COVID-19 has disrupted many things in the lives of Americans, and small to midsize businesses have to keep personal safety at the forefront at all times. But as several state governors lift restrictions, businesses can reopen but need to be mindful of how they do so. If you're a business owner and you're ready to get back to work, check with your local and state officials to make sure you can do so, and then consider a few things to do. Let's look at some ways to grow your business.
Even as businesses are allowed to open, customers may still be anxious about going out due to their own safety concerns. So you as a business owner should make sure they know you'll prioritize their safety, and doing so should entail proactive messaging to them. This could email you send to them voicing your concerns about their concerns and stating that you are taking steps to mitigate COVID-19. You should also offer some useful information about minimizing exposure to it while visiting your business.
Let your customers see firsthand that you're observing safety guidelines while running your business. Make sure you and your employees have equipment like masks and gloves and consider offering masks, gloves, or hand sanitizer to your customers as well. Also let your customers know that you will be keeping your facilities at lower crowd capacities and spreading out checkout lines, tables, and other business activities to keep everyone safe.
One of the biggest hits COVID-19 and its effect has made is on the wallets of business owners. Now is the time to make sure you have enough cash liquidity to get through all of this and make sure any new investments you make will pay off. If you do have some extra cash, use it to pay down any debts, create new ways of operating, and manage new overhead costs. Some businesses looking to start hiring up again or introduce new products or services also consider their small business loan options to help them grow and have more cash flow on hand to implement changes. These loans are in place for businesses, intended for business needs, and can help grow revenue in tough times as well as when business is booming.
Sometimes it's better to keep business outside your physical store and have options for your customers to avoid coming into contact with other people there. The technology you could invest in to make that easier might include more mobile payment or cashless payment options, having curbside pickup as an option, or utilizing other safe delivery methods. Mobile payments continue to grow anyway, and if you don't take advantage of them you could lose out on major sales opportunities.
In conclusion, COVID-19 is in many ways ushering in new ways to do business in which more automated technology and potentially robotics become a new norm in interactions and purchases. But in the meantime, keeping businesses clean and following safety measures should be the main approach even as the pandemic dissipates.
