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Customers visiting merchants’ premises in the coming weeks will encounter a different experience than here to fore. Merchants and their employees must take the same advice as all others, and they are still a hugely important cog in the overall supply chain. And with the spring running late, they may get very busy in the coming weeks.
While different merchants will operate differently, all seem to have taken their representatives off the road and they are advised to minimise direct contact with all people to help slow the risk of spread.
Minimal contact
Earlier this week the Acorn group of independent merchants agreed a protocol to advise its members on how to interact with customers. This follows the state authority guidelines to minimise any health risk to employees and customers.
The overall Acorn advice is to minimise personal contact. All outlets will provide sanitiser facilities and customers are asked to use these on entry to a premises.
While this may seem strange or even alien, but it is for everyone’s protection and must be adhered to
Indeed, employees are likely to demand that a customer use them for everyone’s protection.
There is to be no direct personal contact, so you will be required to remain at least two to three metres from the store staff or other customers. While this may seem strange or even alien, but it is for everyone’s protection and must be adhered to.
Phone orders
Farmers placing orders for inputs such as feed, fertiliser or chemicals are advised to phone, text or email their requirements. These can then be either delivered or collected with minimal interaction between the parties.
In the case of deliveries, lorry drivers are told to keep the required distance from customers and to consider other ways to verify deliver, such as a photo, to avoid contact with people.
Where crop inspections are needed, the grower is advised to ring the merchant and to outline the specific fields that need to be checked
For farmers who require a visit from a representative, this should be preceded by a phone conversation to check if the issue can be solved remotely. If this is not sufficient, an appointment will be made to meet at a convenient place but not in a customer’s house. Again, there must be no close contact between the parties.
Where crop inspections are needed, the grower is advised to ring the merchant and to outline the specific fields that need to be checked. The grower will be contacted after the inspection and advised on the course of action. The recommended products can then be either collected or delivered with minimum to zero personal contact.
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