With easing restrictions and businesses beginning to open, small businesses will need to implement certain rules and restrictions to adhere to government guidelines. To reopen small businesses safely, distancing rules will need to be in place for customers and staff to remain safe.
This will include measures such as floor markings in shops and offices for clear boundaries to be set once they reopen. The new government guidelines indicate a requirement to wear face masks to reduce the spread and minimize infection rates.
Restaurants, cafes, and bars will operate at a limited capacity, making it a much different dining experience than what we are used to. Many food services will also offer seating outside, to minimize indoor crowding and reducing frequent touch-points, such as door handles, shared condiments, and chairs. Many will also be offering a reduced menu to try and keep food service quick and efficient. Bars which are planning to reopen are also planning to run reduced menus, as well as keeping people outside when possible to reduce numbers of individuals inside and gathering at the bar.
This new world of freedom after months of staying home will be a sure relief for many, but the struggle isn’t over for small businesses. Those that have survived the pandemic aren’t out of the woods yet. The most important things for small businesses getting back onto their feet is not getting too ahead of themselves. It’s going to be tricky, since businesses have been closed for around four months now, but they must remember that while customers need to come through the door so their finances can pick up again, they must allow their customers to do so safely. Shops must allow a limited number of customers in at any one time and try and encourage contactless payments where possible.
On the other end of the spectrum, a lot of online businesses have thrived throughout the global pandemic. Many adapted early on to bring their services to their regular clients online. This includes yoga instructors, artisan food producers, greengrocers, personal trainers. Some have even found that business is better online. This poses an interesting question whether they will remain predominantly online. Indeed, operating online definitely offers a safety net, but will online sales fall with the opening of the physical shops now bustling with excited shoppers? It sure will be interesting to see if these shops begin to grow again, or if the reign of online ecommerce will remain victorious.
Small businesses have majorly suffered throughout the last few months, with many business owners plagued with anxiety about how they will revive their business. The following few months will really test the resilience and fight of struggling businesses. Businesses around the globe will need the citizens of the world to support their local businesses to try and help regenerate local economies around the world.
