Cafe Tips: Coronavirus Resources

With the recent announcement of a ban on eating indoors at cafes and restaurants it is clear that when it comes to the coronavirus (COVID-19) things are only getting tougher for the hospitality industry. 

There is a huge amount of information and misinformation circulating for business' in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19) so we wanted to share with you the best resources we have found so far for your business and for your staff. 

As things are moving extremely fast, we will be updating this post regularly to ensure relevant information is available. 

FOR YOUR BUSINESS 

Customer Offerings 

It is certainly not business as usual, and in fact, with many Australian’s now being asked to stay home as much as possible, even your usual takeaway offering may not cut it. 

 A few potential quick wins for new revenue streams if it is possible for your business is take-home meal kits, ready meals and grocery hampers. There are a selection of Rumble customers that are doing this - read more here. 

These initiatives can also be partnered with free local delivery for customers, to save them coming in, which can also be a great way to utilise your staff who may otherwise have to take leave. 

Whatever you choose to do, the most important thing is to keep communicating with your customers. Use social media, email and signage at your store. If you are a Rumble customer, tag us @rumblecoffee and we will happily share your content. 

Staff, cash flow and financial commitments 

When it comes to your cash flow and financial commitments, you need to stay well informed. There is help out there but you need to be clear and when and how you can access the help and what it really means for your bottom line.  Our table below provides quick links some of the current info related to financial assistance. 

We highly recommend everyone completes the application for the VIC State Government's $10K Business Support Fund - The application only takes 30mins to complete, and it looks like hospitality businesses will be the most likely to secure the funding. 

Regarding wages, the governments newly announced JobKeeper payments could really help you and your staff. If you have lost 30% or more of  revenue compared to a comparable period a year ago, and have staff - including sole traders, full-time, part-time, or long-term casuals - who have been employed on a regular basis for longer than 12 months as at 1 March 2020, you may be eligible to receive up to $1500 per fortnight for each employee. 

For staff who do not meet the criteria, the reality is you may be faced with a situation, over an extended period, where you cannot keep all these staff on. We have included links to Fairwork below so you and your staff can be informed of the rules around this kind of situation. Please keep in mind that Australian citizens under your employee will qualify for Newstart Allowance income support, but your international workers may not. 

QUICK LINKS