Business Plans for Reopening

Businesses that will re-open without determining whether all players in the industry will re-open or not, will incur further losses on top of the  leak caused by COVID-19, for the past two months.

It is not enough to say you’re tired of staying at home. How does the rest of the industry feel? For example, business owners want to get the machines or tills running again, but front line staff might be reluctant for fear of catching the virus. That is why the industry you operate in should have a reopening business plan.

Reopening business plans for interested industries will be not be difficult because of databases with contact people and their emails and phone numbers. Convention centers are one example. They have standing clients such as insurance conventions, home and garden exhibitions, auto shows, technology shows, bridal shows, beauty shows, dog shows and other volume gatherings.

The Forks, Winnipeg.

COVID-19 forced them to cancel in 2020. Therefore, convention centers cannot re-open until they get the green light from clients that shows will resume in the fall or December. Convention centers are like a big river, with many tributaries: e.g. carpenters to mount displays, electricians, I.T. companies, beverage suppliers, taxi industry, event managers etc.

Therefore, convention centers are in a better position to initiate the need to have reopening business plans. First item on the agenda would be group emails to test the waters.

Are industry players interested in a virtual meeting to discuss the matter? They can hire technology people if they don’t know how to go about doing it. It is a legitimate business expense.

Some housekeeping must be done before the virtual meeting. Using  industry specific questions, workplaces can discuss reopening concerns with their members.

1. Who will represent your customers/suppliers at the virtual meeting?

2. Who will represent your front line workers at the virtual meeting?

3. Does your workplace/customers/ suppliers want to re-open the industry?

4. If you re-open, will you change dates for your trade shows or product launches?

5. Will you keep the size of your exhibitions at convention centers or will you scale them down?

6. How will social distancing affect your meetings or trade shows?

7. Will you consider virtual exhibitions in future? Yes or no, and give reasons.

8. Do you have Plan B if reopening does not bring the desired profits or ‘normal’ business activity?

9. Do you have protective gear like gloves, masks, body suits etc. for workers if they agree to go back to work?

10. Should the industry choose one date for reopening, or can industry players open individually?

Answers to these questions will be paragraphs or sections in the reopening business plan. This will enable the industry to speak with one voice thus earning the respect of financial institutions and other groups that do business with it.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.