As the advice goes, in times of hardship, look for the helpers. With the Covid crisis still wreaking havoc on our personal and professional lives, what are businesses doing to help their customers? Here are some great initiatives and ideas that began when businesses saw a need to assist their customers during these trying times.

Discounts on products/services

One of the most common ways that businesses are helping their customers is by offering discounts on their products and services. Many businesses are ensuring that their products are still at a feasible price and keeping their customers at top-of-mind, while also keeping themselves in mind for their customers. Shopify suggests that you prioritize your existing high-value customers. They say that 20% of your customers contribute 80% of your revenue and you want to ensure lifetime loyalty by doing things such as offering big discounts. In that sense, it not only helps them, it helps you.

Offering free services

Nothing is better than getting something for free, especially when you’re laid off and wondering where to go next. Looka has been offering free logos to people who have decided to start a business after they’ve been laid off due to COVID-19. “After a layoff, it can be tough to get back on your feet—especially if you’re looking to do so by starting a new business. Naturally, we wanted to do our bit by helping these new entrepreneurs out. So far, the stories we’ve heard about the innovative new businesses people are starting during this time have really inspired us, and we’re looking forward to sharing them on our blog and social media in the coming weeks,” says Dawson Whitfield.

Consultancy services are in high demand right now with businesses shuttering simply for the fact that they cannot be open. Umbrex is a company that decided to stop looking for ROI and got many of its members to offer free advice to businesses that are in trouble. “I decided to pivot my business and brand and ask my members if they would be interested in volunteering and providing free advice to those who are in need. The answer was an overwhelming yes. Over 200 Umbrex members have formed a pandemic task force and are volunteering their time and experience to provide free help and advice for businesses that are in trouble such as bars, restaurants, theater groups, cultural institutions, yoga studios, nail salons, gyms, and other organizations that have been impacted or shut down by the pandemic,” says Will Bachman of Umbrex.

When you can’t get to a gym, home workouts are the next best thing for those who want to keep their fitness a priority. Healthcare workers need to be in somewhat good health and shape in order to do the harrowing job of caring for the community in a pandemic. NEOU is an on-demand fitness streaming service that is providing free workouts to healthcare workers. “We can’t imagine how scary, stressful, and exhausting it must be, so the least we can do is provide free access to an outlet for self-care for healthcare workers and their families,” says Nate Forster of NEOU.

Providing much-needed supplies

Masks, sanitizers, and ventilators are in high demand right now, so it is great to see companies that can afford to stop their revenue stream to provide these high-demand items to the public. Mask the City is an initiative started by North Carolina sock maker, Renfro Corp and other stakeholders in the city to ensure masks are readily available to those in need.

Many distilleries that normally make alcohol products are switching to making much-coveted hand sanitizer. A foot doctor in Michigan found a novel way to help frontline workers, by donating 2,500 pairs of Crocs to reduce the spread of potential Coronavirus on their shoes. The Crocs have a more-easily disinfectable surface than the traditional shoes worn by healthcare workers. “This is the least I can do to help our Healthcare Heroes and protect them during this war and battle,” says Dr. Weinert.

Donations

Not every supplier can make masks or ventilators, so donations are the next best thing. Some companies, like Copper H2O, are switching their regular 15% donations from their profits to support Coronavirus efforts. “It has the effect of showing our customers that we care about our community and much more than the bottom line,” says Jessica Rose of Copper H2O.

Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey is another company that decided donations would help the community the most and donated money to support members of the bar and restaurant establishments impacted by the virus. They also put money towards providing care packages to locals in San Diego, which include supplies like bathroom tissue and peanut butter.

“So many people are hurting right now, and so many people are really struggling with loneliness and depression. My company is organizing a campaign called Bright Baskets. We are assembling baskets of $10 worth of food and delivering them to people in our area who need some cheer,” says Jennifer Bright of Momosa Publishing.

Any business can help out during the current pandemic crisis. With a little brainstorming and original thinking, your business can provide services or products to help the community at this time, while also getting brand recognition.