What should retailers do about social distancing renegades?


Last week, a security guard at a Family Dollar in Michigan was fatally shot after telling a customer to wear a face mask.
Other high-profile incidents involving rebellion against social distancing mandates:
- On May 6, a women shot a McDonald’s employee in Oklahoma City after being told the dining room was closed;
- On May 2, a man wiped his nose and face on a Dollar Tree worker’s shirt after being told in-store customers must wear a mask;
- On May 2, a man wore a Ku Klux Klan hood while shopping at a Vons a day after health officials in San Diego ordered face coverings to be worn in public;
- On May 2, an employee and customers at a Stop and Shop in Massachusetts tackled a man who coughed and spit on produce.
More common are the minor confrontations on selling floors between customers and associates or between customers over social distancing requirements.
“I think what you’re seeing in this situation is really what you’re seeing in a variety of situations across the country, which is this tension about opening and people’s concern about it,” said Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s CEO, in an interview on Good Morning America following the Oklahoma City incident.
In store aisles, it’s fairly common to see customers sidestepping workers restocking shelves or brushing by customers in violation of the six-feet apart rule. Incidents of shoppers openly or mistakenly disregarding one-way aisles have also been reported.
The more contentious issue is the requirement to wear masks in some states, cities and among a few chains, including Costco. The opposition comes from several sources. The New York Times reports, “The decision not to wear a mask has, for some, become a rebellion against what they regard as an incursion on their personal liberties. For many others, the choice is a casual one more about convenience than politics. The choice can also be a reflection of vanity, or of not understanding when or where to wear one.”
Store workers, who sometimes receive little training to resolve infractions, can overreact. Scott Nash, CEO of MOM’s Organic Market in the Mid-Atlantic region told the Associated Press he advises his staff to “use their common sense … Don’t be too lax and don’t be controlling or publicly shaming.”
- Store workers become enforcers of social distancing rules – Associated Press/Portland Press Herald
- Man tackled by Kingston Stop & Shop customers after allegedly coughing, spitting on produce – Boston 25 News
- Police: Woman coughed, spat on food in grocery claiming she had coronavirus – Fox19 Now
- McDonald’s Employee Is Shot After Store Is Partly Closed for Virus – The New York Times
- Grocery workers and customers say social distancing inside stores is difficult amid coronavirus pandemic – The Seattle Times
- Coronavirus: Man charged after wiping nose on Dollar Tree clerk who asked him to wear mask – WPXI
- McDonald’s CEO discusses impact of meat supply chain – Good Morning America
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: How should stores manage the minor and major confrontations stemming from social distancing mandates? What advice would you give to store associates who are asked to deal with infractions?
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44 Comments on "What should retailers do about social distancing renegades?"
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Founding Partner, Merchandising Metrics
Start by posting severely clear rules and expectations at the front door. And have mall security on speed dial.
CEO, The Customer Service Rainmaker, Rainmaker Solutions
Jeff, I agree with you. My concern is I believe many of the people we see violating the safety rules are doing it on purpose to create more chaos.
Founding Partner, Merchandising Metrics
There probably will be that level of malicious mischief. Those who want to engage in that kind of conduct can spend all the mask-free time they want at the local jail. Or they can mop the floors in the local ICU.
Director, Main Street Markets
It starts with proper training and reminders each work day with each member of the team working that day. If an employee has issues, they need to get management help ASAP to avoid any of the situations that have come up in the past few weeks.
Managing Partner Cambridge Retail Advisors
I would treat these people the same way I would shoplifters. The difference is that they may be stealing people’s lives rather than product. People seem to obey the rules at the beach — no shirt, no shoes, no service — so what’s so different about this? This appears to be a red/blue issue when in fact it is a serious health issue that discrediting science won’t solve as the short term result is death. People are freaking out because they have been cooped up for 60 days as evidenced by the scene at the local Mashpee, MA ice cream shop this weekend. Lets all just chill — summer is just around the corner.
Principal, Your Retail Authority, LLC
I could not say this any better!
Director, Retail Market Insights, Aptos
The issues of enforcing social distancing and safety precautions in the COVID-19 era are among the most difficult challenges facing store teams. Clearly confronting those who disregard or disobey the rules is risky, but allowing people to violate the rules is also risky – and potentially for far more people. Unfortunately, I don’t see any easy enforcement answers — store teams are damned if they do (enforce) and damned if they don’t.
Sales Development Manager
Store owners/managers who are lax on the rules are putting their staff in jeopardy – a customer who falls sick may have a hard time convincing a jury that the store was to blame, but an employee will have a much more convincing case. Long term, insurance companies are going to have to come down hard on the regions/operators who are putting health at risk by failing to use common sense.
Senior Vice President Marketing, PDI
There are going to be the renegades who go to a store with the goal of disruption – this is unfortunate and I’m not qualified to give advice on how to best avoid this disruption.
The best defense is a good offense. For more minor infractions, the ones that stem from consumers not knowing what’s expected, stores are best served by communicating their expectations before consumers get to the store. Social media, websites, PR, signage in front of the store, a location to pick up a flyer with store policies. From the minimal opportunity I’ve had to witness interactions, many store conflicts happen as folks are entering, because they weren’t aware of the policy. Stores should start there.
Principal, Cathy Hotka & Associates
“Social distancing renegades” are criminals. Period. No one has the right to endanger the health and livelihood of other people. Unfortunately, the Store Operations Council’s next iteration of the Reopening Retail Safely document will have to address violence visited on frontline workers who are merely doing their job.
CEO, The Customer Service Rainmaker, Rainmaker Solutions
The incident in the Michigan Government house is a solid example of violating other people’s health and lives.
Managing Director, GlobalData
Rules need to be clearly explained and posted so that everyone knows what is expected. The difference between requests and mandatory demands also needs to be clear as this can be a source of confusion.
Minor confrontations are reasonably easy to deal with and can be managed by shop-floor staff and management. Most people are reasonable and will listen and act on requests made of them.
Major confrontations should involve security or the police. And, frankly, they should end with customers being removed from stores and being given a ban. However the examples above emphasize the need for caution and, preferably, for stores to have some form of professional security team that can intervene.
Principal, Retailing In Focus LLC
VP of Strategy, Aptos
Principal, SSR Retail LLC
The major concern is over wearing masks. Just as store patrons are required to wear shirts and shoes, a mask requirement means they should be turned away at the door if they are unwilling to comply. Second, this should be handled at the door by qualified personnel. Most stores will not allow employees to apprehend shoplifters; neither should they be required to enforce rules that might put them in danger.
President, City Square Partners LLC
Retailers must post the rules outside the business, reinforce the rules in any marketing and then have a person greeting customers at the door to double-check for compliance. It is helpful if local or state governments set the rules, but this will not always be the case.
President, Mr. Checkout Distributors
It’s a double-edged sword with no good answer. You do not want your employees to be a police force but refusing social distancing is putting the population at whole at risk. I would recommend adding signage explaining what you require on the door and enforcing the policy from the management level.
Managing Partner, Retail Consulting Partners (RCP)
Consulting Partner, TCS
Posting rules clearly at the entrance in unambiguous terms would help tremendously.
The confusion stems from some states “encouraging” as opposed to “mandating.” Coupled with that, if the stores don’t post rules for their facility it is a recipe for trouble.