A playbook to approach your guests grappling with a whole set of new social norms.
In the midst of a global pandemic, with social isolating now a necessity, the question of what new social norms will emerge is beginning to come to the fore. With remote working now widespread, all but essential travel in the minority and forced distancing in place outside of your own household; the future vision of how we interact in our day-to-day lives when the pandemic has been contained is one that needs to be carefully pondered. This feels even more significant when considering the hospitality sector - defined through its very nature by its warm welcome and social embrace.
Any cursory search for business images on Google or an image sourcing platform will immediately throw up multiple examples of the business handshake, symbolising partnership, warmth and 'sealing the deal'. The handshake is such an ingrained and instinctive act within not just the business world but also our cultural psyche that it will be incredibly difficult to just stop doing it.
What is clear is that the pandemic will have brought about a huge increase in consciousness amongst the population about personal hygiene and the cleanliness of public environments. From a hospitality & indeed retail perspective, businesses need to formulate operating models that will reassure the public that frequenting their - bar / restaurant / hotel / café / shop - is safe and addresses their newly found concerns.
Breaking this down, what what areas should operators start to think about in preparation for re-opening:
Spatial planning - review the front of house & back of house spaces to configure sensible layouts to protect an element of social distancing, whilst staying as true to the original concept as possible.
Hand sanitisation - review the guest journey in-venue to provide sanitiser at key touchpoints: at check-in, on the table, in-room, at the bar etc. For F&B operations consider appropriate hand towels or wipes in between courses.
Cleaning schedules - devise a visible cleaning routine between seatings, between check-ins & between serves that covers all relevant customer touch-points. Schedule deep-cleaning cycles more frequently. This will reassure guests that you are acting.
Technology - imbed technology to assist you - from AI powered sanitation solutions & food waste management, to air quality control & pollution monitoring, to leveraging EPOS solutions to understand trading patterns & reviewing guest preferences in advance of their visit via CRM & booking platforms - dietary requirements, favourite dishes, allergen information, special needs etc.
Cashless payments - implement wherever possible & ensure that payment terminals & keypads are cleaned between payments.
Pre-batched drinks & takeaway items - items prepared in a controlled environment with a relevant marker to communicate this to the guest - especially with regards to cocktails - may be a way to go.
Marketing comms - talk to your guests NOW about the steps you will be taking, the reasons behind it and aim to reassure them that you are acting by implementing a wide-ranging plan, why you are doing this and that ultimately, you have their back and those of your teams.
Be transparent - publish your safety protocols. Consumers are going to be seeking this reassurance.
Be kind & respectful - many people will have been detrimentally affected by the virus & may well be suffering a bereavement, their trust will need to be earned & if you are fortunate enough that they have chosen to come back to you, embrace them patiently & wherever possible be accommodating.
Publish your new 'rules' of operating - your model may have to change & a typical trading day & week will potentially stretch longer in a more drip-fed manner versus traditional spikes in traffic. If the terms of engagement have significantly altered, communicate this in advance.
These measures will hopefully be a short-term requirement but we do believe that they will be a requirement. And whilst this will inevitably be a more labour-intensive way of trading, it will cement trust in your business from guests and staff alike, that you are responding to a challenging and changing trading environment, that you are taking safety seriously and that essentially, you care. Caring about the world we live in, the people we serve and the people we look after is and will increasingly become a valuable commodity - not just from a socially responsible viewpoint, but also from a commercial one.
A new culture will inevitably emerge, one that it is informed by recent events, but also evolved from centuries of tradition. So whilst the handshake may not disappear forever, it will perhaps have an extended vacation until a vaccine is found and the wider society recovers economically, and spiritually.
Let's shake on that.
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