Leaning into a new normal - life on the outside

I was meant to be jetting off to Nepal this evening, guiding for 360 Expeditions, with 3 raring to go clients for a trek to Everest Base Camp and then a wee climb up Island Peak. My 3 amigos have all transferred their expeditions to either later this year or 2021. Lee, who owns and runs the The Rustic Dish Ltd, is now heading up Mera Peak with me in October and we made a consolation trade of a fabulous pestle and mortar for a beer on the trail. I don't know about you but it's the little moments and thoughts of future goals that keep me going right now.

Last Friday I redirected my planned 10 photos and 500 words blog spot to chatting about my new normal as a Tesco Salisbury Extra colleague and life on the inside (of the store) check it out here if you have a spare minute - http://tiny.cc/klofmz - and now it's the turn of life on the outside as I've moved departments to be part of the Dotcom delivery team.

I'm working different shift patterns during my 34hr week including a couple of 10 hr days, an afternoon and a couple of lates which finish at 11pm. It means that I get 3 1/2 days free to crack on with projects and to catch up on some much needed sleep as well as earning enough to keep the wolf from the door. I'm nearly 1 week in and so far so good, I hope!

There's been a lot to learn but having had a past in retail, a lot is still relevant and crosses over from every other industry I've worked in. Good customer service is everything and good customers are certainly in abundance at the moment!

It's a strange world we live in right now, I know I don't need to point that fact out, but when you have to ask customers to either stay inside their homes or to keep 2 meters distance from you whilst you are delivering their groceries it feels like we are not giving the customer service we ought to but in fact, it's the best service we can possibly give.

Usually you'd unload the trays from your van and take them into the customer's house to help unpack but at the moment everything is being bagged in store when it is picked so we drop off at their front door, say a polite hello from a distance, advise the customers about the substituted items or those out of stock, say a polite goodbye and that's it. A nice chat occasionally too if they fancy it and a pat with their friendly dog (God I miss my dogs!) and then drive onto our next customer.

It's a very social job, to a point, and people really respect the distancing measures as it's there for their benefit as much as for ours but it is such a change from the norm that sometimes they forget. It's only natural and it feels weird asking them to, very politely, back off.

We're loading and unloading a tonne of groceries every morning, afternoon or evening shift and driving to places that I never knew existed. I saw a couple of deer last night in a field on the outskirts of Downton just before a firework went off and scared them away, I've cuddled an amazing black Cockapoo, I've been growled at by another dog (it must have been the high viz!) and have made sure dozens of customers are ok.

I don't know how long it will take for slots to become available or when there will be a a shorter lead time but I do know that Tesco Salisbury have taken on 16 additional drivers and a good few more vans are arriving over the next couple of days. It's not just the supply chain that needs to be able to catch up but it's also obtaining additional vans, training new drivers and getting the whole system to gel again.

I've met some really interesting people in Dotcom from those who already work for Tesco and my newbie colleagues who have had their work curtailed for now. Whenever I'm asked 'what did you do before' I reply 'I still am a....' which either kills the conversation or ignites further chats.

There's Simon who is a local professional photographer, Mike who is an audio systems engineer and Mark who is Sales Manager for a motorcycle dealership. They are not sure if their businesses or industries will survive this lock down but they know that it's an essential for our own survival.

With my last buddy shift being all day tomorrow and heading off to fly solo on Monday, I needed to upgrade my trainers to something a bit sturdier so today I dragged out my old walking boots which have been retired for a long time, gave them a spruce up and I will be donning them for my shift tomorrow. If I can't walk in the mountains then at least I can wear the boots that have taken me so many miles in the past.

Please please stay at home peeps. It's the only way.

#stayhome #staysafe #savelives Tesco