Retail Compliance Budget For COVID-19 – How Can PPE Preparedness Help?
Reopening your store was the first step … now you have to ensure that you’re complying with guidelines laid down by provincial governments to curb the spread of COVID-19.
This task is easier than it may seem it first! It’s just a series of small changes that need to be made to ensure the safety of your customers and employees.
Preparing ahead can help you in creating a budget and sticking to it – while ensuring compliance.
To create a budget, you would need a plan.
Think about the critical tasks which are important for ensuring compliance and what are the resources (people, technology, and equipment) you need to execute them.
This re-opening guide for non-essential retailers from McCarthy Tétrault, a Canadian law firm, can come in handy!
PPE preparedness would form a critical part of your compliance plan and ultimately the overall budget.
When we talk about PPE preparedness, we are not specifically talking about full-body protective clothing but the broader policies and protocols that can be put into place to help reduce the risk of infection.
So, being prepared would mean:
i. A strong focus on hygiene
Having clear guidelines for employees can help in maintaining the required standard of hygiene.
This includes providing staff with handwashing stations and installing hand sanitizer dispensers, providing cleaning supplies for cash stations, increasing store cleaning, rotating shifts to limit contact, and encouraging staff to take sick days if they’re unwell.
Communication is key here. Communicating with both the customers and staff can help reinforce the guidelines. Also, when you put your trust in your staff, they would also feel a sense of responsibility and help with enforcing compliance policies.
ii. Revamping the in-store experience
It is no secret that in-store experience has changed. To help your stakeholders comply, it is important to adjust visual merchandising and even critically review the store layout to see if there are ways to improve it to enhance compliance. For instance, you need to ensure that there is enough space to maintain a distance of 2 metres between people.
Similarly, you have to decide if you’re implementing policies like contactless delivery or not handling cash at your store. If yes, these need to be communicated effectively.
You can also invest in customer-facing digital tools and apps that can enhance the customer in-store experience. For instance, QR codes can be used to help customers view product information, place orders, and even avail discounts.
iii. Carefully reviewing staffing requirements
Staffing needs are difficult to gauge, especially when the demand is volatile. As the holiday season is right around the corner, it is worth reviewing if you have sufficient staff to meet the expected demand.
If you have a requirement for temporary seasonal staffing – we, at Storesupport, can help. Our experienced team members can support your core team in ensuring customer satisfaction even during the busiest of times!
Once you have considered all these factors, it will be easier to create and stick to your COVID-19 compliance budget.
We are committed to helping you adhere to the guidelines while staying within your budget – be it staffing requirements, help with in-store merchandising, e-commerce support, or even refilling sanitizer dispensers, you can count on us!
Learn more about our ADAPT-able in-store merchandising solutions today. Call 1-877-421-5081 or visit www.storesupport.ca.
Have you established your COVID-19 compliance budget? Let us know on social media. Storesupport Canada is on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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