How will your small business cope with the coronavirus outbreak? In many places, social distancing, shelter-in-place orders and other necessary steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 are taking a toll on local shops. Many seem to experience a drop in sales already in South Africa.

But you can help your customers and your employess during this time.

1. Update your customers on changes to your business and how they may be affected.
   • If you staff can work remotely do so early rather than later.
   • Ensure your employees communicate regularly on some communication platform like whatsapp, slack or Microsoft Teams. Hostking uses Slack.
   • Ensure your customers are aware that as staff work from home remotely and the times thereof.
2. Update Facebook, Twitter and any other Social Platform with important information.
   • Update your social pages with correct times that your staff will be available
   • Update the communication channels for them to use.
3. Email your customer list on important information
   • Announce information to your customers on the changes
4. Show your customers how you are keeping your staff safe and everyone else that communicates with your business.
5. Keep business expenditure as low as possible.
6. Look after yourself and family. Business cannot run without you there especially during these times. Be available for your staff to communicate with you if they have any questions or concerns.