1. Inform your stakeholders correctly
If certain crises come to surface, you’ll have to make sure you inform your stakeholders correctly. This is a crucial part and has to be done quickly. The channel you should use is up to the message you want to spread and to whom. If you already have a database with phone numbers or email addresses. Use it. Better address your stakeholders personally instead of sharing a post on your Facebook profile, hoping that everyone who matters to you, stumbles on it. Learn more about it on this website. https://www.smstools.com/en/crisis-communication
2. Adapt to the markets’ needs
In certain situations, restaurants can quickly adapt to the market. Nowadays, restaurants can re-invent themselves by moving their focus from eating in into eating out. Offer a lot of take away, you might even use a little discount. Try to sell as much as possible otherwise, there’s the possibility you have to throw it all out.
A lot of take away or delivery
Let your customers know, that given the situation, you are still opened but using another ‘survival’ formula.
TIP: Coupontools is a great and fast solution to tackle most issues you’re facing while switching your restaurant’s core business. Use digital payment vouchers to fulfill payments online. You only have to validate the voucher when the customers come to get their orders. The validation is done from distance. Campaigns can be directly distributed. Here’s everything about the payment vouchers. https://www.coupontools.com/en/blog/132/vouchers-with-payment-integration
Digital Gift card campaign / Digital Voucher campaign (IMMEDIATELY) 
This is a convenient campaign type that should be immediately rolled out. Let (loyal) customers support you during these difficult times. Open the possibility for them to buy a digital gift card to support you. Using this, you’re assured of some money flowing in, in a short period. Set up a date when the gift card becomes available and spread your traffic wisely in the future.
3. Think about your (future) campaigns
If you can’t generate turnover now, you shouldn't sit and wait it out. Better start creating your future campaigns to try and cover some of the losses you’ve made.
Discounts as traffic generators
In this situation, discounts are seen as traffic generators. Set up a basic overview for the rest of the year. Create specific discount campaigns for each month to generate a steady flow of traffic. Think through how you’re going to distribute your digital coupons. If you’re planning on a ‘weekly deal’ system, you should consider a digital coupon directory to collect all your discounts. Add all your digital coupons and decide when the coupon becomes available for the customers. The digital coupon directory can easily be integrated in your website, app or Facebook Tab.
If you use them wisely, discount coupons are an enormous source of customer data. Customer data makes it possible for you to get in touch with them in the future. Since you already know they’re keen on discounts, this can be a relevant segment.
Digital Loyalty system
A digital loyalty system is a convenient tool to generate venue visits. Customers are collecting points (or stamps) to unlock a final reward. This is a motivational trigger to return to your store. Digital loyalty cards enable restaurant keepers to engage with their audiences and reach the customers at moments that matter. Sent out that crucial push notifications when a cardholder is near your place and literally nudge them in.
Wrap up
In these dark times, restaurant keepers need to keep their heads up. The situation is what it is and can’t be changed. The only thing restaurant keepers can do is adapt their business slightly and prepare for a hopefully brighter future. First search for a way to stay (partly) in business. Create and distribute digital gift cards, mobile coupons and finally Loyalty cards. Hopefully, it will ease your current pain a bit.
If you want to explore the Coupontools platform, create your free trial by pressing the button below.
