In early 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of a new disease called COVID-19. WHO stated that there is a high chance of the virus spreading to other countries, which raised major concern to many countries around the world. Eight months later, there are already 20,000,000 infected people registered all around the globe, 5 million of whom are in the USA.
It’s no secret that small businesses struggle due to the impact of COVID-19. Many companies have already closed down these past few months, and some are barely surviving.
As a moving contractor, your job involves interacting with the customer face-to-face. Clients need to have trust in your company not only to provide a quality service but also to know that you follow the CDC guidelines for virus spread prevention. Then and only then, will they feel comfortable enough to hire you for a moving job.
In this blog, we will cover the general and moving industry-specific practices for COVID-19 spread prevention.
Virus Spread Prevention Practices
#1 Best Practices
We have all heard these a handful of times, but we should be reminded now and again because we are human after all. As humans, we are bound to make mistakes due to neglecting what is happening around us, and that is normal.
We advise you to:
- Wash your hands each time you finish using objects
- Keep a safe distance of 6ft away from people
- Cover your nose and mouth with a certified mask
- Cover your face when you sneeze or cough
- Clean and disinfect surfaces you have touched with quality sanitizers (at least 60% alcohol)
- Keep track of your health daily
#2 Standard Moving Practices You Must Follow:
As a moving business owner, you should:
- Keep your trucks disinfected – it is mandatory to disinfect your trucks after finishing a job
- Teach your employees – train them the best up-to-date practices for workplace hygiene and encourage them to follow strict safety protocols
- Wear PPE gear – masks, gloves, and disposable/protective coveralls for you and your employees during work
- Use disinfectant wipes – during work your employees should clean highly touched surfaces and then continue their work
- Monitor your employees daily – If your workers have been exposed to or have shown symptoms of COVID-19, they must be advised to be examined by a doctor immediately
#3 Safety and Control Procedures for Moving Services During COVID-19
In addition to the above-mentioned practices, you should also take a look at these safety procedures to move as safely and efficiently as possible:
- No-Contact Moves – you must go the next mile to meet your customers’ needs. Ask your clients to send you photos, floor planks, and directions so that you come prepared with the required equipment. You can ask questions via phone or video chat. This is important so you avoid unnecessary face-to-face contact with the customer.
- Extra Precaution – Fully equip your employees with personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Virtual Estimates – To request a quote, your customers can send you a video of their home.
- COVID-19 cleanup – after packing up all the objects and loading them onto your truck, make sure to disinfect everything you have touched in the house or apartment.
- Post-transportation cleanup – Spray all the objects with sanitizer after unloading them from the truck.
#4 Additional Control
Advise your customer to:
- Stay off-site until you finish the job, or if they want to watch over you, they must wear masks and gloves. You should provide protection resources upon their request.
- Handle all documents online, but if they are not tech-savvy you should put the paperwork in their mailbox or leave it in their home at a location where they have requested.
- Communicate via Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, Facetime, or other platforms to reduce face-to-face contact.
Update your business information online
Your clients need to know you have taken action and are following the latest CDC guidelines. They can’t just assume that you have applied all safety precautions to your business model. The best steps to take are:
- Update the information on your company website
- Create a COVID-19 post on your Google My Business listing
Additional COVID-19 Resources
During these times, we can assure you that customers are going to pick a company that has responded to the COVID-19 crisis in a responsible and disciplined way. Take action now, and get the moving leads that you have been missing out.
To keep yourself informed on the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19, visit the World Health Organization website.
For additional information, you can read the frequently asked questions and answers regarding COVID-19 on the World Health Organization website.
