NOONAN

The retail sector has always been of great importance to our economies and our communities. The industry supplies essential products to our populations and provides a livelihood for hundreds of thousands of retail sector workers.

The Covid-19 pandemic sent shockwaves through the sector. Travel restrictions, Lockdowns, Supply Chain disruptions and the growing trend of online shopping is putting a heavy strain on ‘bricks and mortar’ retailers. Retail performance plummetted in 2020, with major declines in areas such as clothing, footwear and textiles. Performance in some of these areas has plunged by as much as 50%. Retailers across the sector scrambled to shore up their businesses and continue to serve customers. 

Big grocery retailers such as Tesco and SuperValu, which had existing e-commerce infrastructure, had success shifting their operations online. SuperValu reported that they experienced a 400% increase in online sales at certain times. Tesco achieved a record of £1 billion in online grocery sales during the 2020 Christmas period alone.

Some retailers have innovated to remain relevant and maintain their relationships with customers. Brands such as Burberry, Curries and Boots, used new technologies, such as video chat, to provide a virtual shopping experience online. However, many more in the sector did not have the resourcing or business model needed to take this leap. Others have made a strategic decision to not invest in e-commerce and are waiting for a return to normality.

In the world after Covid-19, does in-store retail have a future, and how can the sector attract people back to stores? We believe the in-store retail will make a strong return and that customer experience can be a game-changer in months and years to come.

Having supported a wide range of clients in the retail sector, we know the value of customer experience. We have spent years ensuring our teams contribute to exceptional customer experience because it is crucial to our clients’ success. Customers that have a great experience spend more, are more loyal and are more likely to refer others.

There are many ways in-store retailers can improve customer experience. We have identified five of the areas we believe offer significant opportunities for improvement:

1. People and Culture

Great people create great in-store experiences. From the car park attendant to the receptionist, every person in your team needs to adopt a customer-centric approach and know what it takes to create a great customer experience. Invest in customer experience training and build a strong customer experience culture.

2. Fast and frictionless experiences

The ability to immediately satisfy customer needs is one of in-store retail’s greatest advantages over online counterparts. Seize it! Don’t make customers wait for service. Ensure there are always enough assistants and cashiers ready to help.

Store layouts should allow customers to quickly and easily find what they are looking for. Reduce friction at every point. Once the customer has decided what they want to buy, their path-to-purchase should be as short and seamless as possible. 

3. Unique, exciting and enjoyable experiences

Shopping is a leisure activity. In-store retailers can create experiences that are far richer and more rewarding than their online counterparts. As we emerge from lockdown, customers will seek fun and exciting places to go. Make your store a destination by providing ‘retailtainment’. Host an event. Allow customers to interact with products in new ways, provide demos, perhaps create environments in which they can test the product. 

4. The right ambience

Sweat the details to create the right ambience. Changing the music played in a store can have a significant impact on the shopping experience. This is also true for colours, lighting and furnishings. Makes sure your teams understand your customers and create environments that make them want to keep coming back.

5. Bring new technologies into the store

Can new technologies help revitalise the shopping experience at your store? Well placed tablet computers may allow your customers to access more information and make decisions faster. Forward-looking retailers use Virtual Reality headsets to enable customers to visit virtual showrooms and experience products in a new way. Self-service checkouts have made a substantial impact in the grocery sector and are becoming more and more popular. Examine the technology you use and ask yourself how new technologies can help you take customer experience to the next level.

Gillian Robb is an Account Director at Bidvest Noonan. Gillian supports the world’s largest furniture retailer. Nick O’Connor is Integrated Accounts Retail Lead at Bidvest Noonan. Nick has over 20 years experience supporting retailers and shopping centres. 

The pandemic is causing more and more people to experience anxiety. Anxiety is a normal part of life. However, if it is not kept in check, it can damage your mental and physical health. If unmanaged, anxiety can take a physical toll weakening the immune system and reducing the ability to fight off viruses, like COVID-19, and other illnesses.

The travel restrictions and safety measures, such as self-isolation and social distancing, that are so important to protect our communities can leave us vulnerable to feelings of loneliness and anxiety. For these reasons and many more, Bidvest Noonan has implemented new measures to safeguard its peoples’ mental health during the pandemic.

