Super Retail chief Anthony Heraghty’s touch-free solution

Super Retail CEO Anthony Heraghty is doing everything he can to save jobs — and he might have found the solution.

Super Retail CEO Anthony Heraghty Picture: AAP

Super Retail Group chief executive Anthony Heraghty, whose retail chains include Rebel, ­Supercheap Auto, Macpac and Boating Camping Fishing, is doing everything he can to save the jobs of the 12,000 people who work for him — and he might have just found the solution.

While all around him retailers are closing, sending staff home and, in some instances, refusing to pay rent due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mr Heraghty is clinging to the notion that the products and services his stores offer are an essential cog in keeping Australia’s economy running, not to mention the wages of the thousands of people he employs.

And so Super Retail began introducing contact-free “click and collect online” sales from Monday at more than 400 Supercheap Auto and BCF stores across Australia, to help stop the spread of COVID-19 while continuing to provide customer access to essential products.

The click-and-collect arrangements will ensure there is no person-to-person contact between Super Retail team members and customers. Online customers using click-and-collect will be able to pick up their purchases without leaving their cars as designated areas in store carparks will be set aside as pick-up zones for items purchased online.

“Total employee base across the group is just above 12,000 people. We have always tried to be pretty customer-focused, and following government guidelines we are seeing (customer) visitations reduce dramatically and so by ­offering this service it lets the customer have access to all the range online but the convenience of picking it up today,’’ Mr Heraghty told The Australian.

Shoppers can still enter Super Retail stores, with the retailer managing in-store traffic to maintain social-distancing laws.

Customers using the contactless service will be able to call the store from their mobile phone, show their identification through a closed car window and a team member will load their purchases directly into the boot.

“The health and wellbeing of our retail team, customers, trade partners and the general community is our No 1 priority in the current environment,” Mr Heraghty said. “These new contact-free click-and-collect measures will help ensure we are playing our part in helping stop the spread of COVID-19 while continuing to provide essential and self-sufficiency products.”

Mr Heraghty also said many of his chains offered essential services, with the retailer noticing a spike in demand for various self-sufficiency products such as portable stoves, gas refills and generators.

“The essential nature of many products supplied by Supercheap Auto and BCF remains important to the day-to-day safety and wellbeing of our customers,” he said. “There has been an increase in demand for essential and self-sufficiency products.

“These items include portable gas and fuels, camping stoves, batteries, gas refills, generators, refrigeration equipment, hygiene products (sanitisers and wipes), water filters, water-purifying products, portable toilets and solar energy panels. Our contact-free click-and-collect service will enable ongoing access to these ­essential products.”