Life goes on—and, yes, even in a pandemic. This can be overwhelming when you’re an entrepreneur facing the prospect of reopening. One the one hand, you can finally work on gaining back your pandemic losses and your employees can come back to work. On the other, you need to somehow pull it off while also minimizing the risk of virus transmission among your staff and customers. Luckily, this is nothing you can’t handle. Here’s how you can reopen your business safely and successfully in the new normal.
Stay updated on current guidelines.
There’s a lot that will go into reopening a brick and mortar at this time, so don’t expect anything less. This is for your own benefit as much as your clients and employees. Thankfully, there is no need for guesswork as the CDC’s reopening guidelines are well-documented.
A good COVID-19 reopening plan will involve a mix of good sanitation and safe behavioral practices. You can find more specific recommendations for different types of businesses, as well. So whether yours is a food establishment or something else, you can rely on having a blueprint to lead you at this crucial time.
Make the changes that your business needs.
It’s important to ask the right questions to identify the possible risks your business, staff, and clients could face as you reopen and, in turn, develop a good reopening plan. Case in point, to encourage social distancing and keep person-to-person contact at a minimum in a retail setting, there is likely a need to install safety barriers within your premises. It’s also important to disinfect high-traffic areas more frequently—and only using products that have been approved for use against COVID-19 at that.
As another example, if you have a vacation rental business, you want to focus on cleaning and sanitation to keep your space coronavirus-free, as well as adequately communicate these measures to potential guests. With this in mind, it can be helpful to work with a property management company like HomeSlice.
It goes without saying that the changes that your business needs to reopen will cost you. Expenses may be unwelcome at this difficult time, but there’s no getting around the fact that these are necessary. Look into the many ways you can get financial help through various grants and funding programs. The federal government alone has some initiatives in place to help small businesses through traditional SBA loans and SBA Express Bridge Loans.
Enhance your communication strategies.
And speaking of communication, you need to let your stakeholders know of the measures your business is taking to keep everyone safe and virus-free. Before welcoming your employees back, it’s wise to have a return-to-work communication plan. This can detail the safety measures that you’re taking and what’s expected of them, as well as alternative work arrangements like remote work where possible.
Similarly, it’s just as important to tweak your marketing strategy and show your commitment to ensuring a good customer experience despite all the uncertainty. Cultivating an engaged and accessible online presence is one of the best ways to do so. Social media has, in fact, proven to be a valuable tool for businesses during the pandemic. It’s only smart to continue making efficient use of it in the new normal and even beyond.
Indeed, there’s no telling when the pandemic is going to end, but there’s no reason to keep your business and finances in limbo any longer. There are sufficient guidelines in place to keep you, your staff, and your clients safe, so make these work for your business by executing the recommended changes and precautions. Above all, don’t fail to communicate. The new normal is upon us, and these are the ways your business will survive.
Contact us:
Phone: 480-463-4630
Email: Paget@homeslicestays.com