State of Business Survey Results

We want to thank everyone who participated in our survey. Here is a summary of the results.

1.

2. If open, what safety precautions are you taking? What changes to employee habits?


*CDC guidelines are likely inclusive of some of the other responses.
*PPE could be inclusive of gloves and masks.

Some specific responses include:

• We are sanitizing several times a day wiping down all computers, phones, tablets, doors, work stations, vehicles. Washing hands frequently and avoiding medical facilities
• Calling ahead to all customers to see if open and taking any precautions in dealing with any inspections to be performed.
• No in face meetings, we are using Microsoft teams to communicate.
• Walk-in is closed, customers not to touch iPads for invoices, made all employees aware of safeguards
• NONE
• updated sanitation, changes to front counter showroom polices and PPE including tyvek suits if needed
• Scheduling service for when fewest number of people will be around or no one around to minimize contact. Techs can cancel appointment if they feel site is not taking proper precautions.
• twice a week text reminders on hygiene and CDC recommendations, Covid-19 memo with instructions following CDC guidelines
• Curbside service for in shop - customers wait in vehicle for services to be completed & pay by phone
• Very thorough COVID-19 policies. Too many to list. Pandemic Committee formed and meets everyday. (manufacturer)
• Asking techs to remove clothes when home and put them in the washing machine and take a shower before interacting with family. Issuing Ascorbic acid to all who want it to take 2-3X day.
• Material pickups are call ahead and leave on the dock.

3.


*Many respondents said they are keeping the schedule full by reducing hours and/or their workforce.
*Many are also breaking out their rainy day projects to keep busy.

Further Comments:

• So far, our public sector accounts, (schools, universities, government offices, etc.) work is business as usual. Our industrial accounts are insisting we perform our services. Our restaurant customers consider this a good time to do service and maintenance, and some updating. Third-party reporting will help us to keep out service schedules on-time. And we have a higher than average number of installations on the calendar which appear to be moving forward.
• We have a small shop. My one tech is taking voluntary time off when shop work is done. He is very unwilling to go out and service customers and I won't force him
• thinking out side the box with how we interact with our customers. They set the extinguishers outside, we do them, wipe them down and they come out and get them after we are gone.
• New installations. Service is very hard to schedule and or get paid.
• Lots of phone calls to schedule, concentrating on multi family living, manufacturing and fast food.
• Serving essential critical industries. Ensuring a clear message that life safety and fire protection are critical to the welfare of the public and community
• We have been moving customers around so that if any cancel or postpone due to COVID 19 we fill the days with the backlog / overflow or new business we gain from promotions to help our city / province. We are contacting NEW customers to offer specials to help them during this time and for the rest of the year as they recover
• We service grocery stores, auto repair shops and farms. So far so good but if we need we can pull such customers from future months to sustain service while giving those customers a discount for early service.
• Focusing on larger factories/businesses not affected by the shutdowns. Pushing future jobs ahead if possible.
• So far we have been able to schedule enough accounts to keep techs busy, focusing on institutions and businesses that need compliance or that are long-standing and we trust them to pay so extend terms to 90 days. Some people are using Paid Time Off days to take a break. Senior tech working on our training outline.
• Keeping busy one day at a time - by looking for all repairs and calling all customers ahead of time. We are not billing what we normally would be we are getting by with enough to cover payroll
• doing national account work and some local businesses that will let them in to do the work. we are still doing lots of work with essential businesses as designated by the government
• pre calls to arrange special times, and procedures to ensure our techs are not exposed. We are also in equipment, and apparatus business so there is plenty to keep busy, and large enough facilities that with split shifts people can maintain cdc discipline.
• We have been defined as "essential" life safety provider for F/A and Sprinklers and Backflows.
• We are front loading all the work that supports essential businesses that are open (i.e. gas stations) to the front of the month.
• Asking facilities permission to perform scheduled inspections and maintenance when they're shut down and facilities are less congested with personnel.
• Not super busy but busy enough. For now. Mostly pre-scheduled jobs at other essential facilities. Changing the schedule. Next week we go to a 32 hour work week to account for the slow down.
• Mixed results. Seems to change day to day. Small businesses and restaurants are the hardest hit and are deferring service.
• We would normally be busier but we are running at about 70% of our normal volume. If we can hold that we will get through this OK.
• So far, it is getting more difficult with each day. Not that we don't have the work, just can't enter so many of the facilities
• very difficult to get any work scheduled. most restaurants are closed. some businesses are not accepting outside vendors.

