Essential ways to keep your business flexible in a post-COVID reopening (Getty Images)
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted small businesses all across the country. As of August 30, 2020, 163,735 businesses throughout the United States had closed due to the pandemic, according to Yelp's Local Economic Impact Report, and almost 100,000 companies reported a permanent closure, with no plans to reopen.
It was undeniably a challenging year for small businesses. Moving forward, many of the small businesses that were fortunate enough to make it thus far are now preparing for a reopening.
The world has changed, and your business operations must respond to the COVID-19 era's consumer's needs. Business owners that have thrived over the last year have done so by being flexible in their approach and putting their customers' needs first. Meeting your customers' needs when reopening will require this same adaptability. Your clients have been through a lot, and they expect your business to understand their new priorities.
To help, we've outlined four tips you should consider for your business reopening.
1. Re-evaluate your space
The world may never go back to overly crowded spaces and packed offices. Many businesses have had to re-evaluate their environment to accommodate new social distancing protocols.
It's essential to keep your employees and customers safe and happy — and that means minimizing crowding in your space as much as possible. Businesses should have a clear limit on how many people can be in the room at one time, have marked pathways for in-and-out traffic, and create lots of space for people to move around aisles.
If you have an outdoor space, consider using it when the weather is nice. Utilizing the outdoors will allow you to increase your maximum capacity and help customers feel more comfortable by minimizing exposure.
Additionally, there's an opportunity to spin these new protocols into a positive customer experience. Whether you're a restaurant, a retail shop, or a nail salon, fewer customers in your space allows for a more pleasant shopping experience. Your employees can personalize their service and, when a customer needs help or wants to ask a question, they don't have to fight for an employee's attention. This new approach can lead to increased customer loyalty and higher conversions.
2. Engage and communicate
As you move toward a reopening, be sure to keep the lines of communication open. Outline the safety measures you will be taking in great detail and share this information on your website, social media pages, and emails. While the local government has regulations that businesses must follow, your customers will want to know what specific measures you are taking to ensure that you are prioritizing their safety.
The lines of communication shouldn't just be one-way — make sure that you are available to answer questions, respond to comments on social media, and answer phones. Your customers don't want to be surprised about whether or not you are open. Keep them informed of your status in the reopening process. You can also use this opportunity to offer discounts to get more people through the door.
3. Consider reservations
If your business model allows it, consider implementing reservations through an online booking system. Reservations can help avoid overcrowding your space and let clients come in without worrying about waiting around and increasing their risk.
Switching to a reservation system can help both you and your customers. If you can get a large portion of your customer base used to reservations, it can streamline many parts of your business operations. You'll be able to forecast inventory needs better, as well as optimize staffing levels.
A successful reservation system is not only an excellent reopening strategy, but it can be useful to your business even after pandemic restrictions are eased.
4. Go digital and make your business more accessible
The pandemic brought on a boom of takeout, pick up, and delivery services. We now have the technology to place orders online and have items delivered directly to our front door. In the first several months of the crisis, online grocery sales grew by more than 300%. While food delivery apps saw their business double during the pandemic.
Other industries, like therapy, health services, and fitness classes, went virtual to connect with their customers.
As consumer expectations around convenience increased, most industries were on the path to becoming more digitized. The pandemic simply sped up the process, and now, it's here to stay. Customers want the fast, convenient option that fits their schedule — even if it means paying a premium.
Analyze your business operations to see where you can offer convenience. Simplifying the customer experience will keep you ahead of your competition and will increase customer loyalty to your brand.
Moving forward
The pandemic has changed how customers shop and what they prioritize. More than anything else, people want safety and convenience. And, despite many Americans struggling financially through the pandemic, people will pay a premium for businesses that are flexible and serve their needs.
Keep an eye out for what your client base wants — your business can thrive if you anticipate your customers' needs. Encourage feedback so you can make sure you're meeting expectations as you reopen. Be ready to adapt processes quickly to provide the best possible experience for your customers.
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BBB of Southern Piedmont and Western N.C. contributed this article.