What a year it has been. From January to the end of December 2020, we have been fighting the incessantly rising number of COVID-19 cases all around the world. This terrible disease has struck many people down, and more are still suffering from its wrath. The pandemic has caused the world economy to inordinately fall, and businesses are fighting tooth and nail to keep their companies up and running. Sadly, a few could not handle the harshness of the pandemic and had to close down operations for good.
What Is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a strain of coronavirus that originated from Wuhan, China in 2019. Its most common symptoms are fever, cough, fatigue, and difficulty in breathing. While these symptoms seem manageable, a lot of complications can happen under the incubation period of the viral disease.
Because the virus did not seem as fatal until a lot had died already from it, it spread worldwide because travel restrictions per country had not been implemented right away, and neither were the safety precautions. Today, more than 81 million people have been infected with COVID-19 throughout the globe. Everyone is currently waiting to get a shot of the coveted vaccine and continue to hope that things would take a turn for the better.
Getting Back on Your Feet
The economy fell because most businesses could not cope with the strike of the pandemic. Thus, many business owners decided to pull the plug on what they worked so hard for. Some who are still fighting decided to do budget cuts and let go of some of their employees. Likewise, a handful also paused for a bit and decided to regroup to see how they can perform better using skills tracking software and similar pieces of technology given the circumstances. If you’re one of them and you’re planning to reopen your business, here are a few tips you can follow to ensure everyone’s safety.
- Plan up to the last detail.
Every day that you are outside, you are at high risk of contracting this deadly virus. Thus, before you completely open your business doors to the public again, make sure you have planned everything up to the last detail.
Consider the pros and cons as well as the effect of the pandemic on your business. Look for ways to establish trust with your target market—they need to feel safe from the virus when entering your store. Always aim to provide premium, fresh, and high-quality products and services to your consumers. You need to remodel your business in a way that adjusts to the current situation.
- Have everyone tested.
Before going back to the market, you need to ensure that your employees are all healthy, especially if you are in the food industry or any service that involves a lot of contact with strangers. Having everyone tested is costly, but you will be shelling out more money if you end up having one of your employees positive for the virus. Also, make sure your employees have access to digital health services to help them with the stress they might have been experiencing, as well as with their psychological well-being.
- Invest in vitamins and protective equipment.
Business is booming now that you’re back, and it means more people are coming in every day. Thus, you need to invest in protective equipment for your employees for everyone’s safety. You can order face masks and face shields in bulk, which they can use every day. It’s also a must that you install a plexiglass sneeze guard, especially in stations where people would need to face one another, such as the cashier counters. If they handle food, make sure they wear gloves too. Even businesses that are not in the food industry, such as manufacturing and cleaning services, should also use protective hand gloves to guard themselves and the people around them. In general, if your workers need to interact with people from time to time, it is strongly recommended for them to wear protective equipment at all times at work.
- Disinfect daily.
With a horde of people coming in daily to patronize your goods and services, it is crucial to keep your establishment clean. All areas should be fully sanitized so that no viruses can fester and develop. With this in mind, it could be worth looking into commercial cleaning services to give you peace of mind that you, your staff, and your customers will be safe.
- Observe safety precautions and contact tracing.
Before your customers enter your establishment, they should be checked at the door. Thus, prepare a foot bath at the entrance, a temperature scanner, alcohol or hand sanitizer, and contact tracing forms (hard copies or via a QR code).
Customers can either fill out the form or scan the QR code through their phones and log the time and date of their visit, including their travel history, symptoms (if any), or encounter with people previously infected with COVID-19. This will automatically be uploaded to your database, and you can easily see who came in at a particular time and date.
The virus is continuously spreading, and you need to prepare your company for the worst. Thus, before making any sudden decisions, consult with experts who can help you strategize and do better. Many businesses have taken different paths and explored new options like allowing people to place online orders through various online platforms, all in the name of lessening one’s chances of physical contact.
Likewise, to provide the best customer service, be transparent to your customers as a fixed marketer. During these trying times, there’s nothing people would value more than transparency. Everyone is scared of contracting the virus, and people have become hyperaware of their surroundings. As a proactive business owner, ensure your customer and employees’ safety first for flawless transactions.
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