This billionaire hired a team of mystery shoppers to check out how stores were handling the crisis.

Thought it was very interesting...

[blogmaverick.com]

Wow, shockingly poor adherence to protocol for social distancing.

And yet more low wage workers put at high risk, in an industry famous for not paid leave or sick leave of any sort.

What an excellent read. I fully respect and admire the source there, too.

I think we are going to see this everywhere. Even if companies are creating standards to match the new protocols...the staff are not being trained in adherence.

After a single night at a hotel I had to be at over the weekend, I was shocked at how badly the new protocols were being followed/enforced. People were drinking in the lobby without masks, and housekeepers were leaving towels and sheets exposed in the hallways where the drinking/unmasked patrons were hanging out. I was prepared to complain to the manager at check out, but when I approached him, the only think I could say was, "Sir, you realize the mask has to go over your nose for it to be effective, right?"

Many employees are clueless, and putting both themselves and the customers in danger....

Well it's nice to see that he found a use for his billions but all I see is a bunch of random "Statistics" that may or may not be accurate or objective. Great. More numbers I really didn't need in my head. But someone calling him "Karen" made it worth the read!

That just backs up what the spouse and I have been saying. It is way too early to reopen.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

I think we are going to see this everywhere. Even if companies are creating standards to match the new protocols...the staff are not being trained in adherence.

After a single night at a hotel I had to be at over the weekend, I was shocked at how badly the new protocols were being followed/enforced. People were drinking in the lobby without masks, and housekeepers were leaving towels and sheets exposed in the hallways where the drinking/unmasked patrons were hanging out. I was prepared to complain to the manager at check out, but when I approached him, the only think I could say was, "Sir, you realize the mask has to go over your nose for it to be effective, right?"

Many employees are clueless, and putting both themselves and the customers in danger....

I agree that some are clueless but others are self-centered and it does not apply to them it is for everyone else to do.

@2stepps wrote:

I agree that some are clueless but others are self-centered and it does not apply to them it is for everyone else to do.

You're right! And it for JUST that reason that this pandemic will not release its stranglehold on us for months--if not longer. Some people are just so selfish, and their lack of consideration for others will literally kill.

I recently did a takeout mystery shop for a small chain of restaurants and had plenty of "no" answers when it came to following the chain's COVID-19 policies.

Meanwhile, a local ice cream shop attempted to open using an order ahead system and closed after one day because customers were so nasty to the employees.

1. Did everyone who responded to the linked article get only one response? I read it too early in the morning and have forgotten everything except the widely different ideas there. Anyway, we could try something like that here: One response per person per thread, generally. Maybe. If anyone else likes it, that is.

2. Was it realistic to expect-- even tacitly-- that re-opening would be perfect, seamless, smooth, and robotic instead of human?

3. Where is the hope and encouragement for anything that went well or needs only little change? I always want that... and I am probably living on the wrong planet!

@SteveSoCal, I'm curious about the reasons folks are staying in hotels these days. I know some stay for prevention reasons due to the pandemic, but lots of others have other reasons. If you don't mind me asking, why did you stay at a hotel?

@MSF wrote:

I'm curious about the reasons folks are staying in hotels these days. I know some stay for prevention reasons due to the pandemic, but lots of others have other reasons.

My parents live on the other end of the state. Both are in their late 80's and have health issues that leave them highly susceptible...so I only felt comfortable visiting with them from a 6-foot distance in an outdoor area. My sister has been shouldering the burden of caring for them while also working full time, so I took the weekend to pitch in with some of the things that have been piling up, since we have basically put them on house arrest for the remainder of the year.

I really didn't want to stay at the hotel, and in the course of trying to safeguard my family, I probably put myself in danger. Hoping that being able to see me on Mother's Day made the confinement a little less traumatic for my parents. The whole experience was very difficult for me, though...

I have been sheltering at home while only going to the grocery store about once a week since this began, and all of my social and work interaction has been through Zoom. This was also my first experience ordering from a restaurant, or basically going anywhere since the lockdown. First time visiting a gas station, going to a Starbucks drive-through, or seeing different parts of the state. I wasn't emotionally prepared for the reality of the 'new normal'. In my home, things are basically the same as always. Outside my home...it's Hollywood. It's normally a circus anyway, so seeing people in masks and lines for groceries almost feels like part of the local flavor. Honestly, there were some people in masks before the pandemic!

Part of my shock was seeing the massive difference in how guidelines are handled in different locations. Part was the shock of being handed a straw without asking for one. Seeing so few cars on the road, gas prices from the 90's, and lines everywhere for the supplies I was collecting for my parents. The devastation to our lifestyle really hit me, and having to leave without being able to hug my parents goodbye drove it home.

FYI I am very familiar with him and his case. He has also kept his staff and staff from the arena ( janitors up) paid during the outbreak. In addition, he and his players have supplied food and handed out food at multiple food drives for those in need. He has spoken out against opening up too early, something that had a direct impact on his team playing soon. Not sure what other billionaires are doing, as some may be anonnomous.

@sestrahelena wrote:

Well it's nice to see that he found a use for his billions but all I see is a bunch of random "Statistics" that may or may not be accurate or objective. Great. More numbers I really didn't need in my head. But someone calling him "Karen" made it worth the read!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2020 04:28PM by CureMS.

Not sure what the complaint about "statistics" is about. Seems to me like reasonable methodology to try to get an understanding about what businesses are doing. The sample size is large and they disclosed their methods. What more do you want?

Data like this seems to be good for informing public health. Wish this was done in more places.

@ack1 wrote:

Not sure what the complaint about "statistics" is about. Seems to me like reasonable methodology to try to get an understanding about what businesses are doing. The sample size is large and they disclosed their methods. What more do you want?

Data like this seems to be good for informing public health. Wish this was done in more places.

Not just to inform public health, but to inform the operator / corporate about how individual stores are following the procedures put in place to protect staff and customers. It is in the best interest of the company to ensure all protocols are followed and understood so that their brand image doesn't get torn apart if someone posts something similar on social media or gets sick.

I think we'll begin to see more "mystery safety audits" for restaurants and other establishments in the coming months, especially with implementation of new protocols for employees.

Having worked in several different large companies in my life I, as someone who always wants to know both the big picture and the "trees" so to speak, have always been amazed that so many places limit information to what they call need to know. In the case of the lower level workers and even mid level they sometimes just lay out the rules without any thought to letting those who are carrying out the rules the reasoning behind them and how the rules and the employees fit into the big picture. It is no wonder to me that employees might not follow the rules to a t as they are often not educated as to the effect of them, not to mention that many in this case consider this pandemic to be overblown. My own neighbors seem to think masks, store closings, stay at home orders etc are all ridiculous because none of us are going to get sick. And they are well educated people who until now I saw in a different light.