The global coronavirus pandemic has given the physical retail industry a bad knock, while online offerings have maintained or increased their market base. However, as things slowly go back to normal now that the vaccine is being rolled out, some experts predict that there will be a spending boom as relieved citizens catch up on the retail therapy after months of enforced home-stay. However, a significant proportion of the population will be nervous at the prospect of stepping back into the high streets and will be especially conscious of keeping things safe and sanitised.
Ensuring that your shop is taking all of the necessary precautions is crucial.
Tidy Up
Gone are the days when crowded displays and tight-packed clothing rails will be a temptation to a newly hygiene conscious public. Instead, they will look for shops with tidy displays, minimalist layouts and plenty of space to enable them to keep their distance from their fellow shoppers. Make the most of your new minimalist store layout by maintaining your supply of hand sanitiser by the door and at the counters, and encourage a one-way flow to prevent bottle-necks and crowding. Quite aside from anything else, your staff will thank you as evening clean-up and restocking will be so much easier for them!
Open Up!
Aim to keep your doors open throughout the working day as this encourages people to come in. Remember, it will be as strange for shoppers returning to normal practices as it is for you re-opening your store as lockdown lifts and non-essential retail establishments get back into the swing of things. Having an open door is like an invitation to a lockdown-shy shopper – and it also means new germaphobes do not have to touch the door! A final excellent reason for keeping the doors open is to prevent any bacteria or viruses from settling on your merchandise. It is recommended by the health authorities that good ventilation is key in maintaining a healthy building, so keep those doors open!
Clean Up!
For a good long while – until the coronavirus is a distant memory, at least – people will be hyper-vigilant about cleanliness, and any sign of neglect or grime in your premises will keep them out and sales down. Instigate a twice-daily cleaning regimen and ensure that it is adhered to, allowing your employees enough time at the end of the day to perform a proper restock and clean-down. It is also worth ensuring you are working with a professional cleaning company, which will have the tools, equipment and chemicals available to ensure that your property remains clean and hygienic.
Let Them Know!
Advertise the cleanliness of your store, as well as all the wonderful products you sell. People will, as mentioned above, be fearful of going anywhere, and seeing guaranteed reassurances of your cleanliness and attention to detail will be comforting and encouraging to them!
The Benefits Of Employing Our Professional Cleaning Team
Here at Cleanology, our cleaners are trained in properly and safely using cleaning chemicals. They are also aware of ‘hot spot’ points where pathogens can build up and spread around. Properly used cleaning chemicals (applied in the right quantities for the right length of time) is a revelation and will ensure that your shop not only looks and smells fresh and clean but that it is as virus and disease-proof as possible!
At Cleanology, we pride ourselves on training our cleaning team to superb standards, working discreetly and efficiently at times to suit you. So, if you are looking to reopen your retail business as soon as lockdown regulations permit, why not give us a call to have a chat about your needs and how we can fulfil them? If you want to know how to increase footfall in a retail store over the next few months, a clean store is going to be one of the highest priorities that your customers have.
