Was May the Turning Point? Optimism Returns With Reopening
As we look to June, business owners are optimistic about their customers returning. Here’s how that looks:
This is great news. Simply put: 77% of business owners today say that they’re at less than half of their customers. In 30 days, this shifts dramatically the other way: 67% believe they’ll have more than half their customers back in June, and half of those believe they’ll be back to three-quarters of their customers.
So not surprisingly, May marked what many hope will be the high point in unemployment in the small business economy.
While business owners reported a 53% decrease in employee levels from January 2020, they also anticipated a small 7% rebound in June leading towards a recovery to 70% of employee levels by January 2021. Here’s the data:
A quick note of thanks to the hundreds of thousands of Alignable members who have taken our polls since mid March. Your input has been shared with and informed decisions by policy leaders, the SBA, and government officials across North America.
If you’re interested in a full recap of May results, you can find them here in our June Road to Recovery Report.
To see our weekly breakdown of coronavirus effects on small business, check out the poll summaries below:
- Week 11 update: Data through 5/29
- Week 10 update: Data through 5/22
- Week 9 update: Data through 5/15
- Week 8 update: Data through 5/8
- Week 7 update: Data through 5/1
- Week 6 update: Data through 4/24
- Week 5 update: Data through 4/17
- Week 4 update: Data through 4/10
- Week 3 update: Data through 4/3
- Week 2 update: Data through 3/27
- Week 1 update: Data through 3/19
Comments (1-10)
I am an esthetician, I work on faces. I'm allowed to open, but the client needs to wear a mask! This is inane! Dentists can work, but a nonsense random decision says I can open but I can't work. How does this help me financially since I've already been without income for three months. For a virus that is less deadly than the flu, we certainly have been treated badly.
so I doubt I'll have any clients because I can't work with a mask on my clients .
Good to see that our local businesses are rebounding....Social distancing is key to keeping customers and staff safe....
Buy locally!
I am a class reunion planner and have had to move all my events
to next year due to the uncertainty and age group of the participants. Too many unknowns, even in the fall. While my business is intact, I expect more revenue next year, but for this year, no revenue.
Unfortunately in the high end retail clothing environment opening after season means nothing - most hotels are still closed and very few are interested in dining out or shopping for clothes - the typical customer is still very wary-not a great experience for the customer in a mask and 6 feet away from an employee who provides one on one assistance!!
As we know every business has its own set of issues !!
I normally don't talk much about things , your giving me a chance , so will say , here in San Marcos for 41 yrs with my business here its been strong during the virus breakout due to so many staying home and doing projections around the house and outside , I would say I hope for the best for all businesses here I support all and want them to fully recover, however we must keep in our minds that this virus isn't over and we all need to be aware of this and do all we can to be stay safe and be thoughtful to others . This will help our city to return to a healthy state for our citizens and busineses here in San Marcos . I thank all for there support and I support everyone here in our town of San Marcos and I will do part to help other local businesses here in our City I buy locally as much as possible..
Bill Eastman Eastmansoil
Good news for everybody.
In a business that operates significantly through touch and less-than-social-distance, I am not sure that people will return so quickly. Working remotely is changing the way I do lots of my business. Looking forward to seeing how future trends go for our work.
All good news is welcome but it seems too early to celebrate as many businesses are acting like it is June 2019. Hopefully, by July 3rd or even August 3rd, writer Eric Groves will be confirming his optimistic outlook and not regretting the pains of a second wave on our economy.
It is so wonderful to see/notice that business owners are having an optimistic approach for the month of June. These particular owners should be proud of themselves for having the the mentality of believing that there is light at the end of the tunnel and for proving that they have resiliency that they have. As these owners present their overall positivity, they are bound to have in mind that they have the right to develop the belief and confidence that they will reach their goal as far as wanting to reach the situation/status they are looking to be in. An overall optimistic feeling towards something and an overall approach of believing in oneself (or small business) that they will make it through the situation they are currently in, is bound to lead that person (or small business) to coming a long way; and upon their return, they should believe in their heart that bigger and brighter days are ahead of them, that they are moving in the right direction. A sign of relief and a sign of encouragement that the numbers are improving for the month of June, and as we move further, there is reason to keep in mind these numbers will only be better.
We thank God that our business for electrical services was under the category of ‘essential’. We decided to offer a 10% off of Panel Upgrades. Purpose: many people and businesses are wanting a Generator that will kick in should electrical grid go down. I have one in my home and it self-tests periodically and most definitely has been used through crazy storms we get in Texas.