By 8:00 AM sharp, the front doors of the grocery store were unlocked. Within an hour, a few custors ca in. There were so regulars who entered, shopping just after a run or their workout session.
They greeted the guard with a familiar nod and glanced curiously at the booth by the entrance.
However, even if there were so custors around, before soone could physically check out, a soft chi ca from the overseers’ monitors on the side.
Ding.
The system dashboard lit up.
[Order #0001 – 2x Fresh Milk, 1x Brown Bread, 1x Bananas, 1x 200g Oatal]
For a split second, no one moved. The overseers just stared at the screen as if they couldn’t believe it.
Then one of them gasped.
"Manager! We got our first live order!"
The room ca alive instantly. Joel, who had been standing at the side, rushed over to check the screen.
Joel’s eyes widened. However, before he could dwell on it further, he tapped the guy’s back.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Go! Process it!"
"Yes, Manager!" the staff answered out loud.
Gray, who had been in his office, also got the news.
"Sir, we got our first order!" Joel updated him in real ti.
Gray quickly straightened his back, and his pulse quickened after hearing it.
"Good. Make sure it’s packed well," he said firmly. "Let’s set the tone right from the start."
"Yes, Sir!"
The order ticket was printed and handed off to the packers. The team in the back moved fast. One of them grabbed the bread, another went to the milk section, and a third picked out good bananas from the fresh rack.
They placed everything on the packing table and made sure they were nice before bagging everything neatly inside a plastic bag. Afterward, they put on the receipt and set it to the side.
"Order #0001 ready for pickup!" the packer announced, raising the bag proudly.
The overseer logged it in.
"Alright. It’s done. Order’s synced. The driver has already been assigned. He’s on the way now. Will arrive in 5 minutes."
Everyone exhaled almost at the sa ti.
Then another chi sounded.
Ding.
[Order #0002 – 1x Salmon, 1x Lemon, 1x Garlic, 1x Fresh Dill, 1x Butter]
The two overseers looked at each other, grinning nervously.
"Here we go."
The staff moved quickly again. They took everything first before getting the salmon. They even used Ice packs and a small insulated bag for the fish so it remains cold.
"We’re done again! The location is just on the sa street, so the driver for both orders is the sa."
"Alright!"
"The driver is coming soon. Can soone deliver the bag to the door?"
"Sure!"
All the staff were enthusiastic.
By the ti the Jet2 driver stepped into the loading bay, both orders were already waiting for him.
Joel clapped at the workers.
"Good job. That’s how it’s done."
But the system didn’t wait for them to savor the mont.
Ding.
Ding.
Ding.
Three more orders rolled in back-to-back. There were orders of snacks, toiletries, vegetables, and a case of bottled water.
The overseers called them out, one after another, their voices rising with excitent.
"Order #0003 is live!"
"Order #0004 is a big cart, people!"
"Order #0005, already in the queue!"
Gray, who seed to be uneasy in his office, ca out to also check what had been happening so far. He found himself pacing without realizing it. His gaze flicked between the overseers’ screens and the packing tables.
He didn’t interfere, though. He just wanted to see if the training and preparation were paying off.
To his quiet relief, it was.
The staff moved together in unison. They passed bags, sealed orders, and logged updates. The drivers ca in at short intervals, scanning QR codes and picking up the neatly lined packages.
The once-quiet loading bay now looked like a mini distribution hub.
Even Mara, who had been calmly observing with her tablet, couldn’t hide her smile.
"Gray," she said softly, leaning close, "look at them. They’re actually enjoying this."
Gray nodded. He was also surprised to see them enjoying.
The excitent on the staff’s faces wasn’t just about work. It was pride. Pride in being part of sothing new, sothing that felt bigger than just stocking shelves and scanning barcodes.
And when the overseer announced, "Ten orders completed within the first 3 hour!" the small team erupted in cheers.
Joel raised his fist in the air.
"That’s the spirit! Keep this up, and we’ll show everyone why this store deserves to be on the map."
Gray couldn’t help but smile faintly, the tension in his chest loosening just a little.
It was still the beginning, but the first wave had gone better than he could’ve hoped.
There was a mont of silence for the next hour. However, when lunchti arrived, more orders ca in.
The overseers barely had ti to look at each other before calling out the next number.
"Order #0016 has five items, mostly produce!"
"Order #0017. Order has household cleaning supplies, let’s go!"
"Order #0018. Oh, this one’s a bulk order!"
It didn’t take long before they realized that people weren’t just ordering essentials, they were stocking up.
Gray suspected it had a lot to do with the first-day discount they had rolled out.
For every online order placed that day, custors automatically got 15% off their total bill. It wasn’t a huge number, but it was enough to make people fill their carts a little more than they normally would.
It was Mara’s idea to push for it, but Gray didn’t hesitate to approve it.
"Yes, we’ll take a small dip in profit today," he had told Joel the night before, "but if we can make them try the service once, they’ll rember how convenient it is. And when they co back next week without a discount, that’s when we make it up."
Joel, who was now watching the flow of orders with folded arms, gave a small smirk. He glanced to the side and looked at Gray.
"Looks like your gamble’s paying off, Boss."
He wasn’t wrong.
So custors were already leaving feedback through the app, praising the quick delivery and neatly packed items. One even ntioned they were surprised to get their groceries faster than their coffee delivery.
The staff, anwhile, had fully locked into their work. The initial excitent had settled into focused efficiency. Each person knew exactly where to stand, when to move, and how to hand things off without bumping into each other.
Even the drivers seed impressed. One of them, while scanning a pickup, muttered sothing to Gray.
"Sir, your team’s fast. I don’t usually see stores ready before I even park my bike."
"That’s what we’re aiming for," he replied with a small, proud smile.
By noon, the counter on the overseers’ dashboard showed 32 completed orders.
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