Tony Posted March 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2020 Typical i have systems but not all of them so i'm not sure...... I have a really thick cough and short of breath. My confusion is this happened some weeks back so i say pre-virus?....... Anyway it's not hospital time albeit worrying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyelcomb Posted April 2, 2020 Report Share Posted April 2, 2020 Tony, whether you are totally closed or not you haven't answered the questions regarding what you have done with the company employees. Have you laid them off on no pay, made redundant or have they been furloughed? It's not too late to properly regard them as furloughed and you will get 80% of their pay paid by the government, including NI and any auto pension contributions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2020 I won't lay anyone off.... They will be paid 80% of their wage and anyone will be helped if there is real money worries. I hope to open again at the end of the month but there is going to be some new health rules, like masks, rubber gloves and a testing kits once they become available. An important change will be if there's any down time ( excluding lunch ).i want surfaces disinfected. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 2, 2020 Report Share Posted April 2, 2020 Isn't this a little too late! I had been wiping key contact points at work since the end of February. I have a lot of people using my room and have been careful with keeping things clean, sneezing in to a tissue (or at least my sleeve), washing my hands regularly and using anti bacterial gel. Twice now you've thought you have it yet instead of self isolating like we've been told to if showing symptoms you've carried on as normal. Potentially infecting colleagues and customers. Really you should've reduced contact with the cars as much as possible, getting them to drive on and off the ramps themselves. Get the customer to set the steering position so it minimises the need to sit inside or touch the interior of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2020 The whole world are in the same boat as us.... We use floor, seat and steering wheel covers already. One of the guys had money issues because a broken car and transporting it so i lent him £500 with a no interest or time scale for repayment. Once the government put the UK on shutdown we did exactly as instructed, in order to protect staff and customers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2020 Been in today to work on a Lambo and check the building...... I think assuming the death count does decrease we will open in May but it's going to be very slow to get to where we was. If any of the staff are unhappy about the opening we will offer a seven-day holiday paid by a slightly reduced wage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 New wim uniform..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 This social distancing lark, i don't quite get it?..... How can you be 2 metres away from another person on a bus or train? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffers Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 You can't really. You can try if the bus/train is fairly empty but it doesn't really work as you're enclosed. This is a case of when it is only absolutely necessary and no other option. I feel sorry for people who have no choice in this respect. Any situation you have control of it should be adhered to. Preferably a greater distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 It was a bus that prompted the thread noticing it was nearly empty. I wouldn't get on a bus or train..... Another thing i've noticed, over the last few weeks i've not see any private hire tax'y's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2020 Ok we are aiming to open again next week... All i can offer staff is as much proaction as possible.... If anyone is unhappy about that then they can use holiday or unpaid leave. Seems a bit sharp and i agree but this virus is totally new territory meaning we are all kind of trying to survive so our core in within the centre., back to work,. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMARTLY Posted April 20, 2020 Report Share Posted April 20, 2020 Seems a strange decision. Firstly that are not many cars on the road so not much potential business. Secondly if you had furloughed the employees they would still be getting a good wedge without any risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesV70R Posted April 20, 2020 Report Share Posted April 20, 2020 2 hours ago, Tony said: If anyone is unhappy about that then they can use holiday or unpaid leave. Have you used the furlough scheme yet? Are you going to put staff on/off as the workload rises? (3 weeks minimum on furlough, 24 hours notice to come off it again after that if the workload increases and they are needed back. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 20, 2020 Report Share Posted April 20, 2020 Yeah I agree, lockdown hasn't been lifted so what work are you expecting?! A lot of garages around here are actually closed. Barely any of my neighbours cars have moved in 4 weeks - apart from one family who still goes out everyday for a few hours!! The government will cover wages to 80% until June so what possible reason is there to reopen yet. Driving to get a geometry done isn't essential. Seems unfair to threaten staff with using holiday's or taking unpaid leave. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffers Posted April 20, 2020 Report Share Posted April 20, 2020 This is why we are going to have another wave of deaths next month..... Â Does seem unfair putting the staff in that position. Do you have bookings? Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2020 I'm turning bookings away at the moment. We are classed as borderline essential as a centre because making cars comply with the law tyre wise with things like punctures.....It's for this reason all of the KF centres are open. Staff wise i only need three myself included and no one is forced to return to work., it's more like keeping the centre alive. Despite this I don't want to open until i have every safety options available, like medically approved masks, rubber gloves and so on. New SOP's will be required, little thing like staff and customers will not share toilets, any down time we all clean rather than be on mobile's, again myself included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 21, 2020 Report Share Posted April 21, 2020 Bookings for what, geometry's? That's not essential travel so they shouldn't be asking and you shouldn't be encouraging them to travel if you book them in. Most garages are closed including dealers and they're only doing emergency work for keyworkers. If BB want to stay open for tyres and brakes for these workers then that's fair enough but really is the profit from the few customers they'd get worth staying open for. I'd imagine most will turn to mobile fitting services. Kwikfit are the largest garage chain in the UK and they also have a mobile network. They have closed some garages though and reading their coronavirus statement they are only prioritising keyworkers. How can you say no one is forced to return to work when really they are by being threatened with no pay or loss of holiday's. Hardly fair when the government will pay 80% of their salary. Just take the furlough and stay at home until the government lift the lockdown. Then return and put more measures in place. Sorry Tony but I think the majority won't agree with your decision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2020 Uncertain times at the moment for us all. I agree with you by saying the gov will pay 80% of the wages but in the business side of things we still have to pay rent, rates and so on..... In order to do this we can't risk a loan or a payment holiday because i think now the world has changed and there's no visible end to the virus. We think once we all establish a new globule SOP we will all have to change, The staff will be asked if they want to return and we will pay 100% wages but providing we offer the top level of protection.   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Posted April 21, 2020 Report Share Posted April 21, 2020 Then take back as many staff as you need for skeleton staffing, and furlough the rest. Honestly Tony, the government are paying people to stay at home, why the f**k are you not taking advantage of it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffers Posted April 21, 2020 Report Share Posted April 21, 2020 5 hours ago, Tony said: every safety options available, like medically approved masks, rubber gloves and so on. New SOP's will be required, little thing like staff and customers will not share toilets, any down time we all clean rather than be on mobile's,  Does that not highlight the gravity of the situation you are putting your staff in by threatening they have to take holidays? What happens when their holidays run out? They actually have no choice really have they? If you offered furlough or come in then people would have less truck with that, even though proportional to the work, could still be irresponsible at the least. If someone gets ill as a direct result, whoever is behind this (and I suspect it isn't you) is down to them and I hope they can live with that. Their family members could die or anything.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2020 As said no one will be forced to come in. Taking more time off as holiday would only happen way in the future if staff are reluctant to come back. We are a small company, but we still need to pay the rent. rates, electric and so on..... What Rich said about geometry not being essential i agree with but what most people have at the moment is time? I went to the centre Monday and while walking around it checking for a brake in the phone rand twice.... The difficulty will be our tyre suppliers are shut so if it's not in stock we can't serve them, obviously the geometry is fine since there's no product involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesV70R Posted April 22, 2020 Report Share Posted April 22, 2020 6 hours ago, Tony said: We are a small company, but we still need to pay the rent. rates, electric and so on..... What Rich said about geometry not being essential i agree with but what most people have at the moment is time? Time yes, but no ability to travel! Someone gets pulled over on their non-essential journey to have their geo done, the police will slap a £60 fine on them right away. Have you not noticed how few cars there are on the roads now?  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 I've been to the centre a few times to check it's secure and you are right the roads are empty, quite unnerving really. Since our customers are national some will travel, I've even had customers from the EU and we had to google conversation. Just to be clear i will not put any staff at risk.... I've bought medical, surgical masks, rubber surgical gloves and 1000 alcohol wet wipes. Staff and customers will no longer share the toilets. Opening in this new world will be like starting again, so i think we will have plenty of time to wipe, wipe, wipe. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 23, 2020 Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 I think you've missed the point, people aren't allowed to travel unless it's essential. If key workers need emergency repairs to their car they should be travelling to a local garage, not halfway across the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2020 On reflection i think my desire to return to work is personal.. Obviously i wouldn't put anyone at risk knowingly, maybe under the government's guidance I'll offer staff the option for coming back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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