The COVID-19 pandemic has forced merchants to reconsider many aspects of their business models, not least with social distancing measures affecting the numbers of customers allowed in branch. PBM hears how collection lockers from Ripple are facilitating a contact-less service at Dulux Decorator Centres.
Retailers of all kinds — including trade merchants — are now considering collection lockers as part of their strategies to improve efficiency and add value to the customer experience. It is an especially apt tactic during the current climate, however the high investment costs and infrastructure changes required to successfully move towards a fully automated collection locker system have thus far tended to limit the number of businesses who can implement such an offering.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the first brands to invest in collection lockers was Amazon back in 2011 when it began introducing them to petrol stations, shopping centres and stores. Click and collection lockers at supermarkets such as ASDA and Tesco who weren’t too far behind with many others now recognising the benefits of making products available without the need for customers to enter the store and being able to collect out of working hours.
Ripple has been working closely with Dulux Decorator Centres (DDC) to develop a simpler, more adaptable version of the collection locker that does not require an intricate and costly automated system. The company says it has focused the design around it being managed at the store level and using a method that ties in with the decorators’ merchant’s customer ordering process, via email, online or over the phone.
Accordingly, it offers a simple and accessible solution to the ‘click and collect’ process which does not require significant investment or a process change, whilst still maintaining improved customer service at a low cost — and supporting social distancing guidelines.
The collection lockers used by DDC feature a durable, tamperproof, steel construction with and exterior powder coat finish, so it can be securely positioned either indoors or outdoors and anchored in place. The lockers are secured with a digital locking system and a three-point bolting lock in each door, the pin codes for each locker are entirely managed at the store level and can be quickly reset and recoded by staff between collections.
Ripple is now able to offer the same tried and tested solution as a standard product for other retailers and merchants. Features include:
- An adjustable shelf in each compartment;
- Finished in mid-grey but individual branding and/or graphics can be applied;
- The option for remote allocation pin system;
- Standard format lockers offer 100 litres of storage with bespoke sizes and configurations available upon request.
How it works
Managed by the individual branch, when a customer order is received a timeslot for collection is agreed and a unique pin is generated either remotely using the Remote Allocation System (RAS), or manually at the unit for the order to be collected. Once collected, the master pin, a physical key or RAS is used to access and reset the system, ready for the next order.
For more information on Ripple’s Collection Lockers as used by Dulux Decorator Centres, in addition to its other retail design services, go to: https://www.duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk/collection-lockers
