Hospitality Ideas and Innovations

Ideas for Optimizing Revenues in Colder Weather

Maine's hospitality and customer-facing businesses have been disproportionately feeling the impact of the pandemic. We know that shifts in your operations to leverage outdoor spaces, as well as adopting online ordering, curbside and delivery options, have been the key to sustaining your business as best as possible. As we look ahead to colder weather, we know solutions are needed for transitioning to the new season in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A core team of area chambers of commerce and convention and visitors bureaus are working together with DECD to make sure your voice is included as the Administration explores actions to support hospitality businesses.

Below are ideas identified by local teams meeting with their business community as potential ways to support operations through the colder months. Understanding what options you believe would successfully improve your business can help guide DECD’s efforts to bolster the industry. We appreciate your feedback.

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* 1. Idea One: Identify and use vacant space within or close to your current location for pop-up overflow dining or other customer activity.

This is feasible and I will pursue it.

I would pursue this with technical assistance or in partnership with DECD and others.

I would pursue this only with financial support.

This is not feasible for my business.

Other (please specify)

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* 2. Idea Two: Participate in a marketing campaign encouraging people to dine at different hours (earlier or later than usual) and to eat outdoors later in the season.

I would like to participate.

I would participate in this campaign with technical assistance or in partnership with DECD and others.

I would participate only if given financial support to do so.

I would not participate or encourage this type of campaign.

This is not applicable to my business type.

Other (please specify)

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* 3. Idea Three: Use workforce pooling and scheduling software to adjust to new scheduling challenges and identify new employees. For example: https://hyr.work/ or https://staffy.com/

This is interesting and I would like to learn more.

I would pursue this with technical assistance or in partnership with DECD and others.

I would pursue this only with financial support to do so.

This is not feasible for my business.

Other (please specify)

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* 4. Idea Four: Adopt easier or less expensive online food ordering and delivery services through subsidized platform fees.

Subsidy for cost alone would allow me to adopt online ordering and delivery.

I would pursue online ordering and delivery with technical assistance if fees were subsidized.

I will not pursue online ordering or delivery.

I need more details to determine if this is an option for me.

Other (please specify)

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* 5. Idea Five: Adopt online food ordering and delivery services through access to a local alternative app or platform with lower fees or easier to implement.

I would pursue this if the option was available.

I would pursue this with technical assistance or in partnership with DECD and others.

I would pursue this only with significant financial support to do so.

This is not feasible for my business.

Other (please specify)

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* 6. Idea Six: Use reservation scheduling software to regulate occupancy. Examples include...https://tableagent.com or https://www.opentable.com

I already use a reservation software or app.

This is feasible for me and I would like to learn more about options.

I would pursue this with technical assistance or in partnership with DECD and others.

I would pursue this only with significant financial support to implement.

This is not feasible for my business.

I am not interested in this option.

Other (please specify)

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* 7. If there was sufficient underwriting support, would you participate in a "Cooking for Community" program? This connects philanthropic funding for restaurants to provide meals for food-insecure families in their community. The purchase of these restaurant meals for these families can supplement revenues from usual customer activity.

Absolutely

I have no interest or Don't think feasible.

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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* 8. Do you feel optimistic about staying open over the next nine months?

Not at all

I will survive

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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* 9. Do you have any other ideas you want to share? (Feedback regarding industry public health guidelines should utilize the existing channels on DECD’s website.)

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* 10. If you would like us to contact you to share results or discuss further, please provide your contact information (optional)

Name

Company

City/Town

Email Address

Phone Number