As the majority of the town was hunkering down, staying home, and adapting to a new normal in light of COVID-19, Gorham Hannaford and its employees were ramping up efforts to provide essential services to our community. The company’s reaction to the crisis has been admirable.
David Cole, store manager in Gorham, explained that while the store is accustomed to dealing with one-time local events such as snow storms, this situation is much different as it’s long-term and on a global scale. He explained that Hannaford is receiving regular deliveries daily, and the issue is not about the supply chain itself, but rather working to catch up with the enormous increase in demand brought on by customers who overbuy as they are fearful of running out of key items.
While overbuying has become less of a problem in recent weeks and stock in certain areas is improving, he added, “it really bothers us that we can’t give the presentation and variety of products that we usually do, but there are a lot of people working really hard to make it better.”
Until stock levels are back to normal, Cole confirmed that several items still have limits to discourage panic buying. These include flour, butter, bleach and cleaning supplies, disinfectants, toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, hand soap, hand sanitizer, eggs, cold medicines, face masks, and pain relievers.
As far as safety is concerned, Hannaford has made numerous improvements and incorporated procedures to protect its employees and customers. The company announced that it would offer dedicated shopping hours for people age 60 and older as well as those with compromised immune systems to allow for a less crowded shopping experience. It also shortened it’s operating hours to provide for additional time to clean, stock shelves, and give associates time to rest.
Cole said, “We installed plexiglass at every register and at the pharmacy; we have red tape and round markers on the floor to mark 6 foot distances; we have associates cleaning around the clock, disinfecting carriages at the entrance, any hand contact areas, and the associate break room and offices. We have face shields available for associates and new bright yellow vests that have a social distancing message.”
Per the State mandate, the store can only have 70 customers at a time in the store. Employees monitor this number by keeping only one entrance open for customers to enter and exit. Additionally, the store has temporarily prohibited the use of reusable bags that could expose employees to contaminants. Plastic bag fees have been waived as a result.
While some at-risk employees have decided to stop working for the time being, temporary workers have been hired to help fill the gap. “What’s cool is the amazing teamwork that the associates who are still working have shown, working anywhere in the store where there is a need, often in departments where they don’t usually work,” Cole said.
Hannaford To Go has returned as the company felt it was an important option, but there is limited capacity. Customers are asked to be patient and remember that there are still many items out of stock.
Customers needing prescriptions can call the pharmacy ahead of time, pay over the phone, and employees will bring the prescription directly to customer’s car.
When asked about what customers can do to help make their jobs easier, Cole offered the following tips. “We all need to be aware of social distancing and be patient and kind while practicing it. Please remember your fellow shopper. Don’t shop with your entire family so it will keep the lines moving, don’t buy more than what you need so the next person might be able to get some, don’t shop for one or two items five days a week, do big shops.”
Cole added, “I am impressed at how genuinely kind and down to earth the community has been in this crisis. We are all stressed, tired, and afraid, and that sometimes brings out the worst in people, but 99.9% of our customers are truly thankful and appreciative that we are here for them in these crazy times and that makes it all worth it for me and my team. We are really proud and happy to be still serving the Gorham community!”