As a business you play a crucial role in stopping the spread of Coronavirus; keeping you, your customers & your employees safe. Commercial and retail businesses must adapt to a new standard of health and safety and implement measures to mitigate risk as rules change to allow location-based reopening. While businesses can start to open their doors, it is vital that customers and staff alike follow social distancing regulation to slow the spread of COVID-19.
This poses many challenges to business who must change the way they operate in store. The latest Government advice is always changing, however we have outlined the main guidance pointers for advice on keeping everyone on your premises safe during reopening.
Planning your re-opening
The way in which your space is laid out is important in order to ensure a one-way flow, minimise contact and maintain social distancing. Installing clear directional pointers encouraging 2 meters distance in heavy footfall areas like entrances, exits and pay points can help customers to observe your establishments covid protocols.
The Novograf COVID-19 Social Distancing graphics are an option for your stores distancing and directional cues – we offer a variety of different shapes and colours, tailored to your space and customised to your message.
Supporting your staff
Communicate with your crew about the changes you are implementing. Explaining the measures taken to minimise risk of spread between colleagues will reassure your staff and encourage a productive return to the office/store. Some employees may need more assurance than others when returning to work amidst a pandemic.
Employees should know the covid protocols in your establishment to follow best practice, however, may need reminding every now and again – distancing signs, hand washing prompts and various other messaging graphics around your workplace can remind staff of the rules and uphold a high standard of covid safety.
Reassuring your customer
Explaining in-store changes to customers and assuring them of your protocols can aid in a worry-free, enjoyable experience. Use messaging around your store to encourage customers to ask about products rather than touch them and offer contactless payments as this can help to slow the spread of the covid.
Hand sanitizer should be accessible and obvious in various key points around the space, and make it clear you ensure frequent cleaning of surfaces, so your customers know it is safe. Hand sanitizing Posters, directional signs, distancing stickers, wall graphics that inform on in-store changes, boards and banners can all highlight the message you want to convey and provide the right cues, resulting in a more enjoyable, and safe customer experience.
Supporting your local area
As a business, your local community will look to you for controlling your entries, exits and queues as these points are the most vulnerable to contact and spread. By implementing a queuing system using floor stickers, partitions and barriers and having staff to direct customers at entry and exit points, you’re protecting other individuals and businesses in your area.
