If you’re a café owner, the worldwide pandemic has trapped you in a grey area as far as operating your business goes.
State-to-state and even city-to-city, the rules and regulations surrounding re-openings are seemingly changing every day. Beyond that, many owners feel a social responsibility in preventing too many people from entering their establishment.
As if succeeding in business wasn’t already a challenge without the roadblocks being foist upon you by COVID-19.
You now need to stretch your revenue-accumulating acumen further than you thought would ever be necessary. A strong re-opening will necessitate diverse thinking, creative strategies, and a flexible management style to adapt to the post-COVID-19 world.
At Loopy Loyalty, we’ve worked alongside a wealth of café owners during this time. We’ve familiarized ourselves with many of the practices that industry decision-makers are following to re-open as seamlessly and fruitfully as possible.
Read on as we provide a helpful list of suggestions to help your café hit the ground running upon its re-opening.
Keep Supporting Your Furloughed or Laid Off Staff
While you may be opening up shop again, you might not be bringing everyone (if anyone) back. After all, it might make sense to keep things as lean as possible to ensure you end up back in the black after months in the red. Plus, the number of customers buying from your café might not justify the rehiring of more than a couple of staff members.
Though, those few vital members of your staff returning to work shouldn’t be the only ones you remain in contact with.
Over time, especially as you adjust your business model and revenue streams to the post-COVID world, you’ll need more help. Beyond that, you’d ideally want your entire team to return to your café. And as a leader, it’s critical to remain in communication and offer support to your furloughed or laid-off employees.
Ensure your staff has been following the necessary steps to collect unemployment. If there are employees who struggle with the application, try to help them with paperwork.
Also, always be transparent with your team about where the business stands and the chances of working again. You should touch base with other local business owners about other opportunities for your laid off staff that you likely can’t employ again.
Most importantly, be available to answer questions and provide emotional support to your still laid-off staff during this time.
Diversify Your Revenue Streams
If you’re going to survive in a world where foot traffic isn’t really encouraged in your location, you’re going to need to find new ways to make money.
That could mean providing delivery services or curbside pickup. This can be accomplished via phone orders, but we’d suggest using some manner of online ordering platform. We’d suggest something like Uber Eats, but the prices are steep. So, perhaps you’d need to change someone’s role from barista into a delivery person to avoid the excess delivery cost.
Diversifying revenue streams also means you may need to think about the products you sell. Perhaps it’s time to sell bagged coffee beans if you haven’t yet. Maybe, you can start marketing merchandise. Of course, you’ll need to make sure it’s the kind of merch people will use, such as aesthetically pleasing coffee mugs.
You might also want to rent out your space for art classes or other similar events. These would still need to adhere to social distancing protocols, but it’s something worth considering. This way, you can make guaranteed money continually without selling pastries or coffee.
Thoroughly Examine Your Financial Obligations and Options
Just because your café was shut down, doesn’t mean your financial obligations suddenly went away. There’s still the matter of paying rent, credit card bills, and satisfying your business partners during this time.
That isn’t to say that there won’t be any leniency in these circumstances, but you can only know where you stand if you’re in constant contact with these entities.
Note that you’ll need to formulate a strategy if you’re going to miss rent. Also, by being upfront with your bank and financial partners, you might find that they’ll be more than willing to provide additional support.
Keep Pressing the Government for Assistance
There’s much to be said about the government’s ability to give small business owners the money they were supposed to receive as COVID-stimulus. Unfortunately, most talking points around this subject are negative.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t cover all bases and continue to reach out to your local counselors to receive some kind of support. This could mean creating petitions with other chefs while using your patrons to bolster any potential initiative for financial aid to gain traction.
Stay Updated on COVID-Related Best Practices
If your brick-and-mortar store is going to operate successfully, you’ll need to avoid the potential for a virus outbreak.
Even if you’re allowed to remain operational after an employee or patron contract COVID-19, word tends to spread. People won’t want to visit somewhere they feel in danger.
It’s integral that you adhere to COVID best-practices. If you feel your state or region has been a little bit lax in how it views social distancing, research other more reliable resources on the matter.
Beyond your bottom line, you want to keep your staff and patrons safe, on top of your surrounding community. One positive case of the virus can have a detrimental chain reaction, so you must remain vigilant.
Feeling Ready to Re-Open?
It’s been a tough four months for your café — but there might be light at the end of the tunnel. But there is an array of challenges you’re bound to face while adjusting to the post-COVID world.
Your main ally will be your ability to adjust and pivot to a continually evolving market and business landscape throughout the US.
We firmly believe that if you approach this situation with an open mind and with the best of intentions, you’ll see your way through any initial struggles. And soon, your café will be flourishing more than it ever did before.
