How to approach reopening during Covid-19

With social distancing measures still in place, reopening certainly isn’t a case of returning to pre-coronavirus operation.

Whilst the future is still somewhat unknown in terms of what long-term measures could mean for the industry, more imminently, businesses are preparing to resume operation whilst adhering to Government measures, unsure of how long they may remain in place.

So what can food outlets and retailers do now to ensure their business thrives in the future? To find out, we spoke with Elliot Rich, managing director of The Alternative Board, following his recent webinar for the Farm Retail Association.

Follow Government guidelines
Most importantly, stick to Government measures and avoid jumping the gun on opening dates, Elliot tells us.

Various restrictions have been put in place to ensure the safety of both staff and customers, including restocking outside of store opening hours and limiting the number of customers at any one time. Companies should be considering how to implement these, and in what way they may affect the business.

Be confident
There’s a lot of uncertainty around reopening, but the key to thriving is confidence. “If you’re confident, then there’s a strong possibility your business will do well when you open your doors again,” Elliot says. “There are so many business owners that don’t have confidence in their business; they don’t believe that they’ll see a spike or that customers will come back, so wonder if it’s worth the effort. It’s all about mindset.”

It’s not only about having confidence in your business, but about ensuring your customers and staff have the same confidence in you and your company. According to Elliot, people will want to know that you’ve done everything you can to provide them a safe and pleasant experience.

“One of the biggest mistakes businesses are making is not doing a proper risk assessment of what it looks like to enter their premises; they haven’t physically walked the customer experience,” Elliot says. “Look for touch points and areas where customers will be most nervous, from driving and parking, to entering the first door and bumping into people.

“You can’t tell people enough about what you’re planning to do. People will come back if they feel it’s safe enough to come back. People will Google you to see if you’re open – what does your website say: ‘We’re open’ or ‘We’ve taken every measure to ensure it’s safe for you to come visit us again’? Use social media or even shoot a personal video from the owner of the business, and share it on your platforms.

“This is your opportunity to use COVID-19 and social distancing to make it part of the customer experience. If you have a farm retail business, shop or café, make it part of the journey, from the way you set the tables out, to the way you use floor markings and signage – this way, your customers will remember and tell others about it.”

Plan ahead
Operating a business always comes with its challenges, but the new ways of operating with social distancing measures in effect will no doubt present its own challenges.

With the Government’s job retention scheme now extended until 31st October, you may consider whether you will need to furlough any staff or not, and what financial impact it will have on your business. Be sure to communicate your expectations to furloughed staff who will be returning to work, and manage objections sensitively.

Planning ahead also means considering the seasonality of the business. Plan through to New Year, and communicate messages, such as when you will be open over the next few months, clearly with your customers.

Communication with staff and customers is essential, too. Signage, notices, letters and policies should include key areas such as toilets, hand sanitisers and staff rooms, whilst signage for customers should highlight shop layout and safe distancing.

Consider your strategy
Throughout lockdown, many retailers have set up new services, discovered new routes to market and found other ways of adjusting to the shift in supply and demand. But reopening doesn’t mean you have to revert to operating exactly as you did pre-lockdown. In fact, it’s more about moving forward, particularly when it comes to weaknesses in the business.

“People who’ve pivoted to create an online presence will have a new income stream – it may not be as high as during lockdown, but it’s inevitable that this lockdown isn’t a one-off,” Elliot says. “If you have invested, having that online presence gives you the opportunity to keep money coming in. You may see that your walk-in business won’t achieve the levels this year as it did before, but that with online services for people who are staying at home, you’ve created two income streams.

Elliot continues, “Don’t put loss of trading down to the lockdown; it might be due to business issues you had before. Now is the chance to think of what you want to achieve as a business. Perhaps limitations are to do with talent and structure of employees, so you might rethink your team, restructure, or elevate individuals who’ve performed particularly well during these difficult times. It’s also an opportunity to think about whether your business model worked in the past, and to rethink your vision, keeping in mind what the ‘new norm’ for your sector will look like.”

You may also want to consider gaining an outside perspective from an expert such as a business advisor, or other part-time individuals who can support your ideas and growth as and when you need them. For companies that are aiming to truly grow their business, Elliot also suggests interacting with and talking to other businesses, not just in the UK but also overseas.

Keep up communications
Many retailers and outlets will have worked hard to maintain their customer base and welcome new customers during lockdown, so it’s important to maintain this sense of loyalty from customers. Much of this will come from communications within your team, as well as marketing-style communications outside of it.

“Marketing has always been important, but some people haven’t understood the power of a brand. Marketing should be the number one area you’re budgeting for right now and doing it yourself isn’t necessarily the best way. For a small cost you can get someone else to do it for you to raise your profile and get more footfall. If you don’t have surplus to invest, consider the grant money you’ve got; others are using business interruption loans to assign money to marketing activities because they know by increasing their brand profile while competitors are sitting on their hands, they’ll be the ones in the spotlight. Even if your budget is £5,000, that should yield many times more business, customers and spend.”

At the end of the day, it’s about being proactive. Have the confidence that your business will thrive, and don’t be afraid to be creative. As Elliot said: “People who invest will do very well. People who wait to see how things go may struggle.”