire tab on their website that’s dedicated to Activism. Clearly stating their brand values – “We aim to use the resources we have – our voice, our business and our community – to do something about our climate crisis.”
5. Personalize 0/10
This commandment was far from being 100% fulfilled. We weren’t retargeted on social media, for instance, with the products we viewed and added to our cart on the website. Nor anything on the site changed when we checked it on different occasions/from various locations. Some brands go with the “my way or the highway” approach (often it comes along with a very scarce promotion strategy). It was said to help nurture a more prestigious brand perception. We just think that times like these call for more flexibility.
6. Master User Experience 8/10
As far as their website goes, the user experience is flawless and top-notch, including the order. Just check out the background video on the entire first fold of their homepage. Their website is interactive and intriguing overall.
Such UX is appropriate for a brand of that stature; we would have never expected anything less.
7. Leverage Social Media 3/10
Patagonia’s social media presence can use some energy boost. They can offer relevant, helpful tips, advice, and useful trivia while engaging with their community. Provide a sense of togetherness. Customers came to expect it.
Both their Twitter and Instagram pages were clean of COVID-19 support and content. They do, however, offer online yoga classes on their Facebook page – which is a good step in the right direction.
Overall, Patagonia is getting a 43/70 here (61%).
Stay tuned for more analyses where we check which brands are following these seven tips correctly.