Dealer group LSH Auto has begun offering rapid Covid tests to colleagues across its eight UK dealerships in the Midlands and the north west.
The group, which is part of LSH International – one of the largest dealer groups for Mercedes-Benz cars worldwide – has tested more than 150 employees over the past week.
Staff at Mercedes-Benz of Erdington, Mercedes-Benz of Solihull and Mercedes-Benz of Birmingham Central were tested using ‘lateral flow’ tests that produce a result in 30 minutes.
The testing programme, led by Ian Williams, head of human resources, will now be rolled out to colleagues at LSH Auto’s Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Tamworth, Stockport, Macclesfield and Whitehead with plans in place to offer regular workplace tests at all eight dealerships from next week.
Martyn Webb, managing director of LSH Auto, said: ‘Workplace testing can play an important role in our fight against this virus.
It gives us the means to identify asymptomatic colleagues before they pass it on unknowingly. By offering regular tests in the workplace, we can help to protect our colleagues, their families and the wider community.
‘During the lockdown period, our aftersales and servicing facilities have remained open in order to provide essential services for customers, including many key workers.
‘Our teams have provided assistance for Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles used for a range of customers from emergency services to home shopping, postal and parcel deliveries, utilities and breakdown services. We’ve also been providing customers with online shopping through our digital showroom and click and collect services, which have proven really popular.
‘Now we’re looking forward to welcoming customers back into our showrooms, hopefully from April 12, in line with the latest Government roadmap. By then our regular workplace testing will have been running for a number of weeks, so our colleagues and customers can be reassured that we’re putting safety at the heart everything we do.’
The dealer group said five members of staff from the HR, health & safety and IT departments have undergone NHS training to administer the lateral flow tests and plans are in place to train more colleagues to manage the ongoing testing programme.
Webb added: ‘We have an outstanding team who work together to look after each other and to give our customers the best care in the business.
‘I’m proud of the way that Ian and his team have really gone the extra mile to implement this rapid workplace testing programme, and how our colleagues have pulled together during this difficult time.’
Webb appeared on Car Dealer Live last year and spoke about the challenges of the first lockdown. You can watch the interview above
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