Communication is crucial in times of uncertainty and confusion, and establishing efficient and informative communication with your team and community will help to keep your business operating safely upon reopening. Make sure to be clear, factual, and available to respond to any inquiries or uncertainties people may have about the guidelines and measures your business undergoes to counter the spread of the virus.

Failure to keep your staff informed and updated on protective measures may result in subjecting employees and customer’s health to potential infection.

By stressing the importance of following the government-imposed guidelines, you will not only be able to protect your community, but you will also establish a positive reputation as a responsible business on your high street. By being honest about your response to the crisis, you will be able to project transparency as a key value behind your business, which can help facilitate loyalty and trust towards your brand.

Have you completed your Recovery & Resilience Health Check yet? Here is the link –

https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5576426/High-Street-Recovery-and-Resilience?s=sths13

Once completed, you’ll receive a free personalised report and score with recommendations tailored to your business, invites to webinars and an optional 1-1 consultant call.

The post Document and communicate your new guidelines first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

Studies reveal that good workplace ventilation and conditioning can improve employee productivity by up to 20% (Berkley, 2005). It also goes without saying that anyone – customers and staff alike – will have a better shopping experience if they feel physically comfortable, which is why a good heating and air conditioning system is necessary for your business.

However, all heating and air conditioning systems require regular maintenance, check-ups, and replacements. Failure to do so may result in noise pollution, airborne dust and fungi, circulation of infections, and respiratory disease. This is especially pressing now with the outbreak of COVID-19 and the need to do whatever possible to avoid further infections.

You can avoid putting yourself, your employees, and your customers in danger by making sure that your ventilation system only uses fresh air and doesn’t recycle old air, as well as making sure your systems are working properly and are COVID-19 secure. You’ll be able to find out more about this when you complete your risk assessment.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 calls for extra measures in ensuring the community’s safety and welfare, and functioning heating and conditioning systems are crucial in preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

Have you completed your Recovery & Resilience Health Check yet? Here is the link –

https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5576426/High-Street-Recovery-and-Resilience?s=sths10

Once completed, you’ll receive a free personalised report and score with recommendations tailored to your business, invites to webinars and an optional 1-1 consultant call.

The post Check that your heating ventilation and air conditioning systems are working to expected standards first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

Findings show that poor crowd management costs UK businesses £12 billion each year in sales losses (Ayden, 2018). What’s more, 66% of British customers reported abandoning potential purchases due to the long wait (Y. Lu et al., 2012). Adding demarcations to your shop will help you manage the crowds upon reopening in a simple and safe way.

Clear signage, queue barriers, one-way routes, and other forms of demarcation relieve the stress of the customers by providing them a clear idea of where to go and which cashier to use in a way that doesn’t put them or others in danger.

By making the shopping experience that much more comfortable, your customers will be more likely to stay instore longer and to proceed with their purchases and your work environment will be more relaxed for your team, giving them more time and energy to focus on other things.

Also, don’t forget, the demarcations themselves can work as a great marketing tool. By adorning them with your logo, some information about your business, and maybe even some humour, you can further boost your brand recognition with your local community.

Have you completed your Recovery & Resilience Health Check yet? Here is the link –

https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5576426/High-Street-Recovery-and-Resilience?s=sths11

Once completed, you’ll receive a free personalised report and score with recommendations tailored to your business, invites to webinars and an optional 1-1 consultant call.

The post Add demarcations to help your customers navigate your shop safely first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

Essential businesses that have been open during the lockdown period may have had to budget for higher cleaning costs to create a safe shopping environment for customers. Now, with the high street set to reopen soon, many more businesses will need to consider what they should do to meet new hygiene standards to keep themselves, their staff, and their customers safe.

Consider things like supplying hand sanitiser, gloves, masks, and other protective equipment. Making sure you clean to modern cleaning standards will be vital, and is a good way to reassure your community.

The initial deep clean should be thorough, so your business looks its best when you reopen. You’ll also need to be able to maintain these stricter requirements, so don’t be scared to bring in extra support.

Don’t forget to get your shop window ready and looking fresh to help boost the morale of your local community!

Have you completed your Recovery & Resilience Health Check yet? Here is the link –

https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5576426/High-Street-Recovery-and-Resilience?s=sths12

Once completed, you’ll receive a free personalised report and score with recommendations tailored to your business, invites to webinars and an optional 1-1 consultant call.

The post Get professional cleaners in to prepare for and maintain new COVID-19 standards first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

Allowing the option for customers to book designated time slots will help you to operate whilst maintaining government social distancing guidance.

You can easily add an online booking feature to your website, with a calendar for your customers to see, or simply allow people to call up in advance to choose a time slot. It’s also an effective way for you to keep track of demand and get to know your customers individually, cultivating a deeper relationship with your local community!

Recent studies show that over 70% of customers prefer online booking options and the number is likely to increase amidst the COVID-19 regulatory measures (SaaS and SMB, 2018).

The number of people you allow in at any given time will depend on the size and nature of your business. You can also operate appointment systems at the door, using your own online system on a tablet or phone, enabling you to serve all of your customers- even the ones who are not mobile users.

