Keeping a Lawn Care Business Going in the Time of a Pandemic

The coronavirus, COVID-19, has had a significant impact on people and businesses around the world. There are over nine million cases and counting around the world, and companies have had to change the way they operate to keep everyone safe. 

Crewcut is no exception, and franchise owners have been doing everything in their power to offer a safe and contactless service for all customers across the country. 

As New Zealand transitioned through Alert Levels, Crewcut adapted its procedures to suit. Below, you can read more about what your local Crewcut lawn care service provider did (and is doing) to keep you and your loved ones safe. 

Lawn Care Service Preparation

Before your lawn care specialist visited your property, they went through a ‘preparation’ phase. This included cleaning, preparing, and sanitising their tools and machinery. They also wore general PPE and carried hand sanitiser, antibacterial soap, sanitising wipes, or paper towels. In their vehicles, they would also make sure they had a container or rubbish bag to dispose of personal waste.

Before arriving on-site, most customers would have been contacted by their lawn care provider to advise of safe distancing requirements and a request for the removal of toys and garden furniture from the area being tended to. Those who previously paid cash would have also arranged for an alternative payment method. 

Getting Lawn Care Underway

During the Alert Levels, where lawn care operators were allowed to get back to work, several safety protocols were put in place to keep them and their customers safe. Social distancing was the most significant of all, with a two-metre gap required between customers and lawn care crew at all times. 

Sanitising machinery and hands, and keeping vehicles tidy was also paramount, as was communicating with customers digitally and sanitising all forms of eyewear and hearing protection before and after use.

Lawn Care Crew Traceability

During Alert Levels two and three, contact tracing was essential. Even as the country transitioned into Alert Level 1, being able to identify where you had been was of the utmost importance.

Crewcut abided by all contact tracing requirements, which included filling out a daily run sheet. On it, they would detail the client’s address, the time they arrived and left, their stop locations, and any additional relevant information. 

A lovely Crewcut Whangarei customer welcoming the crew back into her property

Work Instruction

Crewcut lawn care operators have always abided by strict work instructions to keep themselves and others safe. They fill out hazard sheets and label all possible dangers and hazards on a scale. COVID-19 became a new addition to that work instruction, which meant new control measures were in place.

If a lawn care service provider had any symptoms of COVID-19, they must self-isolate for the government-recommended period and undertake COVID-19 testing.

Keeping Customers Informed

The coronavirus took the world by surprise, which meant that new rules, regulations, and recommendations had to be rolled out at lightning speed. Crewcut did everything within its power to keep its customers updated with the most relevant and up to date information.

They did this largely through e-newsletters, blog posts, and social media. These platforms had information outlining what lawn care customers could expect at various Alert Levels. In blog posts, customers were also able to access information on the safety procedures that were put in place.

Lawn Care in a Post-COVID World

New Zealand is at Alert Level 1. According to the New Zealand Government, this means the disease has been contained in New Zealand. Schools and workplaces are open and must operate safely, and there are no restrictions on personal movement.

However, the Crewcut team is still making sure they can keep their workers and customers safe. They are maintaining a record of where they have been, and are staying home if they are sick and report flu-like symptoms.

As a valued customer, you can keep our team safe, too. Let us know if anyone in your household is self-isolating, in quarantine, or have flu-like symptoms. Help us to help you.