Client Update 3 April 2020 – Week 1 of Level 4 lockdown
We want to provide a brief overview of what’s been happening as we reach the end of our first full week in “Level 4 lockdown”. What a week it has been for all of our clients, running businesses remotely and navigating severe downturn and extraordinary issues. Like you, our focus here at Online is on the wellbeing of our entire team and their families, along with managing our obligations as a provider of essential services, and supporting our clients wherever possible.
For our Essential classified clients, our skeleton crews are working hard to operate on your behalf whilst exercising appropriate separation and sanitary caution. To date we are managing to fulfil order and inward activities in a timely fashion. This week alone over 225 M3 of product has been turned around on behalf of DHB’s across the country. If you would like to check if your business or any particular products are considered Essential, we encourage you to do so here: https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/current-covid-19-alert-level/essential-businesses/
This week has seen another category of products which can now be distributed under certain conditions. Businesses are able to sell “essential non-food consumer products” provided they do so in a way that protects the public and minimises the risk of COVID-19 spreading, and they fit the criteria provided by the Ministry of Innovation, Business and Employment. The conditions that businesses must comply with and details on how to register your business can be found at https://www.mbie.govt.nz/about/open-government-and-official-information/coronavirus-covid-19/essential-services/#register If you have applied to MBIE and have received confirmation of your request being received, we may be able to commence distributing your products again based on the information you have been provided by MBIE. From here we need from you either clear confirmation from MBIE (email or letter) to confirm that you have authorisation to distribute or a signed letter (on letterhead and dated) from your business stating that you have spoken with MBIE, registered with them, and have had this confirmation. The letter must include the following:
- Specific products have been classified as “Essential Non-Food Consumer Products”
- Specific customer base you have been authorised to send to (Business, retailers, direct to consumers, etc)
- Any restrictions that MBIE have posed on your business in relation to the distribution
To our Non Essential classified clients, rest assured we are developing thorough operational strategies to ensure that as soon as restrictions are relaxed, we have the resource to scale up our operation. Depending entirely on how any relaxing of alert levels plays out, we may need to provide slightly modified service levels to ensure we maintain any health directives against these increased volumes. We can continue to receive inwards goods for all customers at our sites with unpack and putaway prioritised for Essential goods.
We understand this is a very difficult time for our clients, and our team is here to help. Please don’t hesitate to reach out, we are all available on phone and email.
