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'The uptake has been unbelievable, we are run off our feet'

Evans Educational has a crafty response to Covid-19, switching from supplying schools to helping parents occupy their kids.

FEW IRISH BUSINESSES have been unaffected by the coronavirus outbreak and the public health measures necessitated by it.

For some, the blow won’t be felt for a few months. For others, the consequences were immediate and the need for adaptation instantaneous. Dublin-based Evans Educational Ltd — which sells arts, crafts and educational supplies — is certainly in the latter camp.

While the nation was watching Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announce the closure of all schools and creches a fortnight ago, Breda Gibson, general manager, was watching her customer base evaporate into thin air.

Gibson explained to Fora that primary schools, teachers and creches make up 98% of the firm’s clientele.

“We were all standing here in the warehouse when that was announced on the Thursday night,” she said.

Normally at this time of year, the company would be busy with orders for Easter-themed craft materials, lino-printing sets for junior cert art exams and end-of-year awards for primary school students.

“We thought that maybe (the closures) would happen but we’d be given notice or maybe they’d just extend the Easter holiday.” But right there and then, ”our business just stopped,” Gibson explained.

Gibson has worked for the family-run business — owned by mother and son duo Gerald and Noreen O’Rourke — for 40 years. It employs 12 people at its warehouse in Finglas and for Gibson and the owner-directors, letting people go during the crisis was never an option “because we need our staff,” she said.

So instead of shutting up shop, Gibson came up with an idea to “keep the business up running and to get some kind of cash flow going.”

Overnight, Evans Educational changed tack, identifying a new customer base – beleaguered parents looking after bored children, who are stuck at home.

“We knew there’s going to be a limited amount of money as well because a lot of parents who are now at home and now are also unemployed.”

Bearing this in mind, Gibson and O’Rourke hatched a plan to pivot to home delivery with an emphasis on value.

With the help of their warehouse operatives, they began putting together arts, crafts and educational materials packs, pricing them at €20 and marketing them directly to parents on the company’s website and Facebook page.

“We find that the one thing that people hate paying for is delivery. So then we decided, because we have our own van driver here, we’d offer free delivery on any order of €20 or over,” Gibson told Fora.

Although the firm looked into setting up a card payment system on its website, it was decided to keep things as simple as possible.

“Before (the delivery driver) goes out, we ring the customer and just say, look, we have your order ready.’ And they just give us a card over the phone,” she said. This also helps ensure that there is no contact between the driver and the customer.

Gibson said that the firm has been very fortunate to keep the warehouse up and running, while also abiding by social distancing rules. Some staff have also taken holiday leave to help with this.

“We’re very lucky because the store is very big so there’s plenty of room for everyone to move around in it. We were a bit worried about the kitchen because everyone likes to meet together, but now we’re doing (breaks) it in twos,” she said.

So far, Gibson said that the move has been a hit with new customers. “The uptake has been unbelievable — we’re run off our feet. Our Facebook page has been getting more hits and we’re hitting more people and asking them to tag us.”

“If we’re going to stay open, (customers) will come back,” she said. “We’re not closing down. We’re not letting anyone go away. Because we need our staff. And it’s only because of the staff that we’re able to do what we’re doing today.”

Get our Daily Briefing with the morning’s most important headlines for innovative Irish businesses.

Written by Ian Curran and posted on Fora.ie

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    Mute James Johnson
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    Apr 18th 2023, 2:14 PM

    I need to Transition to the Warm weather in France or Spain. How much do we get?

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    Apr 18th 2023, 1:58 PM

    It’s funny how Journal commenters just go on the attack when ever there’s a mention of climate change.
    I’m assuming this kind of funding will help olive farmers in Spain where their crops were totally devastated last year, producing almost 50% less than usual.
    Or maybe our own farmers who had a fodder crisis caused by weather events in 2012/2013 and needed to be bailed out by the taxpayer. These kinds of crises are predicted to become more and more common.
    Or maybe logistics companies on the Rhine last summer who couldn’t move anything because the river ran almost completely dry in parts.
    But yes it’s all a scam by Eamon Ryan so you’ll have to live in communist 15 minute cities.

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    Mute Donal Ronan
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    Apr 18th 2023, 4:24 PM

    ‘through auctioning industrial emissions allowances’
    Who do you think is going to pay for this? They are just copying the Greens playbook, more taxes or costs.
    Still waiting for Eamon Ryan to tell us where the hundreds of thousands of Green jobs have been created in Ireland.

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Apr 18th 2023, 6:42 PM

    That’s over half of the EU budget ffs, is it any wonder the Brits left.

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    Mute Ned
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    Apr 18th 2023, 4:06 PM

    Nothing new there, dreamers all of them.

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    Mute David Mercedes
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    Apr 18th 2023, 5:54 PM

    Another comment deleted for pointing out the truth, no free press in Ireland.

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    Mute declan hassett
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    Apr 18th 2023, 6:07 PM

    @David Mercedes: I get a free paper in cork , it’s sh#*¥E but it’s free.

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    Mute declan hassett
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    Apr 18th 2023, 6:37 PM

    @087mail: I would have if he had one

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Apr 18th 2023, 7:26 PM

    “Together, we will make Europe the first climate neutral continent” – Before Africa and Antarctica, yeah, dream on Ursula Andress!

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    Mute P. V. Aglue
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    Apr 18th 2023, 3:12 PM

    They’ll buy a lot of firepower with that.

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    Mute JC O'Connachain
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    Apr 18th 2023, 1:29 PM

    I hope the funds for developing countries actually start happening too, to the promised levels. Steps away from fossil fuels are starting in developed countries but developing countries like India, with a population that nearly 20% of the world, really need the funds as they are going to become more harmful to the climate as they copy our lifestyles when they become developed countries

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