Don’t look now, but food businesses don’t seem like the best businesses to groom these days. It’s true. These days are uncertain times. Worse, experts believe restaurants and bars contribute to the growing rise of COVID-19. But know this, your business need not fall; it just needs to adapt.
Now is not the time to be wishy-washy about it. Often, the one who adjusts to chaotic times can make the most of it. You just have to find a way. It’s true. The dynamics for many things have changed. The government has laid out its parameters for you to operate. Study these rules. But never forget, people love to eat and long to eat. You just have to be the better businessman to find ways to multiply your clientele in leaps and bounds safely.
Connect with Your Customers
As you may already know, your customers are your number 1 priority as a business owner. You are there to serve them. So in your re-strategizing, they should be on top of the list. You can’t be lackadaisical about your customers anymore. You need to know how best to serve them.
And that can only happen when you get in touch with them. Don’t leave them on the lurch. The pandemic is such a volatile market, your brand can easily be forgotten.
Study what best fits the market. In these trying times, doing your due diligence can be the deciding factor.
You can explore Facebook and other social media platforms. It’s free and ads are also on the cheap. You don’t even need a website to make the most out of it. The important thing is you reach out to them. Otherwise, another business will.
You can do a survey. Or you can create Facebook Groups for takeaways. So long as you remain relevant, your brand won’t be forgotten.
Adjust Your Business Model
Sun-Tzu said it best. The best way to win a war is to do so without using any weapon. What the military genius is saying is that you need to be inventive in your strategy. Study your options. Expand your methodologies. Do your due diligence.
A good example of adjusting the business model to the customers is exploring drive-throughs for fine dining restaurants. It’s safer than dine-ins and gets business on the fly.
Or you can also switch up your menus. Instead of catering to fine dining, you can now explore healthier alternatives such as veggies and salads. Pick up only.
Again, keeping all avenues of communication is wise. Once you roll out a business model, advertise it in ways that can easily reach your audience. You can do this by sending a text or an email. Updating your website, if you have one, as well is very important.
To note, texting has become a rising marketing tool to build brands during the pandemic. A look at how Jack in the Box made a killing should get you all ears.
This is the time you sharpen your marketing skills. It’s your offer that makes the difference. Get inventive to stay on top of the game. Explore freebies. How about a free appetizer for one bulk order? The better you know the market, the easier for you to uphold your brand.
Or you can totally overhaul your business model. Instead of offering a standard restaurant or bar where people can merge, why not offer the service where people need it, in weddings and events for instance. For one, top-of-the-shelf bartenders for hire is a great way to bring satisfaction to any event. Your service goes where the client wants it to go.
Care for Workers Better
Next on your list is caring for your workers. Your workers are the backbones of your business. Without them, you wouldn’t have a running business. Making sure they are in good shape is making sure your business stands.
To boot, ensure you implement safety protocols to protect everyone in your workforce. This means knowing the rules by heart. Moreover, this requires a lot of teamwork. You should make your team responsive to everyone’s needs. Reorganize your workforce so everyone is helping everyone follow safety protocols as mandated by law is paramount.
A cohesive team communicates better. It’s not so unlike a rowing team in the Olympics: any weak link could mean defeat. In this regard, your team should be able to report if anybody feels under the weather, and fast.
Here are government health tips to keep your workforce in tip-top shape. Implementing them can be your best weapon to keep your business afloat.
These definitely are trying times. That’s exactly why you’ll succeed. Because you’re committed to being the better business. And reap the results after.