While Freedom Day may now be in the rear-view mirror, it’s clear that it will be some time yet before life truly gets back to normal.
Keeping drivers informed
Preventing the spread of the virus remains an important issue for companies and the Government continues to provide guidelines about how to do this. We encourage all our customers to keep their drivers informed about what’s going on, so they can see that you are on top of things and are more likely to stay safe and well.
Risk assessment
Please also remember you need to manage the coronavirus pandemic in the same way as you would any other risks to your business. This means carrying out a risk assessment that could consider everything from surfaces that need regular cleaning and areas that may require improved ventilation to keeping people at home (where possible) and communicating with staff and customers.
Impact of the ‘pingdemic’
Hopefully, the vaccine programme will limit the number of serious cases in the coming weeks, but the ‘pingdemic’ means that many companies are struggling with staff shortages. It’s less of an issue for those who can work from home, but a single case could shut down an entire garage or tyre fitter for over a week, so please have patience if things aren’t going quite as quickly as usual.
Supply chains up to speed
Supply chains are also taking some time to get back up to speed, so there’s not a lot of availability for new vehicles or parts – and this will take a little while to resolve. We are working with all our suppliers to acquire as many vehicles as possible and will keep you informed about our progress.
If you are a LeasePlan customer, here are some things you can do.
- Continue to book services or tyre changes in good time. Keep an eye on tyres and remember it’s fine to book an MOT up to three months in advance and a Service booking up to one month in advance.
- Use our online booking tool where possible to relieve pressure from telephone teams.
- If a driver has been asked to self-isolate or is displaying symptoms of Covid-19 please cancel the appointment as soon as possible so we can offer the appointment to someone else and provide an alternative booking date.
- Understand it may take us longer than usual to arrange appointments or we may need to rearrange your appointment with less notice than we’d like. That’s because your drivers’ safety and that of our suppliers’ employees is the most important thing to us.
Thank you for your continued support. We’re working closely with our suppliers to manage the changing situation, while being transparent about the continued effects of COVID-19 on our services.
If you have any questions or concerns, please speak to your LeasePlan Account Manager.
