The Evolution of Retail Maintenance During a Global Disruption....and What This Means for Your Brand 

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By Mandy Rennehan

What is one of the first things you look for or notice when entering a restaurant, a retail store or hotel: Prices? Sure. Cleanliness? Absolutely. 

In the wake of COVID-19, the entire retail industry has been utterly disrupted. Retailers have been forced to shut their doors, restaurants have closed abruptly, and across numerous industries, companies have had to pivot their entire brand strategy.

This has left this East Coaster saying, “What in the living lobster has just happened???”

To describe my initial reaction to the closures as ‘shock’ would be an understatement.

However, staying IN said shock could stop us from seeing the lineup of pivoting and restructuring opportunities that we can gleam from an event like this and how you can stand out as a retailer or a vendor.

So, what’s next for retailers you ask? How does this affect maintenance and facilities?

How can we be progressive in our thinking so we can be prepared and ready for store openings?

Mandy Rennehan

My company Freshco (not the grocery store!), which I started at just 19 years old shortly after leaving my hometown of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, developed the first, national, 24-7, one phone call, repair service regime for fortune 100 and 500 brands specializing in retail maintenance and operational retrofits.

With Freshco.ca, I’ve had the opportunity to work with various brands from multiple categories across North America - from Apple to Restoration Hardware, Lululemon, Sephora, Tiffany & Co , home depot and many more - and through this, I’ve gained a unique perspective on the retail industry from the lens of both a frontline worker and a business owner. 

So, what do I think will be the biggest fundamental change post Covid-19?

Without a doubt, a new definition of cleaning; its importance and its relevance to day to day operations.  

With this in mind, below are my top sanitization practices for retailers and why you need to be thinking about these details now. 

Establish New Processes & Best Practices 

While many stores and retailers had thorough cleaning and sanitization processes prior to COVID-19, those regimes will need to be re-evaluated and enhanced when their retail locations open back up.

The safety of your employees, your customers and guests should be first and foremost. It’s no longer about having the store cleaned on a nightly basis - proper sanitation procedures and sanitation frequency will also need to be addressed during the day.

Here are some of the areas that should be considered:

  • Store Maintenance: evaluate current cleaning and sanitization procedures and frequency, as well as consider who is managing and executing these services - it’s important to work with experienced companies that you can trust

  • Employee Training: educate employees on cleaning best practices, including proper technique and frequency of disinfecting key areas of the store throughout the day

  • Health & Safety Stations: implement sanitization areas inclusive of wipes, hand-washing areas and gloves

  • Monitor High-Traffic Areas: fitting rooms, digital touch screens, and self-serve stations that receive high consumer engagement should be given special attention not only throughout the day, but also in-between new customers 

Why is this Needed? 

Like many store and business owners, the safety and well-being of my customers have always been my top priority. Freshco.ca offers a bundle package for retail owners including; cleaning, maintenance, and retrofitting, which basically means we are dental hygiene and plastic surgery of retail spaces. We integrate maintenance into one visit, which may include: disinfecting counters, bathrooms, replenishing wipes for customers (which, I believe, will now be a basic MUST not only at the point of entry, but throughout various areas of the store), floor maintenance, air filter changes and much more. 

We want store owners and managers to focus on what they need to do in the best way possible - managing customer experience and creating a safe and happy place for employees - and that’s why we are here to alleviate the worry of day-to-day maintenance and sanitization pressures. 

What are the Benefits? 

There are many benefits to having this process and system in place. For example:

  • It’s a cost-effective way to manage retail spaces

  • It demonstrates to your staff that their health and safety is at the fore front

  • It’s a deliverable to your customer, that your brand and culture is adaptable in keeping their new expectation of clean at the highest level

  • Trusts in your brand allows for comfortable shopping experience

Now respectfully, I am not a fan of the term the ‘new normal’. I’d like to think that a lot of the current COVID practices we are currently and respectfully adhering to, will eventually be reversed, but certainly not the new disinfecting practices.

Get used to new sanitization procedures, new shopping methods, new store expectations and new retail experiences….

Which has prompted me to think specifically, how will the retail experience need to evolve following COVID-19?  More to come on this shortly...

See also: mandyrennehan.com

As well as Instagram: @mandyrennehan