Our home shopping colleagues – like Dan Tate from our South Shields store – are getting some wonderfully appreciative thank you messages from customers as they pull out the stops to get deliveries to as many people as possible during the lockdown.
Dan is regularly in work at 2am along with the rest of the home shopping team to manage a ten-fold increase in demand.
He’s keeping in touch with some of his elderly and vulnerable customers, setting up a Facebook group to ensure they got what they needed.
Dan, who’s 30 and has worked at the store for five years, said: “It’s an uncertain time, so everybody needs a little help and consideration.
"We have lots of regular customers, so you build a rapport with them and want to look out for them. I just want to do the best I can all the time – and I know that’s true for the rest of the team here and at other stores too.”
Dan wanted to thank everyone for the messages of support our home shopping team are receiving on their rounds.
He said: “Customers are being fantastic, sending in pictures from their children, saying thank you and even clapping us. It’s really humbling, but also reminds us that what we’re doing is making a difference.
“I absolutely love my job and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
“It’s very fast-paced at the moment and you’ve got to make sure everything’s right for the customer. Customers are relying on us while they’re having to stay at home, particularly elderly and vulnerable people, so we don’t take lightly how much this matters to lots of people."
Dan, who's a section leader, wanted to stress how much of a team effort it is to maintain our home shopping service. The team has expanded to meet the surge in demand, with colleagues switching roles to help and a number of new temporary colleagues.
Dan said: "It’s not just me – the rest of the team deserve praise. There really is a great team spirit and determination to do our best.”
Deputy store manager Gary Mitchell says he’s really impressed by the way Dan and the rest of the team have rallied round.
He said: “I’m so proud of Dan and all the team. Dan has put our customers and colleagues first and has done an absolutely incredible job. Thank you.
"This situation has really brought out the best in people – both in the way our teams are going out of their way to serve customers instore and at home, and in the response we’re getting from customers. I don’t think I’ve ever seen us receive as many customer compliments and it really is appreciated.”
The messages of thanks we're receiving are really heartwarming. Here are a couple of the latest we've spotted on social media:
Honestly the delivery drivers and online order pickers from @asda Gateshead r doing an amazing job. Big thanks to Michael who has brought our shopping the last 2 weeks, helping to keep my dad safe as a vulnerable person. So polite & efficient @AsdaServiceTeam
— Louise Tweddell (@louisetweddell) April 17, 2020
@asda @AsdaServiceTeam can I pass my thank you on at this time to the team at Asda Eastlands. We have just had our delivery and everything was on there. Stephen the delivery man was cheery and professional. Well done from one key worker to another! 🌈
— Nicola McGee (@MissMcLovin84) April 16, 2020
Big shout out to @asda Delivery driver Garry (I think that’s his name). Always excellent and even more so during this difficult time. Always smiling, chatty, sociable and helpful. Melton Mowbray patch.
— RugbyKids (@RugbyKidsMelton) April 14, 2020
@asda @AsdaServiceTeam shout out to Geoff from your Wigan store delivery team for a excellent delivery! Polite, offered advice about shopping and maintained social distancing at all times! 👍🏻
— Mr Roughley (@MrJRoughley) April 17, 2020
We've taken on lots of new temporary colleagues to help until things get back to normal. Here's Heather, who's joined the home shopping team at our Shaw store:
And here's Darren, who's joined us while on furlough from Virgin Atlantic:
