LAKEWOOD, Colo. — We’ve heard from several members who are adapting to the new world of social distancing and other coronavirus related practices – a retail nursery/garden center in Fort Collins, a wholesale/retail nursery in Colorado Springs and a wholesale nursery in Albuquerque, NM. Here’s what they are doing –
Q. What steps have you taken to protect your staff and your customers?
A. Increased availability of hand sanitizer, increased signage about hand washing, safe coughing,, etc. Offered limited Paid Time Off for employees with respiratory illness, reduced obstacles to employees taking time off to care for family, increased cleaning procedures/frequency.
Putting more emphasis on disinfecting high traffic areas, Keeping 6′ distance between our team and customers. Emphasize personal hygiene.
Don’t report to work sick or thinking you are. We are extending PTO if and when they run out of it.
Q. Can customers still come into your store/place of business?
A. Yes
We are open to the public right now. Trying to emphasize placing orders over the phone, email, or Facebook.
Q. If customers can come in, any changes to how you’re interacting with them?
A. Encourage employees to exercise social distancing, and ask them to respect customers’ need for personal space.
Trying to keep 6′ between customers. We have shut down a few check out registers to add space between customers.
We are telling our employees proper procedures social distancing where possible, extra hand washing stations.
Q. Are you adding delivery or pick up service (when you previously did not offer either)?
A. We’re adding limited ordering with curbside pickup option (instead of asking them to come into store to pick up orders)
Q. Have you changed your website or added other communication tools in lieu of face to face contact?
A. Yes, statement about safety and health practices on website and social media, will be issuing email soon too.
We are updating social media and our website as needed.
Q. Have you seen any impact to your sales, supply chain or future orders?
A. We’re concerned about supply chain on certain things, plastic and ceramic pots in particular. Also concerned about potential major impact on retail. We could end up very overstocked, but worried that canceling orders will hurt future relationship with vendors.
Hard to say about the sales. Seems like we should be busier with the nice weather. As of now, sales are slightly ahead of 2019, but that could change very quickly if we don’t start selling higher volumes in the coming week.
We are looking at negotiating terms with vendors, and possibly reducing orders to help offset slower sales.
We are going forward with only slight changes in our production and no outside travel. As of last week Garden centers are doing well. I just returned from Northern AZ and things are strong. The big issue seems to be how quick the narrative can change.
Q. Do you have contingencies for your staff to work at home – for what positions?
A. Some office staff and some sales staff can work from home in a limited fashion – writing descriptive signs, doing admin work, etc, but not many opportunities. Can’t water a tree from home.
Offering paid sick leave, or partial pay in the event we have to close for an extended period.
Hard to work from home in our industry.
Q. Do you have a plan if someone on you staff becomes infected with the virus?
A. Follow local health department regs regarding testing anyone with contact w/ that employee, potential quarantine, etc.
If anyone is infected we will follow guidelines from Federal and local officials.
Q. What can CNGA do to help you during the corona virus outbreak?
A. Publicity is huge. Communicating with public about options many stores are offering to help them get their gardening supplies while staying safe. Also, working with suppliers to allow increased flexibility on previous commitments so we can spread the burden of potential sales losses.
CommI’m curious to see what others are seeing and doing in the industry. Starting to sense some panic and uncertainty in our community and within our team.
— Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association
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