Jojo Maman Bébé ‘locked door procedure’

[Redolent]

Sorry if this has been posted before. Jojo Maman Bébé next to me, ever since reopening, has always had its doors locked. You have to knock for a staff member to let you in, and then one of them has to let you out. It’s always appeared deserted every time I walk past, and that’s probably no coincidence (it just looks shut). The staff are also VERY jittery in general about touching items etc in the store. I guess I just find it mildly inhospitable and counterproductive for a business to do this. Feels like a hassle for me and them if I just want a quick browse.

Checked online and this is part of their post-covid reopening policy: “ Introducing a locked door procedure to control customer flow.”

@FluffyKittensinabasket

Wakemeupwhenthisisover - you’re welcome, glad I could be of service.

The future of retail is Amazon style distribution centres staffed by robots.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.retailsector.co.uk/50381-robots-could-take-half-a-million-uk-retail-jobs-within-the-next-five-years/amp/

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2018/10/15/will-there-be-a-physical-retail-store-in-10-20-years/amp/

There's sticking to the rules and then there's shouting the rules like a complete knob. I went to our local Costa the day it reopened and obviously the staff were still very uneasy about being back and following new routines to the letter and, yes it was blooming daft being sent to follow the footprint trail all around the empty store - but the girl on the door was ever so polite and smiled with it - a "it's a new routine - but you need to hand sanitise and then walk to that point and we'll call you forward and it's really good to see you again"...there are ways to phrase a request politely and ways to just be unnecessarily unpleasant.

It's also worth stores remembering that there are customers struggling like mad with this as well - those with social anxiety are terrified of breaking some of the un-highlighted store-specific rules, those just coming out of shielding are getting used to it all again, the pandemic has wrecked a hell of a lot of people's mental health so lots of people who normally function through anxiety and panic type disorders are really struggling - and getting your head bitten off because you didn't just know (no signage) that you had to stand in a certain spot to queue is enough to deter some people from venturing out for a long time - I've been one of these and it knocked me completely for six.

YABU. I'm amazed that anybody doesn't understand their reasoning, it really couldn't be more obvious.

I see retail staff are the latest scapegoat on here, is everyone bored of teacher bashing? Ridiculous.

Before lockdown when primark and others decided to shut their doors, I remember many posters saying that they would change the way they shop and only go to brands that put the health of their staff and customers above profit

Depends if it's actually putting health first or just covid theatre.

I'm amazed that anybody doesn't understand their reasoning, it really couldn't be more obvious

Couldn't it? Why? Pregnant women don't spend that much of their lives buying baby clothes. Most of the time they will be in other shops which aren't seeing the need to lock their customers out (or in).

The Bristol one wasn’t like this on Wednesday.

I think that's a great policy, personally. It would definitely put me more at ease.

I don't have a JoJo near me, so can't comment. But a lot of my displeasure would be linked to how the staff did it, rather than the locked door policy itself.

Took my DD to Clarks last week for school shoes. We were the only customers, followed the circles around the shop, sat where we were told, didn't touch display etc. Served by a lovely fella and picked shoes after being allowed to try on a few pairs. All fine.... As soon as we stood up to walk to the till another staff member started spraying the fabric seats we'd been sat on and I just thought it was a bit rude. Yes, I know they need to clean, but honestly we'd just stood up and she was straight there. Made me feel like we were unclean and my £50 was unwelcome.

Posters here saying the high street is fucked are 100% right. Won't be Covid illness itself, but Covid rulez lacking decent common sense.

I went into one and the worker told me I had to wear a mask but she wasn't wearing one. I left.

I went into one and the worker told me I had to wear a mask but she wasn't wearing one. I left

Ive seen this in other shops and its just bizarre! So, customers have to wear masks to protect the health of shop staff but the staff dont have to protect customers health AT ALL?

Right. Seems totally fair and safe!