Workshops have ‘vital role’ in COVID-19 lockdown – First Line

As workshops have a vital role to ensure the country keeps moving during this challenging period, they are one of the few businesses officially allowed to stay open amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. To show its support for the important part they play, First Line Ltd is offering advice as to how technicians can stay safe, as well as standing alongside them to continue to supply the parts they need to effectively continue to run their businesses.

First and foremost, it’s important for workshops, and their supplying motor factors, to keep staff and customers as safe as possible by keeping their distance, washing their hands regularly and isolating themselves if they, or anyone they come into contact with, is feeling ill and/or showing coronavirus symptoms.

First Line’s advice to workshops is to consider every possible contact point with their customers and ensure that, where possible, this can be replaced with zero-contact alternative solutions. This will include all habitual exchanges that now need thought and consideration to stop or prevent this virus from spreading, whilst still being able to carry on providing essential repairs and services.

Typical situations where change can benefit will be occurrences such as vehicle handovers, payment exchanges, surface touching, close contact and receiving of goods. Therefore, new processes will need to be put in place to minimise contact, encourage social distancing and maintain a clinical working environment. The sooner the industry as a whole adheres to the guidelines, the sooner it can get back to normal.

In the meantime, where it’s business as usual for workshops, First Line will remain open and operational throughout this pandemic (except for an enforced closure) to provide vital supply chain solutions to its factor customer base and subsequently, on to the workshop. The company will be following government guidelines by enabling as many staff as possible to work from home, which includes establishing a remote call centre, enabling them to continue to serve customers in a socially isolated environment.

Managing director, Dan Joyner, said: “Our warehouse continues to operate at optimum performance, ensuring our customers receive above 96 per cent order fill and goods continue to be dispatched on a daily basis.

“Our business is open as usual, receiving orders and shipping products to our global customer base. From everyone at First Line Ltd, we wish you and your families well and together let’s keep the network moving.”