Change is the only constant, you gotta just Rowe with it!
Needless to say the last few months have been challenging for all of us, in so many ways. We all have had to embrace a great deal of changes at an astonishing rate. I would have never believed you if you told me las year that in a year’s time face covering would be mandatory in all enclosed public space, and that my summer holiday in Spain is cancelled!
As a business, we have experienced some difficult times in our 71-year history, the biggest learning point from it all is that we must embrace change, or risk being left behind. Change really is the only constant, the sooner we get used to it and becoming more adaptable, the better chance we have in achieving success.
In the last few months, we have had to make many changes in order to continue trading as a business. We installed safety measures in all of our shops to ensure everyone can practice safe social distancing. Changes were made operationally in order to reduce customer dwell time and to speed up transactions such as utilising contactless payments as much as possible. We started our own Cornwall delivery service which since early June expanded nationally. Whilst these changes seem small, a lot of hard work and thoughts had gone into it to make sure they are operationally sound and deliver that Rowe’s signature hospitality our customers love so much.
Did you know our delivery service in Cornwall had made nearly 1000 deliveries during lockdown? Our delivery drivers travelled 7500 miles (equivalent to a round trip from London to New York with miles left over!) between March and June bringing pasty cheer and love to many people who were in shielding or self-isolating. One of our colleagues described a heart warming moment when a lady waved at them through the windows after they made a delivery at a care home. Messages poured in from people all over Cornwall thanking us for bringing their favourite pasties to them and the warm service they received. So much so our delivery customer service telephone line became a bit of a hot line with many of our customers ringing up for a chat.
The community spirit really warmed our hearts too. We received numerous emails from Cornwall Emergency Services, Police and NHS workers thanking our staff for being there for them during the hardest times of their careers, and having a hot meal and some peace and quiet during a long and mad shift. One of the paramedics got in touch with us and said that our shop and staff had become a “beacon of light for me to which I am most looking forward to visiting during my long shift”. We are deeply grateful that we were able to provide some comfort for our front line workers at their darkest hour.
We are very proud of our Cornish roots and will continue to contribute to our communities to our best ability. This global pandemic will eventually pass and we will come through this stronger. All the changes we have to go through and adapt will only make us even better!
Lastly we just want to say thank you to all the amazing people at Camborne Town for their sterling support to local businesses, it is such a breath of fresh air! For all the readers out there, please continue to support your local businesses, because without you, we wouldn’t be here.
Our Facebook (Rowe’s Cornish Bakers) and Instagram (@rowes_bakery) are really quite fun to follow, not to mention there are amazing prizes to be won too! So give us a follow/like, interact with us, we love hearing from you! In fact if you are a new follower and quote CAMBORNE when you message us we will give you a surprise treat! Thank you for reading.
Stay safe & well.
Love from Rowe’s.