COVID-19 SECURE COMPANY. You & AWE (updated 19/06/20)

by Stuart Tickle, Managing Director of AWE (updated 19/06/20)

AWE is COVID-19 SECURE.

Here is a summary of our current status:

SALES: Fully Operational (via sales@awe-europe.com, awe-europe.com & 01372 729 995)

TECH SUPPORT: Fully Operational (via tech@awe-europe.com & 01372 729 777)

TRAINING: Operational (online only, via upgraded Smart Home Academy & 1-2-1 sessions as required)

DELIVERIES: Fully Operational (Next-day via daily DHL, with selected deliveries via AWE vans)

COLLECTIONS: Operational (via pre-booked contactless collection service)

ACCOUNTS: Fully Operational (via accounts@awe-europe.com & 01372 729 777)

RETURNS: Fully Operational (via returns@awe-europe.com & 01372 729 777)

HQ VISITS & DEMOS: Operational (by appointment only, via online booking form)

LOAN/DEMO STOCK: Fully Operational (via sales@awe-europe.com & 01372 729 995)

Our approach to the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve. We remain fully operational and are complying with all Government guidelines.

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on the 10th May of a stepped easing of the lockdown, very little changed immediately for AWE as the vast majority of staff continue to work from home.

However, we immediately commenced an in-depth review of the Government guidelines for the workplace and have undertaken a comprehensive risk assessment incorporating all the relevant COVID SECURE considerations for our business. This produced a list of physical actions which have been completed, enabling social distancing and additional hygiene measures, along with the production of a COVID SECURE STAFF OPERATIONS GUIDE to ensure that best practice is clear, maintained, and measurable.

Both the risk assessment and operational guide are dynamic documents that will be updated as required, but the initial version has been shared with all staff in advance of additional staff returning to HQ duties, with any feedback considered and incorporated as appropriate. A return to work COVID induction will also take place with each member on their first day at HQ, with additional training for those specified people potentially meeting with customers, or visiting a site.

Within these COVID SECURE parameters, as business levels return and customer activity increases, it is becoming necessary to start a phased return of some staff in order to manage the increased activity. This will be done in a consultative way. There are clear benefits of having the team fully together and we look forward to when that is possible, but for now, where it is not required, staff will still be asked and largely able to work from home.

When working from HQ, each staff member has their own dedicated workstation, are well able to practice social distancing, are able to maintain effective hygiene and cleanliness routines. All staff have also been trained and instructed to follow our COVID SECURE OPERATIONS GUIDE, which will be updated as required.

On a personal level, I thank again those of our staff who agreed to be furloughed, whom we have kept informed of the evolving situation throughout, as well as those who continue to work in these challenging and evolving circumstances. My thoughts and prayers remain with those who are most affected at this time and we continue to be grateful for all those providing ongoing care and assistance for people in need, especially those in the front line, and for all the support networks and key workers enabling communities to operate safely within the restrictions. Thank you.

If there is anything you feel we at AWE can help with or adapt to assist your own situation, please let me know stickle@awe-europe.com. If you like what we are doing, tell the world!

Stay healthy and stay safe,  

Stuart Tickle 

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sales levels have not supported our levels of active duty, but I have been of the opinion that the continued high-level of support and engagement AWE continues to offer our customers and suppliers at this time will help set us apart from our key competitors. As an example:

Our Smart Home Academy has already provided over 450 hours of small group training since lockdown began

We have updated packages and created skinable Sales Sheets and Simple Setup Guides, helping business to continue
We introduced a period of beneficial payment terms for account holders, and remain fully on-hand to discuss

Below is a summary of important information, including the information upon which our judgments have been made. We have additional internal policies designed to protect all which are detailed below.  

Our policy will continue to be guided by the latest official Government and NHS advice.  Where guidance is unclear, we will use our best judgment as a responsible employer, with the safety and wellbeing of our staff, and all those that they are in contact with, as our priority.

GENERAL:   

• We implemented a comprehensive staff work-from-home plan, meaning only necessary staff required to operate the company effectively are at AWE HQ

• All staff have been briefed to monitor & follow Government & NHS advice, as well as our COVID SECURE OPERATIONS GUIDE

• If any staff member or anyone in their household is showing COVID-19 symptoms, they have been instructed to self-isolate for the appropriate time as per Government advice. We have set up a staff notification process for this

• Contracted cleaning is deeper, with additional specific emphasis on sterilisation of common touch areas, door handles, surfaces etc.  In addition to cleaning, steriliser wipes & sprays are provided in all areas with staff members briefed to use

• Frequent hand washing is encouraged, and hand sanitisers have been provided at all entry and exit points and in key staff areas

AWE HQ – VISITING:

• AWE HQ is open to visitors for essential meetings and demonstrations, following notified guidelines and by appointment only via our online booking form.

AWE HQ – CUSTOMER COLLECTIONS:  

• Goods should be delivered by approved courier wherever possible

• Where this is not possible, registered trade customers may collect goods from AWE using the Contactless Collection Service. Sales will advise the full process on enquiry or order

CUSTOMER DELIVERIES:  

• DHL will be utilised wherever efficient to do so. As a responsible business, they have their own COVID-19 policy implemented which both ourselves and the receivers must comply with 

• Where DHL is not efficient to use, an AWE driver or other approved contractor may be utilised to deliver, but this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis including the following contactless delivery considerations:

• Goods will only be delivered to a front door or goods-in entrance.  Wherever possible, they will do this alone using our own equipment

• It is the receiver’s responsibility to take goods into a building, so please bear this in mind if the delivery is direct to site 

• The receiver is to use their own pen for signing, or AWE will provide a new untouched pen for the customer to keep 

• The AWE driver/contractor will utilise sanitiser wipes, gloves and mask as appropriate, and maintain a deeper vehicle cleaning routine

AWE HQ – GOODS IN:  

• Deliveries should be scheduled wherever possible and can only be received via the warehouse shutter door following our contactless goods-in procedure:

• NO-ONE other than AWE staff is to enter the building

• Ring collection/delivery buzzer and wait. You will be responded to, but DO NOT ENTER the building 

• AWE staff to use own pen when signing for delivery, avoiding direct contact with paperwork

• After receiving packages or deliveries staff will ensure their hands are washed/sanitised 

SITE VISITS:

• AWE staff site visits can be undertaken, where necessary