New rules equal new opportunity to make your establishment shine

As the hospitality sector continues it’s drive to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic it appears that it is being presented with hurdle after hurdle. It is fair to hail the resilience of the sector; pubs, restaurants and hotels alike all adapted at lightning speed to ensure that they were complying with guidance surrounding social distancing and ensuring the safety of their patrons. Many invested considerable sums into adapting their premises whilst also taking into account, inevitable, lower customer numbers. With the sector showing promise and its adaptability then came, yet more, change and a rather rude awakening.

Enter the new restrictions

At the time of writing it is difficult to provide an overall summary of exactly what these restrictions actually are. With the Prime Minister (PM), Boris Johnson, fumbling his way through explanations of what these cover, perhaps we can all be forgiven for a slight lack of understanding. With certain rules covering England and others across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, not to mention separate local lockdown restrictions, there is an array of guidelines that need to be followed.

At the present time (30th September 2020) the basic rules applying to England, in areas not subjected to local lockdown restrictions, are:

• All bars and restaurants to be closed by 10pm.
• Table service only within these venues.
• All staff to wear face masks.
• Customers to where face masks unless they are sat at their designated table.
• No groups larger than 6.
• Details to be recorded by the venue for Track and Trace. Customers refusing details should not be allowed entry.
• Venues must display QR code posters for the NHS Covid-19 app.
• Limits to the volume of any music being played.

A time for customer service to shine

With all orders, including drinks without food, being table service only, now is the time for your staff to put their best foot forward and really highlight the quality of your service. Led by a strong management team, your staff have the chance to interact with customers on a new level. No more shouting across a bar and dashing from one customer to the next; your staff now have the time to show your customers that they care in a way that they, perhaps, have never had the opportunity to do before.

A time to build loyalty

Restaurants and, particularly, bars often form the hub of a community. Whether that be a rural setting or in the heart of a bustling city, these hubs are where people come together and return again, again and again.

Customers can not have failed to be subjected to the daily deluge of negativity that seems to spell the end for the hospitality industry. Now is the time, despite the apparent struggles, to show these customers that you care. Enquire about their well-being. Demonstrate that you have every measure in place for their safety. Show them that, despite the current climate, they are your priority. The time will come when there is yet again change, of a positive nature, and these customers will remember how they were treated during these uncharted times.

A time for creativity

Whenever this sector faces adversity, it is the leaders that prove their worth. Now is the time to be reviewing what your venue has to offer and spending time getting creative with offers; perhaps even reworking menus. Now is not the time to simply bumble along and hope for the best. This sector has a diverse workforce and, with effective leadership, it is possible to tap into this diverse skill-set and use it to benefit your business.

The hospitality industry, as history shows us, is one that adapts, survives and then thrives.