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Adapting To Coronavirus

Three Ways to Stay Open, Reopen or Prepare For the Future

Read our tips and hear how other businesses have adapted to the challenges of coronavirus

The coronavirus (COVID-19) situation has brought unprecedented disruption to the economy, with many businesses forced to close their doors or completely change how they operate.

Some businesses have pivoted to support the coronavirus effort itself – from distilleries producing sanitiser and clothing manufacturers making masks and PPE, to hotels offering rooms to the homeless and restaurants sending food to NHS workers.

For most small businesses, working out how to survive through these challenging times and beyond is no easy feat. To help, we’ve pulled together some ideas on how you could potentially adapt what you do.

Above all else, the priority for your business must be your health and safety and that of your staff and your customers, so take the time to familiarise yourself with the government’s guidance for employers and businesses before you make any plans.

Looking Ahead & Building Resilience

If it looks like your business will feel the impact of the coronavirus situation for the longer term, there are lots of ways you can prepare and adapt, even if you can’t reopen right now.

Revisit your business plan – it’s a good idea to do this at least annually anyway.

Talk to your customers to find out how their needs and habits are changing, and use that information to inform how and if your business could adapt.

Do your homework on how your industry is changing, both locally and internationally, and take a look at your competitors and other businesses in similar spaces.

Explore crowdfunding options or voucher plans so that your loyal customers can support you while you’re closed and be rewarded when you reopen.

Upskill yourself and your team through online training courses, especially as many providers are currently offering their courses for free or at heavily discounted prices.

Brainstorm ideas for new products and services you don’t normally have time for.

Connecting With Customers Differently

Social distancing and other measures have severely impacted ‘direct-to-customer’ businesses. It’s likely these restrictions will be around for some time, and more and more businesses are transforming the way they provide their goods or services. Doing business in a new way can also help you reach customers you may never have connected with before.

From live-streaming concerts to turning a local sit-down restaurant into a takeaway, here are some ideas on ways you can engage with existing customers or attract new ones.

Think about selling or delivering your products directly to end customers or online marketplaces – for example, some farmers who normally supply restaurants are now selling fresh produce to household customers.

If you run a pub or restaurant, consider adapting your services to offer takeaways and delivery options, and how you might need to adapt your menu.

If you provide a health or wellbeing service, make the most of digital platforms to take your in-person offering online – for example, yoga instructors, business coaches and therapists are using online platforms to run one-to-one or group sessions.

As a retailer, you may be able to use online platforms to engage with existing and new customers in innovative ways, such as wine shops offering virtual tastings, bicycle shops running repair Q&As on social media and local high street shops setting up a digital shopfront or using your website.

Some event organisers are recreating the experience of concerts, comedy nights or even religious services using social media and video conferencing tools to livestream direct to their audiences at home, and it’s even possible to recreate exhibitions virtually.

Think about collaborating with other complementary businesses – for example, you may not be set up to sell your products online, while another business may be, but have limited products to sell – this could also help you reach a new group of customers, and make distribution more efficient.

You may want to change your offering to better suit your customers’ lockdown needs, reduce your product range or introduce new products and services that complement your core business – for example, some bakeries are selling flour and eggs while coffee shops are selling coffee beans or providing make-at-home tutorials.

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Making the Most of Digital

More than ever before, digital is playing a vital role in helping businesses to continue operating. By making the most of digital tools and platforms, you can connect with customers and equip your employees to work remotely and communicate easily.

For some businesses, this may be the first time you’ve had to use digital tools. There’s plenty of information available to help you get started online. Our tips on digital skills for businesses are a good place to start, and most social media platforms and software providers offer free guides and tutorials to help you get to grips with their features.

But remember to be vigilant about fraud at all times. Read the National Cyber Security Centre’s small business guide to help improve your cyber security quickly and easily.

Strengthen Your Online Presence

Think about listing your business in online directories such as Yelp!, Yell, and other industry-specific listings. Set up a profile of your business and encourage customers to leave reviews.

Make sure your customers can find you on the likes of Google Maps, Apple Maps and Bing Maps, as search engines often deliver map results from local searches, such as ‘grocers near me’.

Keep your website, social profiles, directory listings and online map listings up to date with your opening hours and how you’re adapting your services, like offering deliveries.

Use the audience targeting tools on social media platforms to advertise your business, share useful content, engage in conversations and provide advice – this can help you reach new customers and strengthen your existing customer relationships.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram all have free guides on how to use their channels to advertise your business, or you could enrol in Google’s Digital Garage for free online marketing training to gain digital skills that can help you grow your business online.

Take the time to review and update your website to make sure it’s easy for users to navigate, find what they need and complete transactions.

If you currently only take face-to-face orders or payments, think about offering customers a variety of payment options.

Digitise Your Business

Look into using online software and cloud applications, like Xero, Trello or Slack, to help streamline your ‘back office’ tasks, such as your bookkeeping and accounting, staff attendance and holiday tracking, time management, workflow, and performance management.

Think about using cloud storage providers, such as Box or Google for Business, to manage your data, as this can increase productivity and allow your staff to collaborate more easily.

If your staff can work off-site, explore ways to improve remote working for the longer term – for example, using online conferencing and messaging platforms, virtual team meetings and social activities, and functions such as screen sharing, polls, shared ‘white boards’, ‘breakout rooms’ and collective brainstorming.

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