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How Retailers Can Prepare to Reopen
As several large-scale retailers, including Furniture Village, Leekes, and Dunelm, begin to open their doors as the UK lockdown begins to ease, many local retailers are starting to think about how to reopen their outlets.
In addition to the government's recovery strategy, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has issued new guidance on Social Distancing for Non-Food Retail stores, including furniture stores.
We have picked out a few key points for retailers to consider:
Social Distancing Outside the Store
Social Distancing Inside the Store
Special Services
Protecting Staff & Limiting the Spread of Coronavirus
The full BRC guidelines can be found here.
Bed retailers and the NBF have given their own insights and suggestions given the nature of the sector, where customers may wish to try out the beds in store.
Are you a retailer with a story to share? Please let us know.
In addition to the government's recovery strategy, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has issued new guidance on Social Distancing for Non-Food Retail stores, including furniture stores.
We have picked out a few key points for retailers to consider:
Social Distancing Outside the Store
- Limit entry and exit points, and consider separate entrance and exit points
- Greet customers at the door and explain the requirements
- Consider the use of temporary queue barriers
- Use signage and markings to remind customers about social distancing
Social Distancing Inside the Store
- Limit the number of customers in the store at any time
- Provide hand sanitiser and disinfectant spray/wipes
- Ensure key touchpoints are cleaned regularly
- Use signage and markings to remind customers about social distancing
- Review the store layout
- Consider a one-way system
- Erect physical barriers at till points to protect staff
- Encourage cashless payment
Special Services
- Where customers require specialist advice, give store colleagues a designated position, ideally with a physical barrier as at till points
- Consider if it is better for staff to demonstrate instead of customers touching the item
- If unable to assist in transporting customer purchases e.g. to their car, highlight this prior to purchase
Protecting Staff & Limiting the Spread of Coronavirus
- Train staff on how to support and implement social distancing measures
- Communicate government messages to staff regularly
- Daily reminders, including signage and posters
- Provide hand sanitiser and regularly clean key touchpoints
- Stagger staff shift start, end and break times
- Arrange shifts so that the same staff work together where possible
The full BRC guidelines can be found here.
Bed retailers and the NBF have given their own insights and suggestions given the nature of the sector, where customers may wish to try out the beds in store.
Are you a retailer with a story to share? Please let us know.