On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be a worldwide pandemic. On March 13, the President of the United States announced a national emergency in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic. In the following days and months, life in America and around the world changed as nations adjusted economies, businesses, industries, educational institutions, and lifestyles to address the invisible threat. Social distancing, self-quarantine, sheltering in place, massive layoffs, and remote work became the new normal. With most of the United States under lockdown, only essential businesses and activities were permitted.
Landscape Lighting: Essential and Safe
All forms of landscaping and lawn maintenance are considered “essential” under government guidelines. The industry is committed to keeping customers and workers safe.
An informal survey of the landscaping industry highlights the concern of the industry for its workers, clients, subcontractors, and vendors. The industry is striving to overcome the COVID-19 challenge while providing safe, efficient, and high-quality products and services.
The team at Southern Landscape Lighting Systems wants its clients to know that it is an essential and safe business. The company is open for business, has safety precautions in place, and is continuing to deliver the best landscape lighting in the metro Atlanta area, including Marietta, Acworth, and Alpharetta.
The aim of the safety measures is to promote and preserve the health of the client and the crew. The vehicles are sanitized several times a day and no tool sharing is permitted. Paperless documents and teleconferencing further protect clients and employees. Virtual night-time renderings enable clients to safely experience a lighting design.
The landscaping industry is working diligently to maintain the trust and confidence of clients during and after the pandemic. Across the industry, companies are adopting and following CDC guidelines and safe practices. Employers are instructing workers on how to follow these guidelines while on the job and in daily life.
Team meetings in the mornings or afternoons have been suspended until further notice. Crews have staggered start times to limit group contact. Only one person per vehicle is allowed while on the job, and individual workers are taking their own vehicles to the job site. Project management and job supervision are managed virtually, maintaining and even improving job performance and quality control. Companies are utilizing technology such as Zoom for video meetings with employees, vendors, subcontractors, and clients.
Crews are frequently using hand-sanitizer, wearing face masks, and social distancing on all phases of the job. Crew sizes are reduced and, where possible, limited to only a single person. Symptomatic crew members are staying at home and quarantining.
On the sales front, where customer contact most often occurs, companies are keeping the experience safe yet personal. Safety measures include:
- Social distancing during onsite consultations with clients
- Face masks and gloves
- Paperless documents for estimates, invoices, and general correspondence
One of the respondents in the general survey commented, “We’re still sending the sales team out. We talk to the clients and get as much information as we can over the phone. Then, we tell them we’ll do the estimate at a distance. It’s definitely strange. Sales is all about building rapport with people and it’s awkward to not shake someone’s hand and to stay away from them.”
Office staff, the sales force, and account managers are working remotely. Estimates reveal that almost half of the American workforce is working from home for at least a portion of each workweek.
The landscaping industry is committed to continuing to do business while following the tightest measures to promote and preserve the health of the employee, the client, subcontractors, and vendors, demonstrating integrity in its attention to safety.
Conclusion
Southern Landscape Lighting Systems is both essential and safe. The landscape lighting design and installation company is open for business and follows best practices for health safety. Clients can have every confidence that employees and staff are following CDC guidelines and recommendations. Social distancing, workforce screening, paperless documents, and other measures have been implemented to preserve and promote the safety of clients.
For more information about landscape lighting in Marietta, GA, visit Southern Landscape Lighting Systems of Marietta on the web at southernlls.com/locations/marietta-georgia or call (678) 616-9166.