We all know that 2020 has been a challenging year, everyone has had to navigate the storm created by Coronavirus and personally things looked difficult and uncertain when lockdown came into effect in the UK and I was forced to shut my four Subway stores in March.
After a two and a half month break, I reopened my first store. Being shut for that long seemed like a lifetime and I couldn’t wait to reopen. Adapting to the new environment has been difficult but also exciting. Having the enthusiasm and positive energy from our customers made the lengthy process of reopening completely worth it.
Some of the changes we have had to make include installing Perspex screens to protect customers and staff, making hand sanitising stations within all stores and carrying out thorough and regular cleaning and sanitising. We also introduced a one way system and ensure that all customers are able to keep a two-metre distance in line with social distancing guidelines.
Staff have also had a lot of extra training. Subway have run online courses as well as in-store training to ensure everyone is protected. We temperature probe all employees who enter stores to ensure staff members are healthy and able to work during this challenging time.
It isn’t all about adapting post-lockdown though. When we were advised to shut all Subways for an extended period of time, we had a lot of stock left – crisps, drinks etc. The Bristol and West region of Subway, which covers my stores, donated to many different food banks to help those in need during an extremely difficult time. We also ran a campaign to donate 10% of our rainbow cookie sales to keyworkers, and really enjoyed the process of selling one of our most popular treats to give back to a current and worthy cause.
While it can sometimes seem overwhelming to be faced with new challenges in business, we’ve been lucky to have processes in place and support with new training. Being fluid and adapting to your environment is the key to success and while we might not always get it right the first time, trusting your instinct and being creative definitely helps while waiting for a storm to pass.
We’ve now been open again for two months and we still get customers saying “Wow, I have missed this”.
