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Staying Open Online
Your guide to setting up your business to work within restrictions
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Staying Open Online
Finding digital resources, government links and materials
Keeping your employees and customers safe with Safe Work Australia
Safe Work Australia is an Australian Government website that has a variety of kits on a range of COVID safe measures that can be undertaken by businesses. These measures are predominantly geared towards making your business safe for your employees and customers. These include fact sheets on ‘how to clean and disinfect your workplace’, ‘physical distancing checklist’ and ‘how to keep workers safe’. It also has infographic fact sheets on the types of facemasks and the proper way to use them. These measures will help businesses stay open during the different levels of lockdown, in a way that is both safe and cost efficient.
Head to Safe Work Australia for more information.
It's important to adhere to current Covid-19 restrictions and safety recommendations. Photo: Unsplash
Making sure you have all the financial support available to your business
At the Australian Government Business website there is information relating to business activities and the support steps that the government is making to offset the negative effects of the coronavirus. These measures are geared towards financial subsidies and support.
These include ‘Instant Asset Write-Off’, ‘International Freight Assistant Mechanism (IFAM)’ and ‘Free Financial Counselling for Small Regional Businesses’. This information may help assist your businesses stay open during this tough time, by showing you what support they you entitled too.
Head to the Australian Government Business website for more information.
Government websites are the best source of information for the current Covid-19 climate. Photo: Unsplash
Looking after the mental health of you and your employees
Head to the Australian Government Department of Health, this is an Australian Government website that keeps the most up to date information on coronavirus and the health alerts associated with the latest updates. This website gives daily updates of numbers or cases, trends and news and media related to the virus. Along with this, this website has links to mental health support related to this difficult time. The website could be used by any employer or employee that feels that things are becoming too difficult and are struggling to cope.
Head here for to access mental health support, and here for the latest coronavirus updates.
Can you adapt your business to online social engagement?
Zoom, Skype and Google Hangouts
Small businesses that are capable of engaging in online or virtual business practices during a full or partial lockdown, should implement these methods to continue bringing in profit. Some examples include:
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For the fitness and health industry this can include online group fitness classes that can be performed in a user's house.
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For the food and beverage industry this could include wine of beer tasting. These products can be consumed at a person’s home while a professional takes a group tasting class online.
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Virtual practices and sessions can also be performed by other industries such as tutors and mental health workers such as therapists.
These activities give consumers the greatest real life feeling of being involved in the same activities as before, while maintaining a safe level of social distancing.
There are lots of ways you can stay connected while apart. Photo: Unsplash
Takeaway menus
Setting up takeaway menus that are easily accessible and easy to understand is vital for businesses such as restaurants and cafes. Recreating the ‘restaurant experience’ at home with promotional set banquets that provide customers with a choice of set meals to be shared as if they were dinning out. If your business in known for its delicious cocktails, you could offer a selection of takeaway cocktails that can be taken home. Rather than having the typical happy hours, hotels and licensed premises introduce ‘happy hour’ where drinks are delivered to customers room or home from a selected package deal. Promoting your takeaway packs with a fun name that create buzz and be enjoyed in a safe social distancing setting i.e. 'Pandemic Picnic' for 2, 'Anti-Social Hour'.
The Australian Government has a website with the sole purpose being helping businesses continue operations during Coronavirus.
Don't be afraid to get creative and try new things! Photo: Unsplash
Online meat raffles/gift cards
Businesses that engaged in raffles pre-COVID such as pubs and clubs can take these activities online. Easily setting up an online system that would work exactly the same as if everyone was in the premises itself. The results can then be livestreamed to participants in their homes using whatever device they have handy. A great and easy raffle to set up is Raffle Link. A trusted Australian site that’s easy to set up and easy to participate in as a customer. While food and drinks are great to raffle to have on a Friday or Saturday night, gift cards are another great prize to give away. This means that when businesses return to usual it will prompt customers to come into your establishment and remind them of the great time that can be had and will hopefully mean repeat business.
You can make special deals to encourage customers back to your business. Photo: Unsplash