By Tobias Foster, Contributor

As government officials continue putting measures to control the spread of coronavirus, restaurant managers are finding it extremely difficult to manage their businesses. As a restaurant manager, your top priority should be the safety of your employees and customers.

After ensuring that everyone is safe, you’ll need to get creative to ensure that your business stays afloat during this difficult period. Today, we are going to discuss a few tips and strategies that you can use to minimize the revenue effects of COVID-19. Adjusting your operations according to the current state of affairs will increase your revenue.

It’s also important to deepen your relationships with loyal customers as they will greatly determine your success or failure. They’ll be the ones who will help you stay afloat during the uncertain times and help you grow when things get back to normal.

Responding to the Coronavirus

Medical professionals and researchers do not know how long this situation will last. Some are predicting that warm weather may slow the spread of the virus, enabling health professionals to manage the situation effectively. Others are preparing for the worst in the next few months. The only thing most people are sure of is that things will worsen before getting better.

Therefore, as a restaurant manager, you can respond to the coronavirus in two ways. First, you can minimize the revenue effects during slowdown. And second, you can take proactive initiatives that will help in driving incremental revenue while preparing your restaurant for the return of normalcy.

Enhancing Your Restaurant’s Safety

To combat the coronavirus, you have to maintain high standards of hygiene. There are lots of disinfectants in the market that are effective at killing these viruses. Regular soap and water are also effective because they disintegrate the oily membrane that coats the virus.

Pay close attention to surfaces that customers and staff touch like door handles and light switches, as well as systems that circulate air. You can enhance the safety of your team by providing them with antibacterial gloves especially if they handle cash. You may even want to consider going cashless (if possible) during this pandemic.

Cleaning your restaurant not only enhances safety but also sends a clear message to customers that your restaurant is safe. Let your customers know how serious you are in fighting this virus. If you have a website or social media page, show other people your efforts. By doing everything you can to make your restaurant and food prep safe, you’ll end up attracting a lot of long-term customers.

If you can’t guarantee high standards of hygiene, consider closing your business for a while to help in managing the spread of the coronavirus.

Dealing with Sick Staff

Even after maintaining high standards of hygiene in your restaurant, it is not a guarantee that your staff will be completely safe. It’s important to know the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 so that you can protect yourself and your team and prevent further spread.

Common symptoms include dry cough, fever and tiredness. Others include nasal congestion, diarrhea, runny nose, sore throat, and aches.

Encourage sick employee(s) to self-isolate and seek medical help immediately. Since it takes around five days for the symptoms to show, it’s important for all the people who came into contact with your employee to be tested. This is also why it’s important to have a robust sick-leave/PTO policy in your restaurant.

Dealing with Sick Guests

With some states already opening back up, that means you may see some foot traffic returning to your dining rooms. It’ll be imperative that you manage your dining rooms during this transition and that your staff know how to handle any guests who appear to be sick.

Showing up on the spot quickly with napkins or tissues.
Equipping staff with protective equipment (PPEs) such as facemasks and gloves.
Offering sanitizers or disinfectants to guests.
Being prepared to seek medical help.
Thoroughly disinfecting surfaces, tables, and utensils that the sick customer has contacted.
Planning ahead of time how the sick guest will be expedited from the restaurant.

In general, ensure that your staff has a plan for dealing with sick customers. Remember, your number one priority is protecting your staff and ensuring that customers feel safe in your premises.

Be on the Lookout for Cost-savings Opportunities

Apart from reducing your staff and hours of operation, other ideas may help you save on costs.

Partnering with other restaurants. At the moment, all restaurants have are allies, not competitors. If possible, consider partnering with other local restaurants around you. You can share kitchen space, staff, supplies, and resources to reduce expenses. Working together to fight this virus is critical if you want to succeed.
Accept assistance. As the coronavirus continues spreading and destabilizing businesses, different levels of government may step in with emergency fiscal to help businesses survive the tough times. While the details of such plans are unclear at the moment, you can help your business stay afloat by accepting any kind of assistance being offered. You can contact the local authorities to learn more about this.
Driving revenue during difficult times. After ensuring the safety of your staff and guests, you should now focus on engaging your loyal customers and thinking of creative ways to get them to return when things return to normal.
Invest in marketing. Clients will only know about your restaurant if you make an effort to market it. Simple marketing activities such as telling guests how you’re managing and operating during COVID-19 via social media and email outreach can help drive delivery and pick-up orders.
Support take away and delivery. Since almost every restaurant is closed for dine-in, operators need to consider adjusting their operations to support take away and food delivery. Prepare food for families to enjoy at home.
Personalize your marketing activities. Engaging your customers will be critical during this time. Loyal customers are people who closely associate themselves with your community. Therefore, you should personalize your marketing activities to keep them close to you. Show them that you care about their well-being and the health & wellness of your staff. This is the time to make real personal connections with your local community.

You can do this by sending them emails, texts, and personal letter whenever you can. Let them know that your business is open for delivery and pickup and you’re doing everything to keep your staff and guests safe.

Conclusion

The coronavirus pandemic is a crisis that has affected every sector of the economy. It’s still unclear how long it’s going to last. However, with every crisis comes an equal or greater opportunity. This is the time to build real relationships with your clients.

Remember, your restaurant does not only sell food but also experiences. By maintaining high standards of hygiene and personalizing your marketing efforts, you have a better chance of surviving this pandemic than just shuttering up for months.

About the Author
Tobias Foster is a journalist and editor at assignment writer, college paper help and dissertation help with more than five years' work experience and big ambitions. Philosophy, marketing, and business are his passion, and he has a wealth of knowledge in that field. He is a master of his craft.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash