While you learn to navigate this new normal, it’s crucial to consider the safety measures that must be implemented in order to keep your employees and customers safe. Below, we’ll provide a list of retail-focused strategies you should consider.
6 Tips for Reopening Your Retail Store:
1. Take Employees’ Temperatures
Prior to the start of each shift, you should consider taking your staff members’ temperature to ensure they’re healthy. If an employee has a high temperature or exhibits other symptoms, ask them to stay home until they’re feeling better. By doing this, you can further avoid exposing other employees or customers to illness.
2. Offer Curbside Pickup or Delivery Services
During this time, you can continue to offer curbside pickup or delivery services to reduce foot traffic in your business location. This will help you continue social distancing while also earning sales for your business.
3. Provide Handwashing Stations and Hand Sanitizer
Ensure that your employees have a handwashing station on site and provide hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. All employees should be required to wash their hands throughout their shifts.
In addition, if you’re able to welcome customers back into your store, you may want to provide hand sanitizer to them as well. This way, they can clean their hands while shopping at your store.
4. Promote Social Distancing
It’s evident that social distancing works. Due to this, it’s crucial that anyone in your store continues to maintain six feet distance whenever possible.
To accomplish this, may need to rearrange your retail store’s floor plan, install barriers, or add decals or stickers to show exactly where employees or patrons should stand. These additions may be expensive, so consider applying for additional financing to ensure you have necessary funds.
5. Follow a Strict Cleaning Schedule
Create a cleaning and disinfecting schedule for your retail location. All surfaces should be cleaned with Environmental Protection Agency-approved cleaning chemicals from List N or have labels noting that the cleaner can fight the coronavirus.
In addition to teaching your employees to follow cleaning best practices, you may also benefit from hiring a professional cleaning service. This will help you ensure your retail store is consistently disinfected.
6. Sanitize Items That Are Frequently Touched
Sanitize shopping carts, baskets, clothing hangers, surfaces, and any other item used by customers after each use. If possible, make sure that at least one employee is responsible for monitoring when items are finished being used so they can be immediately sanitized.
Although COVID-19 has caused considerable challenges for the retail industry, it’s possible to run a lucrative business while following these best practices. Your customers and employees will be appreciative of you keeping them safe while still providing your retail items!
Have other tips for fellow retail business owners? Let us know in the comment section below!
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
