5 Actions Businesses Should Take To Mitigate Effects Of COVID-19

The COVID-19 outbreak has hit people and businesses hard all over the world, including in the Houston area of Texas. If you manage a business in or near Houston, you need to devise a plan to navigate these troubled waters.

1. WASH YOUR HANDS

It’s obvious and it should go without saying, but you need to ramp up your hygiene practices. Wash your hands often with water and soap for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching your face, don’t shake hands, maintain a six-foot distance between you and all others, and cough and sneeze into the crook of your arm. Wipe down commonly used surfaces –phones, computer keyboards, cash registers, retail conveyor belts, etc.—with disinfectant wipes. If you have face masks, consider wearing them and handing them out to your staff, but do not go out and buy N95 masks unless you work in healthcare as those masks are needed by healthcare workers.

2. Reduce Meetings, Work Remotely, Shut Down

Step two depends on what kind of business you run in the Houston area of Texas. If you manage a manufacturing plant in Katy, for example, people can’t work from home. Try to eliminate or reduce meetings in the plant and try to ensure that workers maintain a six-foot distance from one another. If you manage an office in Sugar Land, have all your staff work from home if possible. If you manage a restaurant in Katy, either only offer takeaway/delivery or just shut down all together.

3. Look For New Trends

There are certain changes in customer behavior we have already seen. Obviously, people are buying more hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. But the COVID-19 pandemic will surely affect consumption in other, less predictable ways. If you manage a retail store in Houston and have always played with the idea of selling products online, now is definitely the time to start doing that. People are buying online more than ever now. Try to think of what other products people are likely to buy these days and try to get ahead of the curve.

4. Communicate With Customers And Staff

Don’t lay anybody off unless you absolutely must. If you must, be honest and sympathetic with your staff. Communicate openly with your customers. Tell them if you will remain open and how operations might change.

5. Get COVID-19 Signage

One way to communicate with customers is by using COVID-19 signage. Whether you need a door sign saying you’re closed, hours of operation sign detailing new business hours, or floor graphics to keep customers six feet apart, Houston Graphic Signs can make the COVID-19 signage you need. Contact us to learn more.