3 Mistakes to Avoid As You Reopen Your Business

It’s a totally new situation we’re navigating. And whenever that happens in business, so do mistakes. Even to the best of us.

While mistakes will happen, you can at least work to avoid the biggest ones. Here’s what to watch out for as you open back up:

1. Don’t Assume Social Distancing Will Be Easy to Enforce

In an article at Business Insider, Travis Vance, chair of the COVID-19 task force at labor law firm Fisher & Phillips in Charlotte, North Carolina, says,”We’re going to see a lot of claims filed related to coronavirus.”

It’s not as easy as telling your employees to stay 6 feet away from each other at all times. How will break rooms and bathrooms work? How will you protect your receptionist? How will hallways work?

Complicating the matter is the fact that OSHA hasn’t issued any rules, which will lead to all sorts of legal hassles.

In the case of hallways, for example, Vance recommends making them one-way only so you avoid face-to-face exchanges. And if you only have one hallway in a certain area, then only one person at a time should go through.

Then, multiply that by all the hallways you have throughout your entire building. And now, it’s easy to see how enforcing social distancing will be quite a challenge.

2. Failing to Adjust to Market Needs

Your market has a set of needs. Have you ever considered all their needs as represented by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Your business won’t be as simple as doing what you always do, except with a little more help from remote workers.

And you may miss significant opportunities for profit by failing to adjust to changes presented by coronavirus.

For example, if you’re a gym, could you stream online workout sessions for people not comfortable coming back?

But what if you’re something that doesn’t cater as well to remote business…like a restaurant?

Well, in that case, you could shoot videos of your most delicious recipes being prepared behind the scenes. And during that time, you can also show customers exactly how you protect them from coronavirus with strict procedures.

3. Sitting Back and Reacting to What Happens

The best businesses proactively adapt to changing situations before they arise. If you’re not sure which way to go, have several plans in place that fully prepare you for what to do next.

Make sure you include the opinions and experience of your employees as your top decision makers debate about what to do.

If you sit back and wait, other companies will run right by you. You’re better off taking action, making a wrong decision, and then learning from any mistakes you make.

Staying competitive as COVID does its thing in the coming months won’t be easy. But armed with these three tips, you’ll be much more prepared to make the most of it and avoid devastating mistakes.