As I've shared in the past, the articles that you see in our magazine are completed typically two months before the magazine hits the streets. For that reason, it's often a challenge to decide on what to write about and the pandemic that began a few months ago (longer depending on your source) was a good example of that.
Who knew then the challenges we would face as an industry or how things would turn out?
I must share that I am impressed with the solutions many of you came up with to keep your shops going. But I'm not surprised. The same entrepreneurial spirit that helped you overcome a variety of business challenges in the past took hold and helped you do the same when faced with one of the most serious challenges of our lifetimes. You began to offer pick-up and delivery services, or partnered with local Uber and Lyft operators to provide the same, to your customers. You began to provide curb-side drop off and delivery, accepting payment electronically, cleaning and sanitizing their vehicles prior to the vehicle's return.
Some businesses weren't as fortunate as yours, though. Restaurants and bars were forced to close their dining areas and limit their income opportunities to takeout and/or delivery. Once open, at least here in my home state of Florida, they were limited to 25% capacity in their dining areas with the exception of outside dining, as long as the 6-foot distance rule was maintained. Yet many decided not to open at all. And one reason that I heard repeatedly on the news was the potential liability should a customer come later and claim they were infected at their place of business.
Have you considered that in your own plan?
Keeping you and your customers safe
One concern related to the present pandemic (as of this writing) is the impact we might expect in the fall when the flu season begins once more. It doesn't seem that the COVID-19 infection rate can be discounted and if most of us become docile about protecting ourselves and others from infection, we could find ourselves right back at the starting line.
Your customers want to know what you are doing to insure their welfare while they, and their vehicle are in your care. So, appealing to the technician in all of us, let's first understand the concern and then create a plan to diagnose and correct it!
The virus itself is believed to be primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Should these droplets find their way into your respiratory system - by mouth, nose or inhaled - it is highly likely you could become infected.
Another thing we learned is that is possible for people to carry the virus and never display any symptoms. That means you really can't tell if the customer in front of you, or the tech working in the bay next to you, is infected or not. Best to think that everyone, including you, is and proceed accordingly.
Finally, we learned that another potential means of becoming infected (though not as common) is touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching your own mouth or nose.
Now some key things you can do to be effective at controlling the risk of exposure in your business.
Tips that will make your customers and your staff safer
Yes, I know - some of these steps you've already heard but you have to follow them to stay safe. In all cases, follow the current CDC guidelines and recommendations. There are some excellent resources on the CDC website.
1. Using a temporal thermometer, take your staff's - and your - temperature every morning. Anyone with a fever goes home and seeks medical attention. Don't take illness among your staff lightly.
2. Stress the need to wash hands frequently and thoroughly, at least 20 seconds with hot water and soap. In the absence of soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
This is even more necessary in a shop environment. Techs know not to touch a customer's interior with greasy hands and to use floor mats, steering wheel and seat covers to do the same. And it's easy to see when dirt is on your hands - not so much when it's a virus.
Gloves are one possible solution that may minimize the need to wash hands but the biggest issue here is still the same - cross contamination of surfaces.
Consider having one team member assigned to move the cars in and out of the shop. The vehicle should be disinfected prior to entering the shop and then again prior to delivery to the customer.
3. Stick to social distancing guidelines. If that's not possible, use a face mask to interact with customers and staff and require staff to do the same. And no, it is not OK to pull the mask down to talk to someone in person OR on the phone. You may even consider requiring your customers to do the same and provide them with fresh, disposable masks at the service counter.
Why?
Keep in mind that the idea with facemasks is not so much as to protect you from someone who is infected but to protect those around you from you in case you are infected. Think of it this way. If you and someone else are facing each other, and that person spits at you - you're going to get spit on. If you have a mask on and they don't - you're still going to get spit on but hopefully not nearly as much. If you both have masks on, you won't get spit on at all. And that's the best scenario!
4. Have a cleaning plan.
Many of you have made it a point to clean almost to the point of obsession. And that's not a bad thing - if you're cleaning the right things and using something that will actually kill the virus.
Look around your shop and see what high contact items you have that you can eliminate or control. For example, get rid of the magazines in the waiting room and keep the TV remote behind the service counter OR close the waiting area completely. It will help reduce the time needed to keep these potential infection zones clean.
Then identify what other areas around the shop may need special attention. Phones, credit card machines, Point Of Sale stations - just a few that come to mind. The CDC has an excellent resource that will not only help you identify what areas around the shop need special attention, but also in setting up a schedule to insure that those high traffic areas are not overlooked. Here's the link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/cleaning-disinfecting-decision-tool.html
I know what you're thinking. "Pete, I got that covered! We've been on a cleaning schedule for the last few months!"
Two questions for you then, my friend. What are you cleaning with and how are you using that product?
There is a big difference between "sanitizing" and "disinfecting". Sanitizing a surface makes that surface sanitary or free of visible dirt contaminants that could affect your health. Sanitizing is meant to reduce, not kill, the occurrence and growth of bacteria, viruses and fungi. Disinfecting a surface will “kill” the microscopic organisms as claimed on the label of a particular product.
And not all disinfectants are the same. I found one popular brand, for example, that offered nearly twenty different aerosol disinfectant cleaners yet only three were approved for use against the coronavirus.
The EPA offers a list of approved products that will help you select what's best for you. You can access the info on the EPA's website at epa.gov/listn.
A common mistake I'm willing most are making is on the contact time you're allowing for the product to work. Even with some hospital grade disinfectants, the product has to sit "wet" on the surface for up to 10 minutes to effectively disinfect the surfaces. A simple spray and wipe is just not enough to kill most forms of bacteria or viruses - let alone COVID-19.
My last tip is to make sure you let your customers know the steps you are taking are in accordance with both CDC and EPA recommendations. Let them know you know the difference between cleaning a surface and disinfecting one. Let them know that any vehicle problem they bring to you will be professionally handled and returned in as safe a manner as possible.
Let them know you care.
