Home businesses have been among the many companies impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Some home businesses, such as those that provide online services, have not been too adversely affected by the pandemic, while other business owners have had to come up with new and inventive ways to continue doing business while keeping themselves and their clients safe. If you run a home business, here are some tips to help you continue running as normal while adjusting to the current situation.
Move Client Meetings Online
Those who typically meet with clients in their home office may find that they need to come up with a new way to ensure that meetings go smoothly while social distancing. Like a lot of businesses right now, you will likely need to move your meetings online. Finding a reputable video conferencing program that you can use is the first step in making this change. Zoom might be the go-to option right now, but there are others to consider, including Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts. Keep your clients happy by asking them which video conferencing software they prefer to use.
Keep Things Clean
Even if you’re not allowing anybody else into your home office right now, it has never been more important to pay attention to cleaning. You might be bringing coronavirus in on your clothes or shoes after going out for groceries or grabbing lunch, so you can never be too careful. Consider taking off your outer clothing like your coat and shoes before entering your office, washing your hands, and dedicating a little extra time to cleaning each day. Pay more attention to high-traffic and high-touch areas like light switches and door handles.
Use Protective Barriers
If you run a business where it’s impossible to meet with your clients online, such as providing a service from home that requires your clients to be there in-person, consider your options for making the environment a safer one for both of you. Limit the number of clients in your office at any one time and put up guards from Sneezeguardez.com that will provide a physical barrier to help you and your client avoid coming into contact with droplets from your mouth and nose when you speak. Asking all clients to wear a face-covering such as a surgical mask and wearing one yourself at all times is essential.
Personal Hygiene
Another key factor to consider is personal hygiene regardless of whether you still need to continue seeing clients at home or not. If your clients are continuing to visit your business as normal, it’s a wise idea to ask them to wash their hands before entering the office or provide them with hand sanitizer that they can use on the way in. Keep your own hands as clean as possible by regularly washing them for at least twenty seconds as advised by the CDC, especially after going outside or touching any surfaces.
Running your home business successfully during a pandemic brings a range of challenges regarding keeping yourself and your clients safe. Whether you’ve been lucky enough to be able to continue as normal or are having to make big adjustments to the situation, keep these tips in mind to protect everyone’s health as you do business.
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