Esselunga Cuts Down The Woes Of Shopping Queues With The Ufirst App

Covid-19 has led to a larger uptick in grocery and food delivery vertical, and credit goes to online shopping apps. The retailers have stepped up their efforts and turned digital to meet the demands. This helps consumers to get essential goods and protect their well-being and health as well.

Italy is returning slowly to normality

Despite almost 29,000 Italians dying of COVID-19, now Italy has started slow returns to a normal routine. Almost two months after ordering Italians to stay home, Government on Monday eased a few restrictions. On the other hand, the excessive number of customers in the shops leaves Italy’s supermarket staff and customers overly exposed to the virus thereat. In such a tumultuous situation, grocery and food delivery apps have been a godsend for all of us. And it has not just met the demand of users, but also has helped people to maintain the social distance. In this run, the biggest Italian retail store chain Esselunga is guaranteeing the access to basic necessities, while keeping safety as a prime focus.

A quick tour of Esselunga

Esselunga is a first-ever Italian retail store chain. Founded in 1957 by Nelson Rockefeller, Bernardo, Guido and Claudio Caprotti, Marco Brunelli, the Crespi family, and other Italian associates. It captured the attention, as it introduced the concept of online shopping and self-produced organic products in Italy. Esselunga became the apple of the eye of every Milaneses, as it offers brand and goods through an online portal. It brings scrumptious food for Italians, who are usually very busy at work and have less time for cooking.

What more Esselunga has brought now?

The convenience of the shop online and receive products at home, was already practiced by Esselunga, but now following an agreement, a test has been started in few stores in Lombardy, Veneto, Tuscany, Lazio, and Piedmont. The essence of this test is all around to queue virtually by “physically” avoiding the queue in front of supermarkets. This will help both supermarkets and consumers to optimize time and practice safety.

How it will help?

The goal behind this step is to let Italians shop more peacefully. With the help of the application, users get a queue number. Further, they can monitor the “sliding” of the row remotely. This lets them maintain social distancing and only move out when necessary. Also, the geolocation in mobile device helps in locating the closest Esselunga supermarket.

Matteo Lentini, managing director of the app, stated, “In light of the current health emergency, we are particularly proud to take the field alongside a company like Esselunga which guarantees the access to basic necessities, at a time when the shopping rush is frenetic, putting the protection of health and that of its employees and customers first“.

How to download this app?

The app is free to download and is available on the Android and iOS stores. However, due to the test drive, at the moment it can only be used in some selected supermarkets only.

• Once users download the app, they can search for the Esselunga store closest to their home;
• They will get a virtual number to get in line;
• And, monitor the flow of customers;
• Leave the house only when they find their number getting closer.

The app ensures to send a notification to the users when their number is about to come. This helps users not to miss the chance and reach the supermarket on time.

Access services without installing the app

This portal offers ample of benefits to the users and helps customers to shop with Esselunga, who have not installed the app still. This app allows them to reserve a seat by communicating the phone number to the supermarket staff. Then, they receive an SMS with the progress of the position. Considering the accuracy in the queue, they can stay back or optimize their time by doing other jobs.

Why UFirst is selected?

This app is already a chosen online marketing tool for many other services, such as banks, pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics. It is used by 800,000 people in Italy to meet their daily needs.

Roberto Selva, Esselunga Chief Marketing & Customer Officer, mentioned, “From the beginning of the emergency –  the activation of protocols and tools for the safety of customers and employees has been our priority. The choice to digitize access to protect people’s health by respecting safety distances goes in this direction. The use of the app, currently being tested, also stems from the desire to improve the shopping experience of our customers “.

Food for thought

Amid Coronavirus retail business is looking forward to reviving the economy, but at the same time, wants to minimize the risk of a second wave of infections. Here online shopping app comes as a savior, hence it is highly recommended to embrace new online sales channels.  And get an online shopping app for your retail business, with a team of expert technocrats at Techugo.

Stay positive and think strategically, and help your business weather the storm with Techugo.