9:03 am, April 25, 2020
Peter Vardy will implement temperature checks for every person entering its dealerships when it reopens – and if they won’t take one they won’t be allowed in.
Manufacturers, customers and staff will all be checked at the doors of dealerships and if their temperature is high, Peter Vardy told Car Dealer Live they would not be allowed entry.
Temperature checks are among a string of things Peter Vardy will introduce at his dealerships when staff return to work.
Other steps he is considering include salesmen wearing masks and gloves, sitting in the back of cars during test drives and one-way systems around his dealerships.
He said: ‘I think controversially, but wisely, we’re going to temperature test everybody who visits the premises.
‘Whether you’re a staff member, a manufacturer or a customer we will temperature check everybody on the front door and if you won’t take one, you won’t be allowed on site.’
He added: ‘It might be a bit OTT, but I don’t think it is. I am trying to make sure I look after my colleagues. If I let someone in who hasn’t been temperature checked the the environment isn’t as safe as I promised it would be.’
Vardy explained that the business believes it will be possible to do test drives with a colleague in the back of the car and is comfortable with this as long as they are wearing a face mask and gloves.
He said: ‘We think at the moment we’re comfortable with a colleague in the back with a mask and gloves on. The customer can put them on as well if they want.’
Other parts of the business will wear more extensive protective clothing, with those in workshops and on the front door even wearing full clear plastic face masks.
The group are currently in the early stages on implementing these changes, with the first trials taking place of new PPE and the one-way system starting now.
‘Today we’re filming our health and safety videos for colleagues,’ he said.
‘We’re fitting out the first dealership as a concept with the point of sale, we’re trying one-route around the dealerships, all the PPE equipment.
‘We’re doing a trial this week in Motherwell for all of the things we’ll hopefully implement across the business well before we’re due back. The deep cleans are taking place today and tomorrow and we’re doing everything we can to be ready to come back ahead of schedule.’
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