Many company owners have never planed to go through a pandemic coronavirus epidemic outbreak, in reality many were never thinking about how to prepare a restaurant business for that. For today about 70 people are infected in Thailand, several airlines had canceled flight routes, the Entrance visas for several countries are canceled and additional documents are required to enter the country.
Tourism industrie and Food and beverage businesses are one of the firsts to be concerned.
How to handle this new challenge?
While some businesses may be able to continue operating in some way, other companies, such as restaurants, will have to think hard about how to manage staff and cash flows if people stop going out.
“What is plan B?”
“How to prepare a restaurant for an epidemic outbreak ?”
First thing to keep in mind is that any crisis is an opportunity! Let’s take the Coronavirus challenge with this easy recommendations!
Communicate with your staff about the coronavirus
One of the most important things you can do is to communicate with your employees. Many are likely concerned about their health and how they can continue working, by all means they are in contact with customers. After all if your staff is confident, your guests will feel it too.
Then, you need to be sure that your staff understand why hyper hygiene is so important right now, and be sure that they have the right information.
Take an electronic thermometer to work. Check the staff before they start their shifts. It may look like too much, but better safe than sorry. If anyone has a fever or is experiencing worrisome symptoms, send them home and contact an hospital.
Make sure to follow the sanitary protocol that all restaurants are held to — especially hand-washing, sanitary wipes for tables, gloves for chefs and cooks.
Hygiene is very important! Sanitarize twice more than ever before
As the new coronavirus outbreak spreads, people are becoming increasingly nervous about interacting in public places like cafes and restaurants. That could mean a drastic loss in sales, so you should do your best to ensure customer confidence.
Starbucks baristas are washing their hands every 30 minutes. McDonald’s employees are cleaning surfaces such as door handles, self-order kiosks and tabletops more frequently. If needed you can install timers for the staff, to be sure that the cleaning is done on time.
Use Alcohol-based hand sanitaizers, be aware that the gel must contain at least 60 percent alcohol. (Please, don’t try to use alcohol like Vodka, because it doesn’t work.)
Mind to clean “high-touch” surfaces, like phones, tablets, and handles. Apple recommends using 70 percent isopropyl alcohol, wiping gently. “Don’t use bleach,” the company said.
Remember to clean your menu, especially if it’s plastified.
Provide a hand sanitiser to your cashier, as many bacterias can stay on the money. Ther’s definitely a reason why in China the money was recently disinfected with ultraviolet to prevent the coronavirus spreading.
Turn ON all delivery services
Obviously this is the best way to work with the customers who are staying home/in hotels by choice or necessity. On this pandemic time, you should be available on all the delivery services. If possible promote your own delivery service.
Useful contacts for Koh Samui an Koh Phangan:
Koh Samui: Hangover samui & Food Panda
Koh Phangan: Mammamiawonderfood
PRO TIP: Advertise your delivery services on Social Media, it’s easy to get lost between all the restaurants available for delivery
Encourage the take away
If a delivery service is not your option, perhaps for some areas the delivery can take up to one hour, sometimes even more. Encourage the take away by offering special offers, complimentary items, or discounts.
Additionally think about the drinks, be sure to have a possibility to offer them for take away.
PRO TIP: Advertise your takeaway special offers on Social Media, even that it’s seems obvious, many customers will forget about this option.
Indeed, when you prepare a restaurant for an epidemic outbreak you should be ready to have everything for takeaways and delivery.
PRO TIP: Use all the power of your branding on the takeaway and delivery packages, this is a free advertisement space. Missing ideas? Use our Special solution service!
Be creative
Even that the times are hard, remember to be creative!
Think about a new immunity boosting meals or cocktails.
Offer complimentary sanitised wet tissues with a takeaway or delivery. Create special promos, or takeaway vouchers.
Crisis is an opportunity, isn’t it?
If you need help with new ideas, or the Marketing of your FNB business, we’re here to help you!
We offer onetime services, as Branding, Visual media, Promotional media and more.
We also offer monthly services as Social media support, as well as full marketing solutions for FNB businesses with a monthly fee.
FAMEsolutely is happy to help you to bring your business to a new level!
We like to share our experience and PRO TIPs, check out more of our blog posts below!
