This situation is a unique opportunity to take advantage of the time available to tackle all the things we never find time for in our hectic lives. There are lots of things we can do which will be very useful, here are some ideas:
a) Make a schedule for your staff rota: for the reopening, start with more structured and wide-ranging shifts, which will make it easier to organise the whole team. Try to implement a two-week rota from the start, this will help employees to organize their private lives better and make them more enthusiastic in the workplace.
b) Make a list for cleaning: after a long period of inactivity, even if maintenance and cleaning of the premises and equipment has already been carried out, it will be necessary to do so again before reopening. It is important to immediately make a list of the maintenance and cleaning procedures for the counter, the refrigerators, the store room, preparation areas and equipment, as well as paying particular attention to checking inventories and expiration dates.
c) Your counter is also very important: making sure the space and your equipment is well organised is essential for an efficient and functional workspace. This is the perfect time to take a critical look and make any changes.
d) Involve your staff: in this difficulty period, employees are also having a difficult time. Motivate them by involving them where possible in the team to evaluate possible initiatives for recovery, or organize online meetings. This will help them develop a stronger sense of belonging and will make them feel useful.
e) The counter displays are always very important in communicating your offer, and they will be just as important for your reopening. Make the most of this time to prepare your price tags and redesign your displays, which can give you a significant advantage over your competition.
f) It’s a great time to improve the communication of your business’ image. For example by improving or modifying your logo, uniforms, packaging, business cards or any other materials that communicate with your customers (in marketing jargon these are called "touch points": the points of contact with the public). This will help to bring new life to your business, and show your customers a fresh new look.
g) making a checklist of the main activities you need to carry out is an excellent idea, to help you start on the right foot, and avoid the risk of forgetting something important. Here are some ideas:
i. Make a list of all the cleaning tasks: after a long period of inactivity, even if the premises and equipment were maintained and cleaned before closing, it will be necessary to do so again prior to reopening.
ii. It is important to immediately make a list of maintenance and cleaning operations for: the counter, espresso machine, grinder-doser, refrigerators, store room, preparation areas and all equipment, including those for ancillary preparations, such as the illycrema machine, or the hot chocolate maker. Each piece of equipment will require specific attention.
iii. Check that you have a supply of professional detergents, if you have run short of anything, you will need to be prepared to order or obtain them in order to perform sanitation and maintenance tasks correctly.
iv.Prepare to make an inventory of your products, check stock levels, check the expiry dates and organize your store room.
v. If you find equipment or products in an unsuitable condition, you will need to dispose of them or, if appropriate, repair them.