The pandemic forced many thousands of businesses to close while shelter in place restrictions were in operation. While the goal of the rules was to limit the spread of COVID-19, for many businesses, the impact was disastrous, and a vast number of retail stores closed permanently. The devastating effects of the coronavirus are something no one wants to see repeated. If you are a business owner, the likelihood is, you want to do everything you can to ensure your organization does not become one of the many victims of the pandemic. So, to ensure your business continues to thrive, it is essential to plan ahead. Thinking of ways you can reduce the chances of your business being impacted by any future public health situations is necessary. Taking steps to protect your business, employees, and customers from the threat of the virus is vital. Here are some of the ways you can safeguard the health and wellbeing of your customers and staff while ensuring your business stays open:

 

Increase Hygiene Measures

 

You may already have some temporary hygiene measures in place after re-opening, but making these a permanent fixture could be a great idea to keep everyone safe. Having hand sanitizer stations dotted around your store will help reduce the likelihood of customers and staff passing on germs and reassure shoppers that you take their health and safety seriously. 

 

Increasing the amount of cleaning you do in your store can also be really beneficial. Concentrating on cleaning areas that are touched frequently, such as countertops and door handles, can prevent the spread of germs. Regular cleaning could help not only to reduce the chances of a COVID outbreak in your store but it should also reduce the spread of seasonal flu and colds.

 

Add Contactless Shopping 

 

Thinking of ways that your business can thrive during this challenging situation is vital. Looking for opportunities to work around the difficulties and provide your customers with an excellent shopping experience is the best way to move through this situation in a proactive manner. You may decide to set up an online ordering service for contact-free collections for customers that don’t feel comfortable shopping in person. Or, you could increase the number of products that you sell on your website and provide the option for these to be shipped directly to your customers using a contact-free delivery. Introducing a range of shopping options both in-store and online will enable your customers to enjoy the best shopping experience and continue using your store in a way that best meets their needs.

 

Keep Updating and Training Your Team

 

Putting the above measures in place is an excellent way to keep your business open and everyone healthy. However, to ensure that everyone understands how to protect themselves and your business, it is vital to carry out regular training. Updating your team and training them to ensure they are aware of their role in keeping everyone safe will give you the best chance of success during this challenging time.