The state hardest hit by the pandemic at the time this study fielded, New York SMBs were especially likely to have needed to temporarily close their physical locations (34% vs. 23% avg.) as a result of COVID–19 and report above average difficulty finding new customers (69% vs. 63% avg.) and sustaining their business operations (64% vs. 57% avg.). Hence, they are mostly focused on growing and retaining their customer base along with recovering from the damages done by the pandemic.
Nearly three–fourths of New York SMBs (71%) increased their use of digital tools during COVID–19, and most (54%) intend to increase their use of digital tools post–COVID–19.
1) Business website (71% vs. 69%)
2) Social media/video platforms (70% vs. 69%)
3) Digital payments (65% vs. 67%)
How will I...
Recover from the damages done by COVID-19? (43% vs. 44%)
Grow my customer base? (41% vs. 40%)
Retain my customer base? (38% vs. 42%)
1) Customer insights (16% vs. 11%)
2) CRM platforms (11% vs. 11%)
3) Local listings (11% vs. 9%)
4) Digital payments (11% vs. 7%)
1) Step-by-step video tutorials (58% vs. 56%)
2) Webinars or livestreams (45% vs. 47%)
3) Step-by-step written guides (38% vs. 42%)
New York, New York
This company used digital tools to change up its online marketing efforts to better meet its customer needs. It developed new digital payment options for buyers and branched out to other platforms it hadn’t used prior to the crisis.
New Suffolk, New York
Business skidded to an abrupt halt for this company when restaurants shuddered. Using digital tools, the company reinvented itself overnight with ‘door-to-door’ direct online sales to its customers.
New York, New York
This company shutdown when the crisis hit, but was nimble enough to pivot from making luxury leather goods to equipment for first responders. Digital tools showed them when demand for its leather goods was feasible again.
