Pickup, Curbside, and Deliver after COVID-19

Pickup, Curbside, and Delivery after COVID-19 Everything Retail, Restaurants, and Convenience Stores Need to Consider Before Their Next Building Project

Introduction Before this outbreak, consumers had extensive choices regarding where to shop, what to eat, and what convenience retail looked like daily.

Many had already started embracing the trend towards online shopping, in-store pickup, meal carry-out, or delivery. Those retailers who hadn’t previously adopted these services are now challenged to quickly implement solutions to help customers maintain social distance and avoid contact with others as much as possible. This makes alternative shopping methods much more valuable to both customers and retailers.

Proof of concept: the number of orders purchased online and picked up in-store via avenues like curbside pickup increased 208% between April 1 and April 20, compared to the same period in 2019. (Source: CNBC)

This begs the question—what happens next? When doors reopen, how can companies maintain the trend towards social distancing as part of their business model? And how can the design industry help shape the future response? First, understanding how businesses have responded to date is the most crucial part of the implementation process.

What Are the Primary Changes Across the Retail, Restaurant, and Convenience Store Industries in Response to COVID-19?

As the world slowly moves through a phased approach to reopening stores, restaurants, and other businesses, we as designers must be mindful of the fear and unease customers may have in returning to a crowded retail environment. We have seen a variety of reactionary measures implemented across the retail sector already: from oneway aisles in the supermarket to increased numbers of designated pickup spots outside restaurants to striped lines on the ground and plastic shields in front of the checkout that help customers maintain social distance from both employees and each other.

We know not all of these solutions are designed for the long term. Still, they are necessary given our current circumstances, and consumers seem to have readily embraced this approach thus far.

When looking towards the future, businesses must evaluate these reactionary measures and determine which require permanent solutions.

Now more than ever, the customer experience of a brand is significant for instilling confidence in its consumers.

We can help our clients design safe spaces and comfortable experiences for all through socially conscious design. This is where extensive experience with the proposed options for responsibly distanced shopping (or RDS) come into play to determine the best fit for each unique company.

What Are the Different Responsibly Distanced Shopping Options?

There are three primary methods for responsibly distanced shopping: in-store pickup, curbside, and delivery. These all have the mobile (or online) ordering system as the primary step of their process, with variation in the actual acquisition of food or products.

With Pick-up, or BOPIS (Buy Online Pick-up in Store), the consumer places their order online and travels to the pickup location to get the items themselves. This requires employees to gather orders before the pickup time and a storage location where customers can go to find their items quickly.

Curbside (or pump-side, in the convenience store example) follows the same pattern of online ordering and employee gathering, but with the added convenience of the products being placed in the car by employees at a designated parking or pump-side location.

Delivery is the only option where shopping does not require the consumer ever to leave their home. They simply place their order online and have it delivered to their desired location. Many brands implement this through third-party delivery vendors.

This study will focus on critical components for successful implementation of pick-up, curbside, and delivery services in retail settings.

PICKUP

CURBSIDE

BOH

BOH

BOH

FOH

FOH

FOH

CUSTOMER TRAVEL

LEGEND STORE

DELIVERY

CUSTOMER NODE

FOH = FRONT OF HOUSE

EMPLOYEE NODE

BOH = BACK OF HOUSE

EMPLOYEE TRAVEL ORDER INPUT

What Elements Make A Successful RDS Program?

Department stores, supermarkets, warehouses, and specialty product/ clothing stores all share the primary goal of providing products and services to their consumers in an effective and hassle-free manner. This idea has not changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many retailers have come up with their current RDS solution out of necessity, in order to survive the lockdown many locations across the globe are facing. To keep their businesses viable, owners and employees without RDS options in place have had to think on their feet for ways to fulfill consumer demand. These temporary pickup strategies will likely prove unable to adapt and scale to meet the increased demand for online sales both during this period and after, regardless of their product specialty. Moving forward, retailers must better adapt pickup design elements to meet their specific brand needs.

Elements for a successful RDS program include: •

•

•

•

Virtual shopping spaces for a seamless customer experience both online and in-store Cohesive omnichannel branding strategy and wayfinding signage for customers and associates Maximized storage space for storing, staging, and retrieval of pickup and delivery orders Upgraded sites with designated customer pickup areas and parking/loading spaces for delivery vehicles

• Dedicated times for pickup and flexible in-store solutions

Each of these elements will change based on a retailer’s site, the scale of their building, and existing methods for managing orders. The goal is to create a seamless customer experience and provide staff the infrastructure necessary to deliver the brand experience.

