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What Can Customer-Facing Staff Do to Ease COVID-19 Worries?

The customer-facing staff in a food business play a vital part in the business’ success. This is because front-of-house or delivery staff are the face of the business and interact directly with customers. The COVID-19 crisis is having a direct impact on food businesses as many customers are weary of purchasing food and potentially exposing themselves to COVID-19. Depending on whether a food business is open for business, or providing take-out or delivery only, there are things customer-facing staff can do to ease the worries of customers.

If you are still open for business

Food service businesses like restaurants and bars that are open to the public are becoming increasingly rare. Many governments across the globe have implemented strict mandates that force food services to close their doors to the public to help stop the spread of COVID-19. However, there are the select few that are still currently open for business. For these food businesses, it is essential that front-of-house staff are trained on COVID-19 and know how to prevent it within the workplace. Actions that front-of-house staff can do to reduce the risk of COVID-19 and comfort customers include:

• Ensuring proper physical distancing is conducted between themselves and customers
• Following the updated cleaning and santizing schedule to prevent COVID-19 (and be sure to do these tasks with customers present)
• Allowing customers to grab menus themselves at the entrance rather than passing them to customers (or menus can already be placed on tables before hand)
• Verbally explaining to customers what the premises is actively doing to ensure the safety of its customers during the pandemic
• Providing customers with direct access to hand sanitizers and tissues
• Placing the credit card machine where customers can easily tap their cards without touching it
• Maintaining a positive attitude and demeanour

While these actions may seem small, they can go a long way to ensuring that customers feel taken care of and ease their worries about contracting COVID-19.

If you are providing take-out or delivery

If your food business has had to close its doors the public but you are providing take-out or delivery, there are specific steps to take to reassure your customers.

Important actions for take-out

• Follow physical distancing protocols when passing off take-out orders to customers
• Use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as disposable gloves in order to prevent contamination of food bags
• Ensure that food bags are sealed properly so that food contamination cannot occur
• Use hand sanitizer in between handing out every take-out order (let customers see this being done)
• Maintain a positive demeanor when interacting with the customer
• Verbally thank the customer for choosing to purchase from the business
• Ensure an information card is placed into every take-out bag explaining what the business is doing to protect its customers

Important actions for home deliveries

• Use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as disposable gloves for every delivery (be sure to change them in between deliveries)
• Follow physical distancing protocols when handing off the food to the customer
• If it is a zero contact delivery, ensure that no direct contact is made with the customer
• Smile and verbally thank the customer for purchasing from the business
• Ensure an information card is place into every delivery bag explaining how the business is protecting its customers

No matter which way your food business is operating during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential that customer-facing staff help to ease the concerns of worried customers. Ensure staff are trained on COVID-19 and actively demonstrate how the business is preventing the spread of COVID-19 in order to make your customers feel comfortable purchasing from your establishment.