COVID-19 Support Business Review & Relaunch Plan
Business owners across the UK are enduring challenges we’ve never seen before because of COVID-19. The hospitality industry has been hit particularly hard by the global pandemic, as restaurants, cafés, and hotels have been forced to close down their interiors in the interest of public health.
Although it’s facing significant setbacks, the hospitality industry as a whole is creative and resilient. We will get through this, and, when we do, we’ll all be better positioned to face future challenges.
Like you, we’ve been spending our time figuring out how we can maintain our business whilst supporting other business owners through this crisis. We’re here to help you determine the best ways to adapt your business now and in the future so you’ll be well-positioned to open back up for business as restrictions lift across the country.
Creating a Relaunch Plan
When it comes to relaunching your business, it’s crucial to recognize that it isn’t going to look the same as it did a year ago. Your business will be able to recover, but only if you successfully adapt to the changing landscape.
We have adapted to new technology and can review your business remotely to help you craft an updated operating model that will help you successfully reopen for business. Our process combines our experience with operational and product experience services to deliver a clear plan of action that you can use to implement changes immediately.
Here are some things we will consider as we review your business and create a relaunch plan for your restaurant or café.
Delivery and Takeaway
The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed takeaway and delivery options to new heights, as consumers adopt the use of apps to order food from the comfort of home and schedule contactless delivery or takeaway. Your business will need to continue relying on these options, even as restrictions lift. A lot of people still won’t feel comfortable dining in, plus restaurants will only be able to open their dining rooms at minimum capacity.
We’ll evaluate your menu model and help you optimize your customer channels to make sure you are getting the most out of your delivery and takeaway options. We’ll also review your current operations and help you come up with a plan to satisfy these types of orders more efficiently.
Operational Changes
Most hospitality businesses will need to make operational changes to relaunch successfully. This could include establishing new operational processes so you can be more efficient while still delivering high-quality food and service.
We’ll compare your business operations against industry best practices to find ways where you can improve your efficiency and quality and give you a template that you can use to implement a new operations process.
Menu and Marketing Design
Your menu tells customers a lot about you, which is especially important when your customers are viewing your menu online instead of from inside your establishment. Your menu and marketing materials need to convey your concept to customers who have never stepped foot inside your café or restaurant. Often, this means simplifying your menu and clarifying your marketing message.
We’ll reconsider your branding design and marketing material to determine if it flows with your concept and deliver a list of action items you can use to focus your menu and marketing efforts.
Menu Offerings
Your menu may have been perfect 12 months ago, but the industry is quickly changing as customer’s habits and needs are evolving as the result of the pandemic. We’ll do a full review of your menu that includes a gap analysis to identify areas of opportunity.
We’ll create a proposal for how you can refine your menu and adapt it to meet the current and future needs of your customers.
Customer Experience
Delivering a fantastic experience to your customers will be more critical than ever when restrictions start lifting. You’ll need to stand out from your competitors and give people a reason to dine with you.
We’ll review who your target customer is and craft a clear message for them. This includes evaluating the main touchpoints of your customer’s journey, whether they dine in or order online, and give you suggestions for how you can improve.
Kitchen and Equipment Review
You may need to adjust your kitchen in terms of how it is set up and what equipment you need in order to fit your current and future needs. A kitchen set up for delivery and takeaway isn’t necessarily the same as a kitchen set up for dine-in only.
We’ll thoroughly evaluate your current kitchen setup to determine what changes you can make to the layout to optimize your efficiency. We’ll also suggest equipment that can help you improve the consistency and speed of your service.
Supply Chain and Prep Processes
Your supply chain is an essential part of your business, and COVID-19 may have impacted it.
We’ll review the processes you currently use to prepare food and drink, with a focus on whether you prep in-house or outsource. We’ll benchmark your process against industry leaders, then provide you with a plan that ensures you are fully optimizing your supply chain.
Your Team
The relaunch of your restaurant or café will only be successful if your team is fully trained and onboard with moving forward with all the new changes you’ll be implementing. Although you may have had to cut back on staffing for a few months, it’s still essential to think about hiring and training staff so you’ll be prepared to handle the influx of new business when you reopen.
We will review your current team structures as well as training materials to identify gaps. Then, we’ll deliver a recommendation report with suggestions for how you can improve your training process.
Get Ready for Relaunch
There are a lot of things to consider when you’re getting ready to relaunch your restaurant. Recognize that the way people approach eating out isn’t going to be the same, even after restrictions start lifting. The restaurants and cafes that thoughtfully accept these changes and take steps to adapt their business model to meet the evolving needs of their customers will be successful.
Contact us today to start working on your relaunch plan. We’ll help you with a cost-effective and simplified approach to adjusting your business operations, so you’re ready to open for business.
