The importance of being a Sendial volunteer

By Anne Draper

Helen Parker, in her sixth year of Sendial at Thrifty Foods community service program, offering telephone shopping and delivery of fresh groceries for customers prevented from in-store shopping by long term and short term disabilities, is one of James Bay Community's many committed volunteers. Helen takes care of the store team with two or three telephone operators plus shoppers who vary in number. Shopping for others is not an easy task. Time and patience are needed to provide quality service and the continuity of committed volunteers helps to keep customer communication a friendly service.

Launched in 1987 by Fairfield store customer Prue Cunningham, Sendial has grown to 2400 customers with over 650 volunteers processing 1,200 weekly orders in BC. Do you love to shop and talk? Or do you love to play detective and ask questions about specific details? There are dozens of varieties of milk, bread, coffee, tea, fish, meat, cat food, etc. stocked on store shelves, and customers are often called back to confirm that the right product is picked. Options of available products are offered when a call-back happens. Friendly relationships are formed with regular customers and are at times the only communication a customer receives that day. Sendial helps to keep communities engaged and connected through the loyal and friendly telephone and delivery service of volunteers. Sendial Program Coordinator Lyanne Smith can be reached at Thrifty Foods Customer Service 250-544-1234 or 1-800-667-8280.

To apply for Sendial Service on line Click on Our Services, then Sendial. Complete the form, and send to Customer Service or drop off at any Thrifty Foods location.