COVID-19 has transformed the way the Australian and global economies work. Some businesses were forced to shut down or substantially limit their operations, while those who could work from home did so as a safety precaution. Large and small companies have been affected, and it may take business owners years to see a full recovery.

Although it might seem a way off given the current restrictions in parts of Australia, as we begin to build back the economy by reopening borders, shopping in stores and re-establishing our thriving business communities — the way businesses operate will need to adapt to a post COVID world in order to create a safe and sustainable economy. 

Equip yourself with the right information 

As a business owner, it’s imperative that you follow relevant federal and state or territory laws. There are a plethora of resources from Safe Work Australia that businesses can reference to ensure they’re creating a healthy and safe work environment. These resources can educate you on compliance, COVID-19 risk assessments, and planning tools to help your business navigate uncertainty during the next 12 months. Risk management is an essential proactive process that helps businesses respond to change and facilitate continuous improvements. 

Limiting the spread for your business and community 

Some of the most effective ways to limit the spread of the virus are simple to implement and enforce, such as masks. However, there are plenty of additional steps you can take to keep yourself, your staff, and your customers safe. 

  • Ensure your staff can work safely – by placing protective screens at your manned checkouts is an option to remove the risk of employees being in close contact with customers shopping in your store
  • Disinfection routines and sanitising -encouraging disinfection routines will help anyone spending time in your stores to stay safe and healthy. Print signage advising customers about capacity limits, and placing hand sanitiser at the entrance to your business and next to your EFTPOS payment terminal
  • Social distancing – offer social distancing markers on the floor in areas where people queue or congregate, such as outside fitting rooms or checkout counters 

Safer and faster payment processing

In a post-lockdown world new technologies that speed up processes, create efficiency and reduce a customer bottleneck at checkout will be essential. 

Rather than the customer paying at the counter or finalising the bill in a traditionally time-consuming manner, a mobile EFTPOS payment terminal speeds up transactions for both servers and customers while creating a seamless exchange. Staff can bring a mobile EFTPOS payment terminal to the customer to reduce congestion at a single point of checkout, also keeping customer contact to a minimum. Beyond mobility, contactless card transactions are now essential in most businesses, helping to reduce the risk of virus transmission by ensuring that your employees never have to handle a customer’s payment card. 

The in-person shopping experience of the future will be a lot different from what it was even two years ago. The government has supplied businesses with the tools they need to make sure they can navigate their operations until the end of the pandemic, but it’s up to the businesses to ensure they adapt. With businesses in different regions now beginning to reopen, now is the perfect time to make sure you are equipped with the tools you need to ensure your business can remain open.

Ben Pfisterer is CEO and co-founder of Zeller.