Page 24 - GBC Winter 2020 ENG

clean over a two-day period. To support our revenue needs, our golf course remained open, and we gave everyone complimentary water for the first few days until we reopened our concession take- out window.
I kept the restaurant closed for a total of 12 days. It was important that our local residents, who are the majority of our non- golf customers, felt safe and knew that the period of exposure was completely over. That said, the reality is that I had great difficulty staffing the restaurant. I had five full-time staff in self-isolation, and I had a few other staff who were not comfortable coming to work (or their parents wouldn’t let them).
The owners of Tower Ranch, the Carrington Group of Companies out of Edmonton, were extremely supportive throughout, and offered to provide a ‘COVID Top Up’ to any staff that were unable to claim CERB during the two-week closure.
GBC: When your F&B operation re- opened what were your customers’ reaction?
JC: Well the golf course remained packed. We contacted our golfers by email before they arrived to let them know, and while some were unhappy about no restaurant
service the majority completely understood. Once the restaurant re- opened, I would say it was business as usual after a few days, but in reality, it hasn’t been business as usual all year. In previous years, business as usual was 100 people on the patio on a Friday night listening to live music while sitting arm and arm chatting about who cheated on the 18th hole. This summer, I must admit that the required signage, the staff in masks and the limited seating capacity makes me glad my restaurant is attached to a golf course!
GBC: What would have you done differently and what lessons would you share with other operators?
JC: I would say that every facility’s Emergency Plan, which would include COVID, should ensure it includes the following additional policies:
EMPLOYEE REIMBURSEMENT POLICY
Staff need money to pay the rent, and so they might not be so quick to stay home if they have a sore throat. In the future, I would want the staff to know that if they test positive and/or are required to self- isolate for two weeks, that we will do whatever we can to lessen their financial loss.
CLOSING POLICY
We didn’t need to close for the full two weeks, and in hindsight, we maybe stayed closed for too long. That said, imagine if a second employee tested positive? Obviously, each situation is different, and now that the world is getting more accustomed to outbreaks, it’s tough to say what is the right decision on closing. For me, and especially at that time, it was much better to be safe than sorry!
PRESS POLICY
Since July, it has become more common for businesses to have positive staff or customer cases listed in the news. I would have press release announcements and statements prepared in advance, for your staff, your customers and the media. I would also ensure that everyone knows who is permitted to talk to the media, or post to social media on your behalf (and more importantly, who isn’t). Hopefully you already have a great employee media policy in place.
GBC: Any final thoughts on your experience that you want to share with our readers?
JC: When I think about our experience, I would give us a B+ on how it was handled by the team. Although we were not as prepared as we could have been, we did respond well, and with community health in mind. Overall, I think we were very lucky to recover as fast as we did and be so supported by our customers. Going forward, and what I tell all of my clients and what I would say to every golf course operator, is to not wonder if it will happen, but when.
Golf Business Canada
For more COVID-19 resources, visit www.ngcoa.ca.
24
Golf Business Canada