Aisles of smiles as sanitising service reassures supermarket customers

Thursday 28 May, 2020

Josephine Gudoy with a staff member at Oamaru’s Northside New World

It’s what they are saying about her work that’s putting a big smile on Josephine Gudoy’s face.

Normally she comes in after everyone has gone, but Josephine is now highly visible at Oamaru’s Northside New World supermarket, where she can be seen sanitising areas frequently touched by customers and staff.

Whether it’s wiping down the checkouts or cleaning trolleys, it’s a job that’s appreciated, says Josephine. “The staff and customers tell me I’m doing a great job. They say they appreciate what I am doing here.

“In particular, I get a lot of feedback from the customers and they thank me for keeping them safe. It really lifts me up hearing such nice comments.”

Nicky Kramers, CrestClean’s Dunedin Regional Manager, is not surprised by the feedback. She’s seen a huge increase in enquiries from new and existing customers about sanitising and extra cleaning.

“Like New World, we are getting heaps of customers wanting to implement an extra daytime clean. With some large businesses we look after we are now going in to carry out three cleans a day for them.”

With COVID-19 uppermost in people’s minds, having extra cleaning at a busy workplace makes perfect sense, she says.

“It’s all about awareness. In those businesses where people are around all day the visibility of having our people there doing the sanitising brings peace of mind.”

Josephine and her husband Nasser have been with CrestClean for just six months. But the couple have made a big impression with the quality of their work and their commitment, says Nicky.

“They are extremely hard working and a very personable couple. I’m really happy to have them in our team.

“They are a great partnership and they have certainly made a big impression with their customers and are well regarded.”