Dear All,
I wanted to update those within our network, including employees, customers and suppliers, with a brief update on our position with regards to COVID-19.
Firstly, due to the increase in confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the UK we want to ensure that all of our engineers, delivery drivers, kitchen and appliance installers and office staff across our businesses are looking after themselves and our customers. This is our top priority and we have therefore implemented a number of changes, outlined below.
My team and I have been having regularly meetings to assess and deploy the necessary actions relating to safeguarding of our employees, customers and suppliers. We have introduced a number of additional policies and procedures; some of which I have shared below, along with providing additional information/education to our staff.
Public Health England (PHE) recommends that the following general cold and flu precautions are taken to help prevent people from catching and spreading COVID-19:
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze. See Catch it, Bin it, Kill it
- Put used tissues in the bin straight away
- Wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available. See Hand Washing Guidance
- Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
- Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.
Field Teams & Working in Customers’ homes
When scheduling appointments for field team employees we are asking two questions;
- Have they had to seek medical advice resulting in them being advised to self-isolate or have you decided to self-isolate as a result of potential coronavirus contact?
- Have they returned from a visit abroad known to be considered at risk of the coronavirus within the last 14 days?
If either of the answers to these two questions is yes, unfortunately we are having to hold these jobs until we have had confirmation after 14 days that all is well; confirmed by asking the above to questions and ensuring anyone with symptoms begins a further isolation period of 14 days.
Once an appointment has been confirmed we are advising all customers that our engineers will ask to wash their hands on arrival to their property; with anti-bacterial handwash which they will be carrying with them. They also have the use of disposable gloves; which should be used where possible to further reduce the risk of contamination.
Office Teams
Office staff are required to wash their hands on arrival to our business premises and when re-entering rooms. They are required to disinfect their own desks upon arrival each morning; and additional cleaning of high contact areas, such as door handles, are to be completed throughout the day. We are also making provisions to allow staff to work from home, where possible.
Business Operation
Unfortunately, due to the current situation we are experiencing a backlog of jobs and increased waiting times for our customers across our kitchen, appliance and appliance repair services/products. We apologise for any inconvenience caused whilst we continue to operate with the safety of all being at the forefront of our decision making.
Thank you for your support and understanding during these difficult times,
Michael Garrett
Managing Director, Garretts