Spark says it has repurposed 39 of its retail stores and will open them tomorrow as non-contact, “emergency distribution centres” – closed to foot traffic but be available for bookings seven days a week for a “short window of time” each day in each location.
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Customers will be able to use the distribution centres for the likes of picking up a new SIM card or phone, or to replace a modem.
The Spark “emergency distribution centres” will be open seven days a week for a “short window of time” each day in each location.
What window of time exactly? Well, it’s a case of don’t just bowl up. Spark says anyone who needs to access a store first has to dial 123 to lodge a hardware fault or service request.
They will then be contacted by a Spark staffer who will tell them which store to turn up at and at what time.
The customer will then turn up to the designated store with photo ID, which will be held up to a window for a Spark employee to check.
The Spark staffer will then leave a bag containing product outside the door for the customer to collect. No foot traffic will be allowed, and security cameras will be in place.
• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government’s official Covid-19 advisory website
There is no online map to the open repurposed stores, to discourage people from wandering up on spec, in violation of the Government’s level 4 lockdown order.
Geoff Thorn, head of the pan-industry Telecommunications Forum, says Vodafone and 2degrees will shortly announce similar measures for no-contact stores.
