The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Bozeman businesses hard, but both Bozeman residents and business owners are finally beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel. As mandatory shut downs and restrictions in Bozeman start to ease, our Bozeman businesses are beginning to reopen with restrictions. Have you constructed a plan on how to run your business in a post-coronavirus world?
Day by day, things are changing, but now is the time to make a plan. What changes will you need to make so you can get your business back on track as soon as possible after the COVID-19 outbreak?
Here are four tips to get you thinking:
1. Stay informed about rules and restrictions
Most likely certain rules or restrictions on social distancing will be enforced and continue to evolve as businesses across the country reopen. Staying abreast of these rules and restrictions will be vital to the success of your business. If you remember, on the outset of COVID-19, we were told not to wear facemasks. Later, we were told we must wear them. In some states, mask requirements apply only to employees, but in other states customers must wear them, too. Rules and restrictions vary by state and which news source you tune into. It would be nice if there was a playbook in place with all the rules and restrictions by state.
Well, it turns out, we found one and are happy to share. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has created a state-by-state business reopening playbook. The website has an interactive state map where business owners can click on their state to find the latest guidelines, timelines and other critical information to restart their business safely and sustainably amid the pandemic.
2. Ask employees for post COVID-19 implementation ideas
You would be surprised how creative people can be, especially when it comes to people and their safety. Your employees are already familiar with how your business runs and know what works and what doesn’t. Put out feelers, ask questions, or start a contest asking employees for their best ideas on how to keep your customers and employees safe while maximizing productivity and profits. If that fails short, the American Red Cross has tons of information regarding COVID-19. There are additional resources for slowing the spread of coronavirus, what to do if you’re sick, precautions for people at higher risk, information for caregivers, coping with stress during COVID-19, as well as a bunch of others.
3. Make a plan for reopening
The mandatory shutdowns and restrictions on Bozeman businesses have been lifted, but we all need to adjust to the “new normal.” Businesses have crowd quotas and social distancing rules that need to be followed, and this will likely be a long lasting practice. How should your business model change when reopening in the wake of COVID-19?
Will you continue to offer the same products or services you offered pre-COVID-19 or will you offer new products or services? If you provided curbside delivery, sold products online rather than brick and mortar, offered online classes, conducted business via video conferencing during the pandemic, will you continue to offer those services?
Questions to ask yourself going forward are things like: As people become more comfortable venturing out, how can I ensure I’ll have enough staff when capacity/demand increases? Should I hire flexible workers to cover new and more complex sanitation practices? In any event, you’ll need to know what staffing looks like at the lowest operating capacity vs. your maximum capacity in order to make the best and most cost effective choices.
4. Ask for feedback
When it comes to COVID-19, we’re all in this together. From employees to customers, everybody has an opinion on what worked and what didn’t in Bozeman during shutdown. Take the time to listen and learn. Ask Bozeman employees and customers what concerns they had during these uncertain times. Whether this is with one-on-one conversations, online surveys, open forums, or pulse surveys—the choice is yours.
But be clear. Not understanding the new customer experience mindset is not an option. At least not if you hope to continue to have customers.