Good communication is critical. We established a well-resourced pandemic safety communications team to ensure our people receive clear and expert guidance on measures they can take to protect their physical and mental health. These communications are issued frequently, and in real-time as needed, using multiple media formats such as guidance booklets, toolbox talks, emails and videos.

We have to know how to help others to cope. Our EHS teams provide our people with the information they need to identify signs of distress and the steps they need to take to ensure colleagues are well supported. We put systems in place to enable people to seek help and advice from managers, HR and EHS experts.

Feeling safe and secure is very important. We supplied our people with the PPE they need and made a wide range of operational changes to keep them safe while they work. We provided clear explanations about why we made these changes and how they reduce the threat of infection.

It is critical to know the signs and symptoms of anxiety.

Emotional signs and symptoms include:

• Fear of Leaving the House, Social Withdrawal
• Unwarranted Fear of Particular Situations or Things
• Changes in Personality, e.g. suddenly becoming angry or suddenly bursting into tears.
• Depression or Suicidal Thoughts
• Difficulty relaxing

Physical signs and symptoms include:

• Compulsive or Repetitive Behaviours
• Irritability, nervousness, restlessness
• Excessive sweating, perspiration, feeling cold or overheated
• Increased smoking or drinking
• Aches and pains
• Changes in appetite
• Light headiness, headaches, dizziness, weakness
• Upset Stomach
• Changes in sleep patterns, fatigue
• Trouble concentrating and taking in information
• Shortness of breath or rapid breathing & hyperventilation
• Rapid heartbeat, palpitations, and chest pain

If you have signs of anxiety disorder over an extended period, see your doctor or make an appointment with a mental health professional.

We asked Helen Emerson, an EHS expert and a member of our pandemic response team, to share some strategies for managing our emotions during the latest wave of the pandemic.

Feeling hard done by and cheated by Covid 19? You’re not alone.

We all want to achieve things in both our personal and work lives, and with some of our dreams and aspirations thwarted in 2020, combined with uncertainty about what’s ahead and how long the pandemic will last, it’s natural to feel wounded and aggrieved.

These strategies can help you manage your feelings.

Call it what it is. To address your feelings and emotions, you need to acknowledge them. Name them – whether it’s fear, sadness, anxiety, or anger. Admit what you are feeling, with no apology. Once you acknowledge your emotions, you can then start to address them. It’s truly the first step.

Control what you can. You are not going to be able to impact what is happening in another part of the world. You can, however, control what is happening in your home and community. Continue to keep you and your family safe. Eat well. If you’re worried about bills, be proactive. Call the Companies or Bank. Many are offering flexible schedules or lower payments. Make sure you have enough food and medicine in case you need to self-isolate. Control is power.

Consistency is key. We are creatures of habit. Losing routines can increase stress. If you lost some routines such as going to/from work, make new ones. Wake up and go to sleep at the same time. Plan your work schedule ahead of time. Build in exercise to your routine. Consistency in your day will help decrease some anxiety you might be feeling by not having a routine.

Congratulate yourself.  When you achieve or do something that is good for you or anyone else, pat yourself on the back. Whether it’s reading a book to your child, staying connected with family and friends, going for a walk, or taking time to relax.  Acknowledge those things you do that make you and others feel better.

Compassion in a time of Covid. You can do everything right as an individual, and still get this virus, and this is especially true in relation to the new variants. Parts of media have blamed the spread of the virus on the young, the old, even Father Christmas was blamed. Blame is unhelpful – those affected need our support, not our judgment. Be kind to others and yourself.

Closure will come. This pandemic will end. We may not know yet how, or exactly when, but we do know that what you are going through now is temporary. Therefore, focus on the present. Go to trusted sources for information while also limiting the amount of time you spend on the coronavirus topic. Avoid information overload. Become aware but not scared.

Now more than ever before, our CEO, Declan Doyle wants everyone in the Bidvest Noonan family to know how important and appreciated they are. During these unprecedented times people across our business are working hard to make life better for others, keep people safe, and keep businesses open. The difference they make has never been clearer. Listen to his message.