April 2020, Issue 18

cbsi Talking Business: Coronavirus Response Edition 2

Dear cbsi friends:

As we work from home this month we stand in awe of the life saving work being done by doctors, nurses, hospital staff, police, fire, sanitation, public officials, National Guard soldiers, Army and Navy medical staff through out the country.

We have enjoyed accelerating our series of talks with amazing marketing, public relations, contact centers, educators, bankers, contact centers, experiencing their thoughts on messaging strategy, utilizing new technology and helping small business survive the Covid19 challenges.

Believe you will enjoy hearing Long Island banker Kevin O'Conner of BNB Bank describe setting up a 150 person team to help process 2,000 CARES Act loans in a matter of days while buying every available laptop to help his staff work from home.

As always we are proud of our cbsi client service team which helped our 1,200 bank clients and their customers through a tough travel shutdown month in March.

If you have a story for us just please let us know, and stay well,

Ken

Kenneth G. Kraetzer
Vice President
@KenKraetzer
914-450-9554

Steven V. Dubin

PR Works

"Now is not the time to go silent, reach out to customers and keep them informed during Covid-19"

That's the advice of Steven V. Dubin, of Plymouth, MA based PR Works on helping clients develop messaging strategy appropriate during the current health crisis.

In our video podcast we discuss some of the keys from voicemail messaging, to signage to # #customerinsights socialmedia presence.

Certainly if your business is open, post the hours, services available, and what is available thru website.

Kevin O'Connor

BNB Bank

"As a community bank, being small is easier, decisions made by handful of people, willing to take some risk"

That's Long Island based banker Kevin O'Connor CEO of BNB Bank, describes fast action taken in days to process Covid19 CARES Act Payroll Loans. Describes in our podcast forming a 150 person team to process CARES Act Payroll Protection loans for 2,000 customers and new accounts, first checks already issued, expect to grant $600 million in coming weeks to local businesses.

Robin Colner

Digistar Media

"Use Technology to Be Comforting to Your Customers, Focus Communications Tone on Collaboration, Community, and Authenticity"

That's Robin Colner, of Harrison NY based Digistar Media, and adjunct professor at Fordham Univ on "Advice for helping business help their customers thru Covid-19" A few key points:

Reach out in personal way by individual phone call, email, Facebook message
Key message: "We are out to help you, we are reachable".
Present "What you are doing differently".
Describe opportunities to donate support charities, local hospitals
Do webinars, zoom conferences, video "How to", human interest, feature employees, managing at home, tell stories
When time to "Transition to opening", a new communication phase will begin

Jason Steele

Travel and Credit Writer

"When we arrive at the Istanbul, Turkey airport from South Africa, looking for our flight home, we see this big monitor, showing flight times and status, and it was all yellow. Getting closer I realized that yellow was cancelled"

That was travel and credit card trade writer Jason Steele describing his experience in mid March trying to return with his family from a long planned trip to Israel and South Africa, using reward points. Jason explains how he handled canceled flights, jammed reservation centers while still being able accomplish most of the trip plans while much of the travel world closed behind them amid #Covid-19.

Jason is a frequent contributor to ThePointsGuy.com, NerdWallet.com, BusinessInsider.com, and Creditcards.com is the producer of the Cardconexpo.com conference for credit and reward travel media, planned next for Denver area in November 2020.
More at Twiter @Steelestreet and jasonsteel.com

Risa Hoag

GMGPR

"People want to know there is someone out there listening to them"

That's Risa Hoag - Marketing Consultant, pres at Rockland County NY based GMGPR on the need for businesses to keep in touch with their customers both commercial and consumers and provide ideas on messaging content. Risa Hoag, GMG PR, on Supporting Small Business, Key points:

Utilize local U.S. Chamber of Commerce branches
Post your service availability where ever you can
List in USA TODAY LOCALiQ
Go Live on Facebook
On Message Content, focus on "Being Informative"
Focus on your #BrandValues, #CoreValues
Reach out across all available medias,
Pick up the phone and call clients, customers, partners
Provide 3-5 Problem Solutions in your industry
Discuss how your business #Pivots and #Shifts
Be Voice of your industry
Describe trends, what continues to do well
Outreach goes a long way

Many thanks to Risa who is president of the Rockland Business Women's Network, is VP of the Greater Nanuet Chamber of Commerce, and is a frequent speaker on utilizing #Linkedin at the Hudson Valley Direct Marketing Association.

Geoff Beckstrom

CueFit

"Closing Feedback Loop, close to real time, empowers agents to see difference they are making on a day to day basis"

That's Geoff Beckstrom VP Operations at CueFit by VisualCue describing ability of Cuefit to provide contact center agents with ability to know their #keyperformanceindicators so they can improve performance.

With #Coronavirus shifting #contactcenter workforce to remote #homeoffice locations, providing near realtime performance data is an increasingly important capability.

System can also track customer account #attrition and manage supply chain distribution.
Geoff describes his career start in the Army National Guard then #elearning, and fast growing #esports.

Jack Hojnar

cbsi

Jack Hojnar and Ken Kraetzer of Harrison, NY discuss the "Shift to Home Offices", while maintaining Customer Service standards for credit card projects managed which have assisted thousands of customers during the 2020 #Coronavirus crisis.

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cbsi Vice President, Ken Kraetzer, often conducts interviews with several leading business executives, entrepreneurs and industry thought-leaders. His "Talking Business" section provides important information on trends in various industries. Sign up for the "Talking Business" email to be sure to receive the news as it appears.

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