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Mid December the Dutch government decided all non-essential stores had to close. Our store is non-essential. For a couple of regular customers we like, who live/have their business within walking distance we delivered (which was allowed). Three weeks ago we were allowed to implement a click-and-collect system, although in our case it is call-and-collect, since we don't have a website. People can call in their order, when we have them on the phone we pick the items they want and then we arrange a pick up time. The government made the rule that there should be at least four hours between ordering and picking up the items. To prevent people from going to the store, calling in the order whilst standing in front of the store. Customers weren't allowed in the store. We set up a table in the entryway, blocking the door, put up a cough-screen and stuck a doorbell button on the table. We put a big table next to the door inside, with the ordered items in bags, our cash register and the card machine. Last Friday I overheard three men of the city council discussing our set-up and they thought it was perfect. We also have to keep a logbook to prove there is at least four hours between ordering and picking it up.
More and more people tried to circumvent the four hour rule. Coming to the store, claiming they didn't know about it, and that they had come all the way over, blah blah blah. Or trying to convince us on the phone. On the second and third Saturday we had more customers ringing the doorbell without placing an order in advance than actual booked pick-ups. By early to mid afternoon it's hard to stay nice to those people.
From tomorrow the rules change again. We can open for appointments. Again it has to be booked at least four hours in advance, two customers are allowed in a store at the same time (two per floor is the rule). We allow one customer per appointment, since we also still have call-and-collect. No more than six customers an hour. We book appointments per 15 minutes. But if a customer, or we, think they need more time we can add 15 minutes (or 30) onto it.
Today we were closed, we broke down half of the counter and put it up in the front of the store, for the call-and-collect. I made new signs. On the shop door there is one which states in big, bold and underline letters that people are only allowed into the store if they have an appointment. But looking at the behavior of people over the past three weeks I expect we have to install a lock and doorbell, to people who don't have an appointment from walking in.
It's annoying that once you have gotten used to the call-and-collect and have gotten flow when people order items (picking, making appointment, test lightbulbs, putting items in a bag, print labels, send email, put order on table) and you start doing it automatically, everything changes. Strangely, we only got three appointment booking today. Two for tomorrow and one for the 13th. We did get 15 call-and-collect orders. Which is more than average, which was around 10 a day.
Although I'm looking forward to receiving customers in the store again I am dreading the discussions,drama and temper tantrums of walk-in "customers".
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