Global lockdowns and restrictions have paused business for almost every hotel, b&b, or restaurant. However, some are still operating and catering to online orders and take-aways to generate revenues. Now, as corona becomes a part of our lives, there will be a substantial change when the markets reopen. Are you ready for your hotel, your bed and breakfast, or your restaurant reopening after all this mess?
If you own a bed and breakfast, restaurant or you are a hotelier, then doing business after corona will never be the same. To be safe and keep your customers protected, you will have to take adequate measures going forward. Let us point out some ideas that can help you restart your restaurant, bed, and breakfast or hotel post-COVID-19.
Promote Takeaways & Online Delivery
Ever since the Corona pandemic hit the world, “No-Contact Delivery” or “Zero-Contact Delivery” has been popular. You can start offering meals in multiple portions. This will not only save costs of packaging and delivery but also generate income through multiple meals instead of one or two.
People have already started adopting a new lifestyle, and once this is over, some habits will still-remain. If you have quickly developed a new takeaway and delivery system, then it’s practical to keep it working. Till things become better, the number of takeaways will be much more than visitors, maybe even after your restaurant reopening phase.
Connect To Your Vendors
Some restaurants resorted to firing sales for alcohol and liquor. You can connect with your vendors to check if they could take some non-perishable items back with them. The chances are high as they might be able to resell it to other merchants who might be short on stock for such products. This will give you some extra cash during these testing times.
Promote Gift Cards
Selling gift cards can be a wise option to generate some quick cash without offering something in return until things get better. Sell your gift cards based on your past promotions, such as the Black Friday deals. Offer the same deals through emails and attract your customers. You can still continue selling gift cards even after the restaurant reopening for the customers.
Keep Your Guests Updated on Your Hotel or Restaurant Reopening Soon
When battling the adverse impact of Coronavirus on your business, don’t forget your customers. It’s necessary to stay connected so that you win them back once back in business. A chunk of customers would perceive a restaurant has closed restaurants/hotels do not communicate and keep them updated. Hence, design light and entertaining content to encourage customers to come back when things are better.
Use your social media accounts to share videos with meaningful yet exciting content. Even sharing some knife skills or launching a new recipe is useful. You can also use your email subscribers to promote the content. Social media is and will be highly effective in communicating with your customers in times when you are now primarily focused around the takeaway or delivery option.
Watch your steps with Hotel or Restaurant Reopening
Things won’t be normal instantly after reopening, and this is why you need to watch your steps. Take one action at a time and implement measures to make your place safe for your customers. The social dynamics will drastically change as guests will probably be wary of sitting near strangers. As the owner, you will have to make sure they feel safe.
A strict cleaning regime clubbed with adequate social distancing protocols will eventually encourage customers and boost confidence. Keeping tables outside to promote social distancing and allowing small gatherings with limited seats are some measures. If you host live music or run events, you will have to ensure people stay at comfortable distances, and your place is not overcrowded.
Investing in no-contact pick-up infrastructure or an option to place orders through smartphones is another excellent initiative to implement in your regular operating protocols.
Cash-in on Opportunities
Some view crisis as a perfect opportunity to reap benefits. Despite the dangers, these situations offer you a break in one way or the other. For restaurants or hotel business owners, controlling costs is one of the most significant gains from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Update the Menu
It might be a good idea to update your menu in a way that reduces your food costs but widens the margins. Especially when inventories are less or delayed, such measures will help you generate revenue. Updating your menu also means trimming down and taking off options that hardly sell.
Revaluating things that were popular and hot-sellers would give an idea of what you should be keeping.
Re-asses & update both Training & Hiring methods
With unemployment at its peak, there are people looking for work. A surplus supply of talented professionals means it will be less of a challenge to get the best talent for your restaurant or hotel. Now’s the time to hire the right professionals and train them to yield better revenues.
Revisit your onboarding processes as well as training programs. Integrating new training manuals and adding video content can benefit and improve your efficiency. Create a library of various training videos uploaded to your YouTube channel: this will be an excellent resource for retaining and rehiring employees, now and in the future.
Final Thoughts
This time will pass, and things will undoubtedly improve. Stay positive! Going back to normal will take time. Use this period to cut down your flaws, integrate technology-driven operations, increase efficiency, and prepare for life after the lockdown days.
Besides creating a crisis, COVID-19 has given us the time to pause, think about our plans, prepare for a better world, and improve our hygiene standards. Taking a positive note out of such a scenario could actually provide us with the perfect opportunity, to bed and breakfast owners, hoteliers or restaurateurs, to rebuild and expand your business. And also, don’t forget about the power of your customers around social media: that’s the place where you want to let them know you value their loyalty. If you need help with optimizing your social media content, then join the Tremento Tribe (check out the page to see when registration is open!).
