Eagerly anticipating the introduction of level 3 since Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed the level shift on Monday, management and team members returned in limited numbers to Smiths City’s 24 stores across the country, including three in Christchurch, in order to meet demand for click and collect orders.
Managing director Tony Allison said level 3 enabled the business to do two things it could not do in level 4. They were selling non-essential items and providing a contactless pick-up service. See what's available at Smiths City here.
In level 4, the business had only been able to sell half of its range, with the items of lounge, dining and most bedroom furniture deemed non-essential. In addition, all orders had to be delivered.
As such, lockdown had seen business drop dramatically for the 100 per cent New Zealand-owned company, which employs 370 staff nationwide.
On the bright side, the company’s online store had been busier than usual, as customers forced to shop online supported the store.
The main thing the company had been looking forward to, was some of its sales staff being able to get back to serving customers on site.
“They like talking to people, that’s why they are doing the job they do,” Allison said.
That talking of course would be on phones or at a distance, through masks, as they met the rules around contactless pickup. In addition, staffing would be at minimum levels.
Yesterday those staff had been busy with a “steady” level of click and collect orders and delivery of back orders.
He hoped level 3 would be for just one week, and that customers would continue to support local retailers, as they did after last year’s lockdown.
“I felt last time through Covid there was a strong feeling towards supporting New Zealand companies. I felt like that was an overwhelming response last time we had lockdown, and hopefully it happens again,” he said.
