A Handy Business Reopening Checklist – COVID-19
We’re in the throes of 2020, and it’s hard not to acknowledge the fact that uncertainty is the name of the game. While no one is exempt from the effects…
We’re in the throes of 2020, and it’s hard not to acknowledge the fact that uncertainty is the name of the game. While no one is exempt from the effects of the global pandemic, small and medium-sized businesses in particular need to come up with intelligent and flexible protocols and policies for reopening that keep the safety of their employees and customers at the forefront while also prioritizing financial survival—no easy feat. Even if you’ve already reopened without a clear plan in place, there is always an opportunity to improve your strategy!
Consumer confidence is at the heart of any successful business on a good day, and so it must also be at the heart of any successful coronavirus business reopening strategy. You’re managing unprecedented concerns, and your challenge is finding ways for your business to function without compromising public health or confidence. This means that integrating meaningful safety protocols into all facets of your operation is also the best way to stay afloat in these trying times.
If you feel you need some expert guidance (and we all do), your wish is our command!
COVID checklist to reopen your business:
Be sure to consult this COVID business reopening checklist when creating or revamping your action plan!
Keeping your workplace safe
• Provide face masks and make them mandatory in your workplace. You might also provide or require other PPE where appropriate, such as gloves, goggles, or face shields.
• Train new and returning staff on how to properly put on, wear, take off, and clean masks or other PPE. Informed staff who feel safe are less likely to be unnecessarily absent.
• Mandate frequent and thorough hand washing, and provide a place to do so. If soap and running water are not available, provide sanitizer containing 60%+ alcohol.
• Mandate frequent and thorough cleaning or wiping down of commonly use surfaces, and ensure your staff are equipped and trained on how to do so.
• Restrict the number of employees in shared spaces in order to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet (2 meters) between people.
• Mandate covering coughs and sneezes.
• Discourage workers from sharing phones, desks, tools, or equipment, whenever possible.
• If you must have an in-person meeting, hold it outdoors or in a large area which allows for distancing.
• Be sure all your contact information for employees, suppliers, etc., is up to date.
Managing your workforce
• Figure out who will return to work, and who can accomplish their tasks remotely. Consider staggering staff return dates or shifts differently to minimize larger groups.
• Employees who may be more vulnerable to coronavirus or who have sick family members should be assigned to duties that allow them to work from home or minimize contact with others. Most forms of office work, such as booking appointments with Sesami can be completed from home.
• Seek input from returning staff about what accommodations they need in order to feel safe returning to work.
• Consider either screening returning employees for COVID-19, and/or requiring testing at regular intervals.
• Ensure that employees stay home if they are sick.
• Create a protocol to handle an employee who becomes ill while at work (such as an isolation room that can be used until the person can safely leave).
Inspiring confidence among your customers with safety protocols
• Keeping in mind that making customers feel comfortable doing business with you is the new competitive edge, and roll with it by maintaining a safe environment for everyone.
• Limit the number of people within your facility by designating a staff member to monitor the entry/exit.
• To reduce walk-ins, encourage clients and would-be clients to book appointments in advance. If you use Shopify, you can harness the Sesami app to streamline your entire transaction process and easily sell appointments online!
• Increase ventilation and fresh air return wherever possible.
• Provide conveniently placed no-touch trash cans, alcohol-based sanitizer, and hand soap throughout your space.
• Get creative by using/integrating any outdoor spaces you have at your disposal whenever weather allows.
• Consider offering services by appointment only to limit the number of people coming through your workplace each day.
Keeping your customers engaged
• In times of crisis, your company’s mission and core values should inform both how and what you communicate to your customers. Businesses that are most in touch with their customers and their brand identity will be the ones that succeed.
• While staying true to you, strike a tone that is clear, compassionate, and transparent, whether online or on the signs hanging in your store. Market your reopening to build awareness and demand.
• Post signs at the entrance to your business to inform customers of the requirements while inside. Use directional arrows to help clients and employees alike maintain physical distancing, and post hand washing signs in restrooms.
• Seek the input and collaboration of employees to effectively communicate all applicable items on your business reopening checklist.
Improving your online presence
• On your website, inform customers of your reopening and any changes to how your business will operate. Think about what your customers need right now and speak clearly and directly to those needs on your homepage.
• Pay attention to client conversations both on and offline to develop a clear understanding of how your client’s needs and habits are evolving, how their interactions with your brand are shifting, and how you can meaningfully address these changes. Doing this well may mean enabling conversations on your site with a chatbot, on your social channels, or via a customer feedback survey.
• Make your services as easily accessible as possible. Ensure that your contact info, hours of operations, or instructions for pick-up and delivery are clearly communicated and easy to find.
• Consider adding Sesami to your toolbox. One of Shopify’s featured new apps, Sesami is a game-changer for buyers and sellers alike. By streamlining storefronts with the addition of a service calendar, you can now sell a spa session, a massage, or a custom suit fitting, all without even looking at a cash register, and customers can book on their end too. At the best of times, that’s hyper convenient and badass. And at the worst of times, we’re talking COVID-19 retail strategy at its best!
Bottom line: no one ever said that business reopening after covid-19 would be a picnic. But ultimately, if you weather the storm thoughtfully, your brand will be stronger for it. Because covid is an ever-evolving situation, remain open to feedback, and stay up to date on the latest guidance from government health agencies, while always considering how to integrate new information into your strategy. You got this!