How Honeycomb Agency quickly and creatively navigated the COVID business slump

This customer story was first published in August 2020, during the first months of COVID-19 in Australia. Figures and plans are as Honeycomb described them at the time.

About Honeycomb Agency

Short answer: When COVID-19 wiped out events almost overnight, Honeycomb turned its merchandise expertise into care packs, webinar packs and face masks, and used B2Bpay to sell directly to end users, get paid through a 'Pay Now' link on QuickBooks invoices and earn Qantas Points on eligible payments received.

Honeycomb Agency is a creative and innovative promotional marketing agency. It combines a wealth of experience in events and branded merchandise with tailored services that take challenges and pain points off its busy clients.

Honeycomb is a small business, but its outstanding customer service and client retention have earned it outstanding reviews and referrals. That has seen the team working with clients ranging from SMEs to big banks and ASX-listed companies.

How COVID hit events and promotional products

Honeycomb was on site at a national roadshow, delivering activations for clients, when concern about public gatherings began to grow. Event exhibitors started to pull out soon after.

This was before any government-enforced restrictions. Even so, within the next 24 hours Honeycomb lost a huge number of event merchandise orders, event activation experiences and event management jobs.

The wider sector was hit just as hard. According to the Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), the Australian economy would lose $35.7 billion in the first 12 months of COVID-19 because of the impact on the business events sector.

The promotional merchandise side of the business suffered too, because the main reason clients order promotional items is to hand them out from exhibition stands or at events. Honeycomb urgently needed new ways to make merchandise work for its clients, and to help them keep connections strong with remote workers and customers.

How Honeycomb pivoted

As a small, nimble business, Honeycomb could change direction quickly. It launched three new offers in a matter of months.

• Care packs for staff. Tailored packs for clients' teams, each following a theme or message, with fun and personalised products where possible. Personalised items such as journals, coasters and drinkware drew a particularly positive response, which showed how much it matters to make people feel valued during a challenging time.
• Webinar packs. A new take on the event delegate bag. Packs are sent to registered online attendees at their home address ahead of a virtual event, so they can enjoy them at home and get more out of the experience.
• Face masks. In response to growing demand from individuals and businesses, Honeycomb began stocking and selling masks through two online stores: one for plain black masks and one for custom branded masks. Branded masks, for businesses wanting their logo or vibrant, creative promotional designs, were turned around in one week from artwork approval. Honeycomb's knowledge of promotional merchandise meant it could source very high quality masks.

How B2Bpay helped

New products and services meant Honeycomb relied on software more than ever to take the pressure off. B2Bpay made selling directly to end users a breeze, with payments that are secure, straightforward and user friendly.

• Pay Now link on invoices. In July 2020 Honeycomb integrated B2Bpay with QuickBooks, so every invoice now carries a 'Pay Now' link. See how B2Bpay works with Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks.
• Qantas Points on payments received. Honeycomb earns Qantas Points on every eligible payment it receives through B2Bpay. While the team works hard to keep the business going, it is a welcome bonus that time-saving, admin-saving software is also building up Qantas Points to enjoy down the track.

Read more about receiving payments with B2Bpay.

What's next for Honeycomb

The next challenge for Honeycomb's clients was how to reinvent Christmas and end-of-year celebrations in a very different social environment. Honeycomb was already ahead of the game, with more personalised gift options, pop-up party packs and more.

To talk about packs, products or services, get in touch with Honeycomb at info@honeycombagency.com.au or visit honeycombagency.com.au.

Get started with B2Bpay

Setting up a B2Bpay account is easy, and free.

1. Fill out the online activation formSo we can verify your business details.
2. We set up your payment portal and payment pageCustomised with your company logo.
3. We add a payment link to your invoicesYour customers can pay you online straight from the invoice.

Prefer to talk it through? Our Sydney-based customer support team is on 1300 205 575.