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Helping Businesses Return After Lockdown

So, thinking about 2020 after Coronavirus lockdown - business need to get back to ‘normal’.

But ‘normal’ with be much different from before. It will be the ‘new normal’.

It’s time to consider what ‘new’ looks like and be prepared for it.

You may not be able to simply reopen– there are lots of things that need to be considered and this will take time and care.

I hope the information provided here will help you with your preparations.


Payments- Alternatives to cash


Questions to you:

  •          How do you collect money?
  •          How are you going to move to non-cash handling?
  •          Can you take payments in advance?
  •          How are you going to communicate this to your clients?

Things to consider:

  •          Would setting up card payment options be a good idea?
  •          There are Apps that can be used on your phones or ways for your customers to pay online
  •          What messages you need to get out to your customers?  
  •         Should you consider accepting BACS payments or direct debits? 


Keeping in touch

Questions to you:

  •         Have you kept in contact with your customers over the past 6 weeks?
  •         What is your plan to keep in contact with them? Loyalty comes through contact

Things to consider:

Contact strategies:

  •         If you haven’t got one, create a detailed list of customers (or a mini CRM system) – you may be able to just create reports from Xero or QuickBooks
  •          Do you know who your key customers are? Could you give them a call?
  •         Is it suitable to set up Zoom meetings so that you can talk to customers as a group or individually?   
  •         Social Media - Should you have a Facebook page? If most of your custom comes locally are you part of local Facebook groups too?
  •          If you have a website, have you kept that up to date with the current situation so that customers know what to expect?


What needs to change?

Question to you:

  •          How will this affect the return of your team (they may be nervous, they may be unsure if it is safe to come in)?
  •         How are you going to maintain social distancing?
  •         How are you going to maintain cleanliness and sanitisation?
  •          How are you going to remove your team members’ fears?
  •         Do you need to do anything special to protect your more vulnerable team members?

Things to consider:

  •         What is the most efficient way of laying out the workspace?
  •          create a team movement diagram to see how you move around the office space and work out what needs to change and what systems can be put in place to make the whole process simpler?


The return of customers

Questions to you:

  •         How will this affect the return of your customers (they may be nervous; they may be unsure if it is safe to visit you)?
  •          How are you going to maintain social distancing?
  •          How many people can you serve at once?
  •          How are you going to maintain cleanliness and sanitisation?
  •          How are you going to remove your customers’ fears?
  •          Do you need to do anything special to protect the more vulnerable customers?
  •         Do you need to reduce the number of service points or covers in a restaurant?
  •          Do things need to be moved around so clients don’t cross each other’s paths

Things to consider:

  •         Identify the most efficient way to do this
  •         What signage and processes need to be in place?
  •          How this will affect hours worked by the team?



Let's be honest, its all a bit bewildering isn't it? If you would like to discuss any of this further then please get in touch and we'll work through it together.


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