How Small Businesses Can Pivot Amid An Unexpected Crisis

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Keeping clients during the shift by being transparent

We asked Warner how to communicate to existing clients and customers that a change is happening in a way that keeps their trust and business. “The best relationships with clients and customers is grounded in partnership. I always tell our clients that we are their partners in purpose,” she says. “We are working with them to achieve their brand purpose in the world. But they’re also working with us to achieve our company’s purpose. If you think about this notion of being partners in purpose, what makes a great partner? Open communication. Being transparent. Creating environments where there can be two-way dialogues. Making sure you establish some of your partner parameters early on with clients is critical. So whether you’re introducing a new service, eliminating something, downsizing, whatever it may be, if you have established partner parameters where communication and transparency are a part of the relationship, then no one will be surprised.”