After weeks of high-speed business challenges and change due to COVID-19, there is one trend we can be certain will leave a lasting impact: digital acceleration.
We’ve seen countless businesses adapt their offerings digitally to continue selling products and services. A common change is virtualizing operations that previously required in-person interactions.
1-800-HANSONS, a home maintenance and improvement company, is one business that reinvented their traditionally in-person model due to COVID-19.
1-800-HANSONS believes a customer’s home is not only their biggest investment, but also a safe haven. Customers rely on home maintenance and improvement services to maintain the value of their homes, as well as ensure their families are safe and secure -- truths that are especially relevant today.
1-800-HANSONS, known as exterior experts, does most of their work outside the home; however, in-person consultations were a key step in their traditional sales process. A member of the 1-800-HANSONS sales team would visit the customer’s home, complete an inspection, and provide a project estimate.
With 95% of Americans under shelter-in-place orders due to COVID-19, the closing of customer doors across most states in which they operate made booking jobs problematic. How could they complete customer work currently in progress, address critical service issues, and drive incremental sales, all while prioritizing the health and safety of customers and employees?
First, they decided that all work must be completed outside the home. They created virtual, no contact services, which included state-of-the-art 3D virtual home measurements, online consultants with free comprehensive estimates, and dedicated project managers to virtually answer any questions customers might have.
1-800-HANSONS found that customers responding to the virtual offers were more qualified. Previously, top performing salespeople were restricted to their physical territories. Now they could have their highest performing salespeople on significantly more sales calls. As a result, a higher than average percentage of these virtual appointments were closed.
1-800-HANSONS was pleasantly surprised with the business results. They maintained sales close rates and stayed ahead of their most conservative financial models, all while continuing to serve customers in a challenging market.
After successfully executing an extremely swift response to COVID-19 challenges, they needed their TV advertising to reflect this response.
We worked as a team to quickly update creative messaging. The goal was to ensure customers 1-800-HANSONS services were still available and safe for themselves and their families. To accomplish this, we added a new scene featuring a virtual estimate taking place, changed up shots to remove any instances of a 1-800-HANSONS employee working inside a home, and updated the voice-over and graphics to match the new tone.
1-800-HANSONS is a company that was able to innovate in response to the challenges they faced. As a result, they have turned a temporary solution into a long-term strategy. Their virtual appointments are so successful, they will remain an added service option for customers even after life returns to normal.
Check out their updated spot below.
This is a blog post in our Quick Chronicles series, which features how our clients are using TV to respond to COVID-19 and serve their customers. Check out another installment here.