Back to the grind?

The preparations you make for whatever is to come can help you keep your business going. It’s no different than planning for lean times (stretches of winter weather where no flying can take place) or downed aircraft or any other stumbling block to an otherwise smooth operation.

Kalin Kassabov, writing in Forbes, has some tips for reopening small businesses that can easily apply to flight schools. Significantly, Kassabov lists as the first item of business: “Safeguard the well-being of your employees at all times.” For example:

• Keep employees informed of the latest policies and guidelines, including policies on masks, social distancing, vaccines, et cetera.
• Make sure your business is set up to accommodate social distancing. Consider installing a sneeze guard at your front reception desk, and ensure that flight instructors and their students have places to debrief that allow them to sit six feet apart.
• “Workers should promptly report any symptoms and not come to work if they are ill,” Kassabov says. Did you use thermometers at your flight school? Keep them on hand, just in case.
• Stagger shifts so your workplace isn’t overcrowded. Since your customers set their own schedules, this may be somewhat out of your control, but you can ensure during peak training times—particularly on the weekends—that social distancing is possible.
• Use videoconferencing for meetings. Did you offer virtual ground school classes last year when large group assembly was prohibited? Don’t throw out that teleconferencing equipment just yet.

What about marketing? Kassabov has tips for that as well.

• Stay active on social media.
• Start or upscale your email marketing—a newsletter helps you stay fresh in your customer’s minds and lets you link to your website.
• Add text message marketing to boost engagement and let your customers know about your latest offers.

Kassabov has more to say on the topic. Read the entire article here.