How Can Convenience Stores Implement RDS? Convenience stores have led the charge, in many ways, concerning the COVID-19 retail response. Deemed an essential business from the start, they have had to mobilize extremely quickly to comply with current governmental restrictions on operations. However, unlike the retail or restaurant sectors, where pickup, curbside, and delivery options have been embraced for some time, this is a relatively new model for c-stores. Indeed, the industry has trended this way for some time, as we’ve seen various solutions offered by many different retailers. Still, we have not seen any one method taking a significant foothold. It’s become clear that an efficient pickup, curbside, and delivery solution is now a business necessity, both for public health concerns as well as for the store’s retail success.

But the critical question for the c-store retailer is this: how can we provide an RDS solution that limits customer/ employee interaction while still providing a welcoming and convenient customer experience that one has come to expect their local neighborhood store? And perhaps more importantly, how do we do it on sites which lack the generous square footage of large retailers and grocery stores in both parking spaces and storage? The spatial constraints of the convenience store site, particularly when a retail fuel element is provided, make the pickup, curbside, and delivery solution challenging, but not impossible.

The standard requirements to seamlessly execute pickup, curbside, and delivery options at c-stores includes:

• Storage space for orders (dry, cooler, freezer) • Signage for wayfinding, both on the site and in the store • Visible and apparent adherence to good hygiene practices on behalf of employees and the c-store

More specific requirements that c-stores must take into account for each method are broken down as follows:

C-STORES LEGEND 1 = FOH PICKUP AREA 2 = DRIVE-THRU LOCATION 3 = BOH STORAGE

PICKUP • No designated parking required • Designated “checkout” lanes for customers with mobile orders • With an option to scan items in the store right on their phone and check out digitally • Separate, automatic entrance/exit for order pickup • Drive-thru option for pickup • Perhaps not the best option for the smaller c-store, as car queues take up much-needed space in the parking lot • Walk-up window service—something that hasn’t been addressed on a widespread basis, providing a walkup window creates the potential for socially distanced connection—views into a nicely merchandised store window makes it a more appealing experience with a reassuring “hometown” feel • Pickup lockers, accessed by the customer only (signaled with app)

4 = CURBSIDE PARKING 5 = WALK-UP WINDOW 6 = PUMPSIDE PARKING

5

2 1

C-STORE - PICKUP DRIVE -THRU / WALK UP

5

1

C-STORE - PICKUP NO DRIVE-THRU / WALK UP

3

4

6 C-STORE - PUMPSIDE + DELIVERY

3

4

C-STORE - CURBSIDE + DELIVERY

CURBSIDE • Curbside/pump side service gives customers flexibility and ensures that they do not have to wait in long lines • Pump side may work better for c-stores, which are at a premium for space most of the time.

• Multiple “drive-thru” windows/spaces for curbside, along the building • Designated parking spaces for curbside if needed; this does not count toward the required parking count (i,e, designated curbside spaces would need to be provided above and beyond the required parking count) DELIVERY • Same storage requirements; additional delivery-specific personnel needed when self-operating • Less profitable for the c-store when using third-party delivery vendors (i.e., GrubHub, DoorDash, EatStreet, etc.)

• The order and delivery market is a robust industry, with customers spending more than $10.2 billion on delivery services alone in 2018 (SOURCE: Convenience Store News)

How Does This Translate to Restaurants?

As opposed to convenience stores, restaurants have been implementing pickup/curbside/delivery services long before the pandemic hit. What has become more important is the need to incorporate RDS ideals into the existing models.

There are two restaurant types to evaluate: freestanding and inline.

A freestanding restaurant is an independent building, detached from any other structures. On the contrary, an inline restaurant is a space built adjacent to other spaces, which may include a variety of tenant types. This building may have a storefront adjacent or “inline” to other tenant storefronts These are each impacted differently by pickup, curbside, and delivery processes since site conditions and scale influence the design elements. However, there are instances of shared responses that impact the site and in-store experiences.

These common elements required to execute pickup, curbside, and delivery restaurant options are as follows:

•

•

•

•

Precise communication method to place orders Distinct meal preparation or assembly locations Wayfinding and signage to direct traffic and patrons Limit touchpoints for any patrons visiting locations for a limited amount of time to mitigate the spread of potential spread of COVID-19

More specific requirements for responsibly distanced shopping in restaurants are broken down as follows.

PICKUP • Does not require dedicated parking spaces on-site • Orders can be directed through a separate dedicated

drive-thru via wayfinding and signage when available.

This option may not apply to most in-line restaurants • Customers can use regular parking spots to pick up in

the restaurant • Requires a dedicated staging space accessible by both the drive-thru serving area and the serving area within the restaurant • Within the store, there shall be a dedicated pickup area near the entry • Dedicated entrance/exit door is recommended • This station may include an employee station to

accept patrons.

RESTAURANTS LEGEND 1 = FOH PICKUP AREA 2 = DRIVE-THRU LOCATION 3 = BOH STORAGE 4 = DEDICATED PARKING

3 2 1

1

4 FREE STANDING - PICKUP W/ DRIVE-THRU

FREE STANDING - PICKUP NO DRIVE-THRU

FREE STANDING - CURBSIDE + DELIVERY

CURBSIDE • Dedicated parking spaces are required a short distance

from the entrance • These spaces will require area signage—surface striping or vertical signs.

