Restart is harder than close down: A new playbook is required...

If, like Primark, a retailer's products are highly discretionary and digital channels immature or non-existent, 80-100% revenue declines have been the norm for the lockdown period. 

Rebuilding a profitable business from this position is not straightforward. Especially as it is impossible to know exactly how restrictions will be lifted across different locations and the situation is likely to be highly 'dynamic' for some weeks to come. While many retailers are thinking through how to start trading again, the continuing demands of crisis management and the impact of furloughed staff means capacity to plan properly is reduced.

A 'restart playbook' is required. Built in a virtual 'restart control centre'  this addresses the critical factors that support a successful restart. Including:

Consumers

: How to entice them back when they are concerned about social distancing, have considerably less discretionary cash and have an online shopping habit that is hard to shake? 

Employees

: How to keep them safe at work, deal with new and unfamiliar ways of working and keep their spirits up - happy colleagues = happy customers, especially vital right now.

Suppliers

: How to get supply chains moving again after severe disruption, often caused by orders being cancelled at short notice. A smooth ramp up is inconceivable and a huge focus on short term agility and building longer term resilience is required.

Competitors

: How to avoid total margin destruction in what will almost certainly be an incredibly promotional environment. With some retailers trading for cash, assortment and promotional decisions will be key.

While it is impossible to know exactly what will happen, planning is essential. The famous Dwight D Eisenhower quote: "Plans are nothing, planning is everything" has never been more apposite. Thinking through what might happen and being ready for anything is a great use of time and effort right now. The retailers that will restart most effectively will be following a new playbook, one that will be rewritten many times as the story unfolds.