Covid-19 and Food Industry

The year 2020 has completely changed our way of living and what we consider to be normal, from an unstable political climate to a worldwide pandemic. Most countries have experienced some sort of lockdown, with residents being encouraged or forced to stay at home to avoid contracting the disease. As social beings, humans have become accustomed to socializing and interacting with others. This behavior as well as the traditional way of conducting business have been altered forever due to the virus and public fear of contagion. However, not all is lost. New technology is being introduced to assist restaurant owners to navigate the choppy water back to profitability and gaining new customers through the door and online channels.

Businesses are slowly reopening as we begin to restart the global economy. Despite our renewed ability to visit establishments such as gyms and restaurants, we must not forget that the coronavirus has not been eradicated and there is no cure for it yet. With that said, certain measures have to be taken during this period of a “new normal” in order to maintain public health. As restaurants continue to adapt to the new normal of business during the COVID-19 pandemic, safety and convenience are critical concerns. Today, we are going to discuss the coronavirus in the context of the food industry and how Skipli can help restaurants.

How Contagious is the Coronavirus?

Some people do not believe in the need for a new way of living and the need for new precautions. This is because they do not understand how contagious the coronavirus really is. So, it is best that we use this as a starting point.

For every person infected with the coronavirus, he or she will infect 2 more people on average. This makes the coronavirus more contagious than the seasonal flu and we all know that the seasonal flu is extremely contagious. There is a reason, after all, that the flu is referred to as the common cold.

How is the coronavirus transmitted? The virus is transmitted through contact. Not only direct contact with infected patients, but also contact with objects and surfaces touched by infected patients. This makes the coronavirus extremely hard to avoid.

The key to reducing the number of people and person infects is through social distancing. Maintain a sufficient distance away from other people and minimize contact with objects such as menus, other people’s credit cards, etc.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Food Industry

When the pandemic first broke out, restaurants and bars all closed down. However, it was not only restaurants and bars that were affected. The suppliers of food and beverages to these restaurants were also affected. Their means of transportation were cut-off.

Now, restrictions regarding eating at restaurants are slowly being lifted. Despite this, customers are avoiding eating at restaurants due to their fear of contracting the virus. This is understandable. In restaurants, you sit down at a table and go through a menu that other people have held. When paying, most people use credit cards which the restaurant’s staff needs to hold. These are all situations that may increase one’s chances of contracting the coronavirus.

All the public fear has affected restaurants adversely. Despite opening, restaurants have recently had barely any customers to serve. Due to this, profits are plummeting and it has become increasingly harder to pay the restaurant staff their monthly wage. Indeed, restaurants are faced with a massive hurdle. However, not all is lost. With new technology being introduced each day, restaurant owners now have options that can help them solve their problems.

Reopening Guidance For Restaurants

BE HEALTHY, BE CLEAN

• Prohibit sick employees in the workplace
• Strong procedures and practices to clean and sanitize surfaces
• Strict handwashing practices that include how and when to wash hands
• Prepare and use sanitizers according to label instructions
• Offer sanitizers and wipes to customers to clean grocery cart/basket handles, or utilize store personnel to conduct cleaning/sanitizing

SOCIAL DISTANCE

• Limit physical contact with other people is required
• Ensure the person in charge is on-site at all times during operating hours
• Encourage customers to use “no-touch” deliveries (notify customers as the delivery is arriving by text message or phone call)
• Limit the risk by reducing communication between your staff and customers through a digital touchless menu. There is no need to stand or sit too close to someone else.

Skipli Solution for Restaurants

So far, we’ve established that the coronavirus is highly infectious and despite restaurants opening up, customers have been avoiding restaurants for the sake of their health. Due to this, earnings have dropped significantly. The solution to this is to implement touchless ordering. While this method has gotten the job done, we’ve made some big improvements to streamline the ordering and fulfillment process for your loyal customers and hardworking staff. Touchless ordering allows customers to eat at restaurants while significantly minimizing the person-to-person and person-to-object contact they may have. This allows customers to enjoy a good meal without fear of being infected. It also allows restaurants to attract more customers, thus saving their earnings.

We offer a 30-days free trial. After that, you can choose your package to fit your business expectation. Skipli helps you succeed online, increase sales. Sign up online or send us your updated menu, and then set up a payment account to get paid. We will handle the rest!

To learn more about our service, visit our website: https://www.skiplinow.com/ or email us at: info@skiplinow.com.