On a safe, shopping spree

CHENNAI: We’ve missed you” says a booming voice in the almost two-minute video that was released by The Marina Mall ahead of their reopening, after the lockdown was enforced in March. If you love shopping, you can’t help but reply to that voice, “We’ve missed you too”, albeit in your head.

Almost four months af ter the pandemic shut shops, shopping complexes and malls across the world, Unlock 3.0 in Chennai brought with it a respite for mall owners. Aslam Mohamed, MD, and Mukrim Habeeb, CEO and director, of The Marina Mall in Egattur are more than elated to throw open their happy place for patrons too. In a chat with CE, they talk about the safety measures introduced to make shopping a safe experience.

Excerpts follow.

When the news of lockdown and indefinite shut down of the malls came about, how did the team step up? Aslam: We had a day’s notice. On March 16, we were informed and received a circular from the government. We informed all the retailers. On March 17, we closed the mall. But we had the security onpremise. We advised the tenants also to conduct regular cleaning activities. Mukrim: We spent from our own pockets during the lockdown to ensure the mall was regularly cleaned. We were always keeping it ready in case there was a sudden call from the government to open the malls. And that is exactly what happened on August 31. We were ready to open in a day’s notice.

What were the cleanliness measures your team undertook during the lockdown?
A: Common area and air vents were cleaned regularly. We did a thorough inspection of the mall in intervals. The vendors were asked to care for their merchandise and do internal cleaning routinely so that there was no bacterial or fungal build-up on the products. Disinfection was also done on a periodic basis. The toilets were regularly cleaned, too. All this was done with limited manpower. M: We have always maintained international standards when it came to hygiene aspects. We have just gone a step further in the new normal. We get the best of the products and ensure there is no slip-up on our end. In fact, I would say malls are the safest space to go to right now when it comes to public spaces as we all have to maintain perfect social distancing and it is possible too.

What are the precautionary measures being administered?
A: We will be following the government-mandated SOPs. We maintain a minimum of 75 sq ft-distance between customers. That means, for example, at a given time in an area of 1 lakh sq ft we have only 1,000 people. We keep track of who is coming in and going out, and the traffic is controlled properly. We have come up with contactless food delivery options and have tied up with third parties. Even when it comes to parking, we have state-of-the-art facilities, something that is followed abroad. We have automatic number plate recognition. A camera scans the number plate of a vehicle, feeds it into the system and the contact details of the person appears.

The camera again captures the number plate on exit, sends payment details to their phones and the customer makes contactless payment. This ensures a seamless experience. All touchpoints like elevators and escalators are sanitised frequently. We understand how the virus spreads and we are taking all precautions to ensure that it does not happen here. When food delivery personnel come to pick up food, their body temperature is checked, and details are recorded. We collect details of all those coming in, too. We have more natural ventilation now, but the air-conditioner is also kept at 26 degrees.

We ensure there is no crowding anywhere. If patrons are not wearing masks, they are not allowed. We have set up a mask point for customers to purchase masks. We also do temperature checks for patrons. If someone is found with a higher temperature, we escort them out . In thi s month, the number of people coming to the mall is slowly increasing.

What are the guidelines given to shop owners?
A: Retail shop owners have the same SOPs. They also have to maintain social distancing of 75 sq ft between customers. Large shops like Landmark and Lifestyle, for example, have security personnel monitoring the crowd. When clothes are tried on by customers and then left behind, the staff disinfects, sanitizes and then puts the clothes back on the rack. The staff members must wear masks at all times. The shops will not have more than 10-15 people at a time.

How do you ensure the safety of employees?
A: The board has given support to all the restaurant and retail shops in the mall. Almost 99 per cent of the shops are continuing with us. The staff members also get a regular temperature check done, maintain proper hygiene. If they have a cold or cough or any symptoms they have to inform us. In case of a spike in temperature during work, they are escorted following precautionary measures. We have given all of them disinfectant kits including hand sanitisers.

We have asked the shops to install hand sanitisers and sanitise themselves often. They have to wear gloves when necessary. We also have a team to monitor if all these are followed. In the evenings, we talk to retailers and ensure that female employees have the means to reach home safely. M: Even during pre-COVID days, our mall had certain health and hygiene protocols. We have not reinvented ourselves. We are just taking extra precautionary measures. Ensuring staff safety is part of our normal routine. Since its reopening, government officials have conducted two checks and they are happy with the measures taken. Footfall is lesser than what it was before but those who have come, have all given us positive feedback.

Will you be conducting events in the new normal?
A: Events and programmes are done as part of the customer experience. Now we are thinking of putting up a large LED TV for IPL scores and playing movie trailers. Even if we invite a band to perform at the mall down the line, we will cordon off the area, ensure crowd control and no contact with the artiste. Any event we conduct in the future will also focus on awareness. The festival season is coming up. We will make it visually attractive for patrons to come to the mall. The shopping experience will be different than before. Check out the video on new safety measures that the mall is taking at The Marina Mall’s Instagram page and YouTube channel