As Poslovni Dnevnik/PD VL native tim writes on the 17th of April, 2020 over recent weeks, consumers have been increasingly shopping for pet food, Pet centar's new Buy and Pick up (Kupi i Pokupi) service has been introduced, and retail employees have received a 1,000 kuna bonus for their exceptional dedication and engagement during the coronavirus crisis.
Pursuant to the protection measures resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, stores across the Republic of Croatia have closed or have had to significantly adjust their business operations. We're witnessing part-time work, the increased use of online shopping and the increased use of delivery services. We aren't forgetting about our four-legged friends and other pets, and in order to provide them with the essentials they need, specialised retail chains such as Pet centar play a key role. According to a 2017 Gfk survey, Croats spend about six billion kuna annually on food, equipment and veterinary care for their pets, with an annual upward trend in spending of between five and six percent.
That is indeed the case, as evidenced by the intensive working weeks of Pet centar, whose activities are aimed at supplying and satisfying customers and their pets, even in these extraordinary circumstances. Key efforts were made by employees, which is why they were awarded a supplement of 1,000 kuna in March by a decision of the management board.
''I'm very proud that the Pet Network Group has such a dedicated team in times of crisis. The loyal and dedicated work of our employees is inspiring. We've reorganised more quickly than others, and our teams have been prepared and helpful to our customers in stores and on the webshop, keeping our offer stable while maintaining a sense of security because their workplace remains stable,'' said the Pet Network group's CEO Ljiljana Markov Medjugorac.
Safety comes first, and in addition to regular daily cleaning, in order to protect the health of both Pet centar employees and customers, multiple daily procedures for the disinfection of cash registers, baskets, POS machines, handrails and other surfaces, as well as the disinfection of sale, storage and office space were introduced. Disinfection points have been set up and companies who specialise in disinfection have been engaged.
"We're adhering to all of the regulations and instructions of the National Civil Protection Headquarters and, with the prescribed social distancing measures, we're also limiting the number of customers who can be present at the point of sale at the same time, and additionally protecting our employees at cash registers by installing Plexiglas protection," said Pet centar retail manager Neda Vuk.
Coronavirus-era shopping, at least when it comes to pets, has seen increased purchases for certain items. Over recent weeks, consumers have been increasingly shopping for pet food at Pet centar stores, as well as essential hygiene products, such as litter for cats. In the context of protection, Pet centar has also been seeing an increased demand for antiparasitics, which are essential veterinary medicinal products to protect the health of pets as well as that of their owners.
In order to adapt to the new coronavirus-induced circumstances, Pet centar has launched new services to assist with the supply of items for pets with minimised contact involved, including Buy and Pick up (Kupi i Pokupi), a contactless online order picking service in their stores. Live chat is also available to help less experienced shoppers make online purchases.
''This has proven that we can respond quickly and adapt to the new situation and direct our organisation to further meet customer needs. We're planning on introducing additional services and upgrading our existing ones to make it easier for our customers to make purchases,'' added Mirela Vujaklija, Pet centar's director.
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