BOPIS - Buy Online Pick Up in Store
The Coronavirus brought about multiple changes across the country and in many countries around the world, with businesses and companies doing their best to work across various situations while following the government guidelines and keeping everyone safe. With national lockdowns, restrictions on travel, and people forced to stay indoors, for the most part, business and marketing was at an all-time low, with people barely spending money on items that were only an extreme necessity.
During the pandemic, most of our business came as referrals from nurses, referrals from previous marketing, and people finding the boutique on our website. However, with our Mobile Boutique we could travel to residences, hospitals, and individual homes. We are not working with a team at one location but were working while moving around, which was an advantage.
Unfortunately, we were not allowed to bring our Mobile Boutique to senior residences, long-term care, hospital, bazaars, and some community events because of the pandemic, and that was quite disheartening. The chances of older people catching the virus were significantly higher, so everyone was taking precautions. Additionally, however, I work on a lot of phone orders, talking about measurements, how we tailor our clothes better than making purchases from the store, or clothing bought from a store. A lot of my clients are new to adapted clothing and have to learn how it is a lot more convenient and beneficial in the long run.
We are not remote working but work out of our Boutique space. It is quite convenient as we make a lot of runs to varying locations at ease. Having my boutique is quite an advantage as all our stock is right next to us. Furthermore, it makes it easier for our clients to book a one-hour appointment with no waiting in line. When it comes to our staff, our team of two wear masks and follow all the restrictions. Additionally, we make them get through a COVID pre-screening form that we send out.
Furthermore, we make sure the people we are working with are safe and keep others safe. All our clothing that was touched by another person is put away for 48 hours to prevent spreading the virus, on the off chance that someone was sick. Additionally, we make sure everything is wiped down before and after our clients leave. Finally, we have breaks of 20 minutes between all our appointments so we can clean and sanitize the place before the next group of people enters. While we are working to keep our team safe, we are also pushing for the safety of our clients.
As our doors were closed for some part of the pandemic lockdowns, we are maintaining the same number of hours that we were before the pandemic hit, now with the restrictions lifted, and we are opening up. We are running my boutique almost 24x7 as we are always open for business. When it comes to the work that we do, we work online, taking phone orders in the evening from different time zones, and answering customer emails. We make sure that every person who works with us gets the information and solutions that they are looking for.
As a company, we were always using a secure platform, pre-COVID, and now to make sure the purchases that are taking place are protected. We do not want our clients to have any issues when they are going through the system. When it comes to the payments we are making, we integrated our website with Paypal for all online purchases, while for the purchases that take place off the internet, we make sure we use Square.
When it comes to booking appointments at the boutique, we are open to going to a client’s home to drop off clothes for them to look at so that they can give us a better understanding of their requirements. We put the clothes in sanitized plastic bins, and we leave them at the front door, while I wait in my van in the driveway. The clients have a look at the clothing and can discuss any details on my phone. Clients purchase the clothes that they choose with the rest of them returned to the van. We leave the clothes aside for 48 hours before we bring them inside and add them to the inventory again.
When we cannot meet people in person, we have to log onto virtual meetings. We use Zoom, Messenger video, Meeting, and Team Meat and prefer not using Skype, Google Hangout or Whatsapp as they are not as secure as the alternatives.
Unfortunately, most of my clients are the group of caregivers who were the most hit by the pandemic, with their loved ones locked in residences. I try to make it as easy as I can for them to purchase clothing when they are not sure if they will fit or be comfortable as they might not have seen their relatives in months. New clothes have to go in isolation for 48 to 72 hours after which they can try the clothes on. Sometimes it takes a week for the whole process from beginning to end. I also handle dropping off the clothes within 50km surrounding Cambridge.
If you are looking for assistance when it comes to customizing clothing for older people with specific needs, get in touch with us at EasyWear Adaptive Clothing IncTM. We were working in the industry for a long time and have a good understanding of its functioning. We love the feeling of seeing a smile on the faces of someone regaining their sense of autonomy by wearing simple, slip-on clothing, whether it is from a caregiver or medical staff appreciative of the simplistic design. If you are looking for a better understanding of the services that we provide, please click here. If you want to get in touch with us, please click here.