For more information and access to expert advice, resources, and support, take a look at our COVID-19 support programme:

https://savethehighstreet.org/the-first-end-to-end-covid-19-support-programme-for-local-business-owners/

You can also take our Resilience & Recovery Health Check by clicking this link:

https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5576426/High-Street-Recovery-and-Resilience?s=sths1

Once completed, you’ll receive a free personalised report and score with recommendations tailored to your business.

The post Offer reserved time slots for your customers to visit your store first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

According to the results of our High Street Resilience & Recovery Health Check so far, only half (51%) of high street businesses have equipped their staff with gloves and masks.

It’s important to provide your employees with protective gear, such as face masks and gloves, to help protect against the spread of COVID-19.

Recent studies show that protective gear plays a crucial role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 (The Lancet, 2020). Having gloves and masks for your employees in the workplace will create a safer environment that will help to reassure your staff and your customers.

We have secured a 10% discount on all gloves and masks from a leading PPE supplier. As they are trade focused, their prices (even before the additional 10% discount) are extremely competitive.

Click this link and add SAVETHEHIGHSTREET in the discount box at checkout

Have you completed your Recovery & Resilience Health Check yet? Here is the link –

https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5576426/High-Street-Recovery-and-Resilience?s=sths7

Once completed, you’ll receive a free personalised report and score with recommendations tailored to your business, invites to webinars and an optional 1-1 consultant call.

The post Equip your staff with gloves and masks first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

If you already accept card payments, the next best thing is to accept contactless payments. Contactless simply means that customers can tap their bank cards on to the card reader rather than insert their cards and enter their pin number if the amount to pay is below a certain amount. For most banks, that limit is £45.

This is a great solution for continuing to operate but without needing to touch the same surfaces – such as cash, the card machine, or others – as your customers, to help avoid the potential spread of COVID-19.

Offering contactless payments in store makes it even easier, quicker, and more convenient for your customers to make their payments. This will make the entire shopping process more seamless, giving your customers a reason to keep coming back.

To start offering contactless payment systems, you will need to have a card reader that is compatible with contactless. Most card readers will be already as contactless payments have become so popular, but it’s worth double-checking.

For more information and access to expert advice, resources, and support, take a look at our COVID-19 support programme:

https://savethehighstreet.org/the-first-end-to-end-covid-19-support-programme-for-local-business-owners/

You can also take our Recovery & Resilience Health Check by clicking this link:

https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5576426/High-Street-Recovery-and-Resilience?s=sths8

Once completed, you’ll receive a free personalised report and score with recommendations tailored to your business, invites to webinars and an optional 1-1 consultant call.

The post Make the most of contactless and mobile payments first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

The post Add plexiglass dividers or protection screens at your till points first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

According to the results of our High Street Resilience & Recovery Health Check so far, only half (58%) of high street businesses have hand sanitisers available.

Providing hand sanitiser at the entry and exit points of your store can help to reassure your customers by showing consideration of the new hygiene norms whilst offering the convenience of making it easily available, showing that you care about your local community. Also, it gives you and your team an added layer of safety and some peace of mind as you continue operating.

As sanitiser will be offered at the highly trafficked points of entry and exit, it’s worth branding the dispenser with your logo and some contact information on the dispenser to increase visibility and awareness of your business.

We have secured a 20% discount on all sanitiser stations and liquids from the company who is supplying the sanitiser products for TFL (Transport for London) and many others.

Click this link and add SAVETHEHIGHSTREET in the discount box at checkout

Have you completed your Recovery & Resilience Health Check yet? Here is the link –

https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5576426/High-Street-Recovery-and-Resilience?s=sths6

Once completed, you’ll receive a free personalised report and score with recommendations tailored to your business, invites to webinars and an optional 1-1 consultant call.

The post Offer hand sanitiser at entry and exit points first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

Download this poster for your shop window here.

According to the results of our High Street Resilience & Recovery Health Check so far, only a quarter (27%) of businesses have completed their COVID-19 risk assessments, which are necessary before commencing business as usual.

It’s your responsibility as an employer and a business owner to ensure the safety of your employees and customers during the COVID-19 outbreak. By completing a full COVID-19 risk assessment, you will be able to meet the current regulations whilst making sure your customers and staff are safe and reassured about their safety.

Completing your risk assessment as soon as possible will allow you to detect any possible security shortcomings whilst making sure you give yourself time to address them before reopening.

Also, by sharing the results of your risk assessment online and in your shop window, you will be able to demonstrate transparency and care for your local community, fostering trust and loyalty among your customers.

We are working with specialist health and safety suppliers to secure free and discounted support for the SaveTheHighStreet.org community.

Send an email to info@savethehighstreet.org if you’d like more information about this.

Have you completed your Recovery & Resilience Health Check yet? Here is the link –

https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5576426/High-Street-Recovery-and-Resilience?s=sths5

Once completed, you’ll receive a free personalised report and score with recommendations tailored to your business, invites to webinars and an optional 1-1 consultant call.

The post Completing a COVID-19 risk assessment for your business first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.