Toronto, Ontario — Axiom UK, a Symach-equipped collision repair facility owned by TDN Group Company, is on the road to recovery after being particularly hard-struck by COVID-19.
Managing director, Jordan Fisher said the UK-based operation came to a swift standstill when the COVID-19 outbreak first hit because an employee or one of their family members showed symptoms of the virus.
“We were missing key players at an early stage: then, the stricter general lockdown came into play,” said Fisher. “The Government introduced a furlough program that was helpful, but it didn’t cover four employees who had joined the business that month.”
After cleaning the shop, they began rotating shifts to complete their work. They also showed new employees how to best utilize Symach equipment.
Axiom UK also developed COVID-19 policies for staff members and customers such as distancing, staged breaks and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
The situation gave the company an opportunity to create a more efficient workforce. “We thought we were efficient, but we learned how to increase it further,” said Fisher.
The facility recently began bringing back employees from furlough as claims volume gradually increases. The company anticipates that Symach equipment will be very beneficial coming out of the lockdown.
“The sheer speed of booth cycles will allow us to have painters work minimum hours, thus reducing contact with other staff, ” he said.
Fisher advises shops to take care of staff and be flexible. He also recommends using government support wisely and staging a facility recovery to get the best outcome financially as well as for the team’s welfare.