• Requires a dedicated assembly and staging space • Assembly area should include drink preparation, meal packaging, and storage of condiments 2 3

1

1

4

INLINE - PICKUP

INLINE - PICKUP W/ DRIVETHRU

INLINE - CURBSIDE + DELIVERY

DELIVERY • Dedicated parking spaces are required a short distance

from the entrance • These spaces will require area signage—surface

striping or vertical signs • Requires a dedicated assembly and staging space • Assembly area should include drink preparation, meal packaging, and storage of condiments • Third-party delivery should have dedicated queuing

area separate from in-store customers

Looking to the Future of Retail, Restaurants, and C-Stores As retail locations, restaurants, and convenience stores continue to implement and update the way they interact with customers (virtually or in-person), many in the architectural and engineering sector are looking to the future. Creating solutions that work in this highly restrictive post-COVID-19 era, while balancing the needs, desires, and health of those valuable customers is at the top of everyone’s mind these days.

How can we implement solutions that not only provide the things our customers crave but also in a way that continues to stay relevant long after the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020? Only time will tell – and the solutions will be as varied as the retailers who implement them, as each has different goals and needs. We look to experts in the field with experience in the pickup industry to help guide solutions and give feedback on options that do or don’t work.

Here at HFA, we’re proud to have a vast knowledge of pickup procedures from our work with some of the nation’s largest retailers and c-stores. Have you or your business started researching additional methods for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in your new or existing restaurant, c-store, or retail projects? We would love to share our knowledge with you!

Contact Steven Baker, AIA, NCARB , to learn more about how we can help you!

Want to read more? Check out our other articles at blog.hfa-ae.com

A great example of a pickup model that has proven useful during this time is Walmart Pickup. There are many elements to what makes the Walmart model hassle-free, one of which is their diversity in pickup methods. Perhaps their most popular option is the Mobile/Curbside method. Many Walmart locations already have permanent pickup setups, and the implementation of their pickup initiative before the outbreak of COVID-19 meant that they were ahead of the game in preparedness for dealing with the mass transition to online ordering.

In general, these items are what makes the Walmart Pickup experience work:

• Precise communication method to place orders

• User-friendly app

• Store location options/alternatives

• Site signage/wayfinding (interior and exterior)

• Dedicated areas for pickup (interior and exterior)

• Dedicated times for pickup

• Supplementing unavailable items

• Dedicated storage areas with POS systems for storing/delivering orders The Walmart app has gotten better over the years, clearly showing the store location and time reservation panels on the home page. Almost every item in inventory is identifiable by name, size, nutritional information, and an image for easy identification. Repeat purchases are recommended on the first screen and can be added to a favorites page for easy addition to your cart. Your account keeps track of past orders, displays payment methods, and Walmart contact information for customer support. The user has an option in-app to “check-in” on the way to the store, reducing their wait time on site and ensuring a quick pickup experience. As far as apps go, this one is easy to use and streamlines the entire shopping process. It’s an app created and maintained only for Walmart, so there is no sifting through other retailers to find the information you need.

Store choice is another factor, specifically in the NWA area, as most Walmart stores have the pickup process implemented and are available for selection. The app shows a local store list and proximity to your location and can be switched based on product availability or convenience to your location. Once at the store, the signage and wayfinding for the pickup area are bold and easily followed, with pickup areas all having dedicated locations for parking. As the pickup initiative was added to existing stores retroactively, there is a lot of diversity in the pickup arrangements available. The most common option is dedicated parking spots along the front or side of your store, while other stores have drive-up areas covered by pickup-branded canopies. Both options allow store employees to bring your order to the car and place your items directly into your vehicle.

The dedicated pickup times assigned at checkout removes much of the wait time that could be associated with a normal pickup order. With windows of one hour to pick up your order and a finite number of orders allowed during that window, it’s almost guaranteed your order will be ready for you when you arrive, especially if you check-in before you head to the store. Walmart staff also provides a list of items that were substituted if your original request is unavailable, instead of merely dropping the items off the order. This substitution is made with no additional cost to the customer, which is a nod to Walmart’s “save money, live better” model.

CASE STUDY

Taking a Closer Look: Walmart Pickup

Pickup, Curbside, and Delivery after COVID-19 Everything Retail, Restaurants, and Convenience Stores Need to Consider Before Their Next Building Project Steven Baker, AIA, NCARB Team Lead / Architect

Justin Whiteside, Assoc. AIA BIM Application Specialist

Meghan Vincent, AIA, NCARB Team Lead / Architect

Lindsey Huntsman Designer

Rebekah Wierson Designer

Michelle Mace Designer

Miranda Sawyer, NCARB Designer / Design Lead