Best practices to attract customers during the COVID age.

Recent consumer surveys found that diners will likely remain cautious about eating away from home over the coming year. For restaurants and food service providers to thrive, they must deliver a great experience and rebuild customer trust.

To start rebuilding consumer trust through action and communication at every stage of the customer experience, remember the basics and make sure you are in touch with your community.

Communicate and engage:

• Use social media to be transparent about your efforts
• Continually refresh your imagery and messaging around what you are doing to create a healthy and safe environment
• Promote your adherence to best practices through professional signage

Give a good first impression:

• Set up hand contactless sanitizer stations at entrances
• Enforce social distancing for staff and customers, using footprint and traffic markers Clearly indicate expectations of customers and staff with signage, such as counter cards, wall posters and social distancing floor markers

Reassure your customers throughout their dining experience:

• Remember the basics: Staff should wash their hands often and keep hands away from their faces
• Help your customers feel as physically safe as possible by having your staff use face masks, face shields and gloves
• Clean and sanitize in a way that is visible to your customers to build a sense of safety and trust.

Safeguard checkout and takeout:

• Consider updating your packaging to ensure a clean look and feel, and integrate tamper-free, microwave-safe containers to serve growing demand
• Eliminate self-service in favor of over-the-counter service for everything, including straws, napkins and cutlery
• Eliminate touchpoints by moving to cashless payment whenever possible. If you do need to exchange currency, use cup and gloves for contactless exchange of currency
• Disinfect credit/debit pin pads after every use

Beyond changes that your customers will see, remember that what happens behind the scenes also matters. Reiterate to staff the importance of following safety procedures and minding their own health.

Entegra’s supplier partners offer many of the suggested products listed above, including disinfecting chemicals and signage. Consider becoming a member to reduce costs on everyday products and services by contacting us today.

August 10, 2020