In response to our cities' needs to have a simple site for residents to quickly see the businesses that are open during coronavirus (COVID-19), our team has been all hands on deck (albeit remotely) putting together a simple and effective solution. We have since launched the Open Essential Business site Bludot Open and have gone live at several communities.
The Essential Business site has built-in filters and search for residents to easily look through the businesses and find what they are looking for. With the map integration, people can also zoom in and out and find businesses by their physical locations. By being both web and mobile-friendly, the information is available at your finger tips no matter if you are using a laptop, tablet, or smart phone.
Businesses can visit the site and list themselves, if they are open and serving customers. Simply click on "List My Business", fill out the information, and the listing will be live. This not only minimizes the manual work cities have to do to publish the information, but it also ensures that there is no delay in getting the business in front of residents.
We are opening it up to other cities at no cost. To add your city, simply let us know by clicking Add your City and we'll set it up within a day. If you already have a list of businesses that you want to include, send us a spreadsheet and we'll take it from there.
Lastly, thank you to all dedicated city staff who have been working tirelessly through this crisis to support your local communities. Throughout Bludot's journey working with cities' economic development staff, we have always seen the incredible commitment in serving local businesses, in always seeking ways to improve the lives of all residents, which has been especially true during this time of need. We are honored to be able do what we can to help.