4.

Responses for "other":

• Possibly if work slows down to a point of not best to stay open.
• Not yet. That will be a week by week call. We are doing everything we can to keep everyone working.
• We choose to temporarily lay off some admin staff and absorb in other roles to prep for a slower April possibly- we expect them all to be called back ASAP
• We had one shop tech working 24 hours while going to school. Laid off due to drop in shop volume and need to keep full time staff working.
• customers denying services is causing some to not work all day, and we are reducing some of the techs hours
• If this continues for very long, yes.
• Temporary furlough for many, but now adding back. Some will remain on furlough for the foreseeable future.
• lay offs and furloughs on a week by week basis
• Part time tech went on lay off, admin asst and sales person as well
• Full pay for 3 weeks. Requiring home study NICET sample tests etc.
• Reduced hours by 8 hours per week
• We have held off on laying off until the Government decides what they are doing for small businesses. The owners will not be paid if necessary to pay our employees
• only person not working was indirectly affected in that he didn't have child care and is the sole guardian
• Soon

5.

Remote services people are using:

• Log me in. (Set up through our IT company that manages our computers) Call forward work phones to cell phones.
• We are using Microsoft Teams and Zoom
• Forwarding phones from office to cell phone
• Cisco Meraki
• SharePoint, Teams, Planner - all Microsoft products
• Team viewer
• Remote PC, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Teams, various SaaS
• VPN login for office personnel, and call fowarding
• Myself and office manager can login to office computers and quick books
• teramind on all remote computers for monitoring, servicetrade for operations, gmail for communications
• We have remote log-in to our computers. Able to do billing, quotes, and database updates remotely.
• Service Trade, ADP
• Teams, O365
• MS Teams and Office365, Remote Desktop and VPN
• Video conferencing. Remote desktop services for access to internal applications.
• "go to" meeting software for all managers communications among our 7 facilities.
• Prefer working at the shop
• service software is cloud based work from anywhere. Forward phones to where people are working.
• some of our staff can work remotely they have been set up through our IT Company. We use Zoom for meetings.
• Go-To meeting online conferencing and granting access to our terminal server environment.
• firepro365, Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Teams
• Microsoft Teams VOIP phones have a online system for desk phones to be used. VPN Cloud based software

6.

Additional comments:

• Getting fewer customers every week
• Official statements from NAFED, NFPA, and local AHJs have helped.
• We have a 2 man force. If I can bring in work, my employee can process it. Fortunately, he is single with little debt. I can see that the revenue stream will be abreviated this month.
• About 4 of 60 construction sites shut down. Some service customers closed, but most willing to utilize this time with vacant buildings for service.
• We are still doing work for some public works jobs, healthcare, schools that maintenance dept remain open and want us to perform service.
• it is day to day, hard to get work scheduled
• In our area we feel 30% of the customers will allow work performed in their facility. Many of our customers are not allowing contractors in their facility -period
• State of Michigan is shut down for all non-essential businesses.
• Yes but very few.
• Case-by-case. Some that you'd expect to keep us away allow us to service their location, while other very low risk attempt to postpone services
• We are not at the 50% mark but did have a noticeable amount choose to move / postpone to next month or "pending" what happens
• less and less as the days go by
• Most likely to say 'no' are small, locally-owned restaurants that are completely closed.
• Most are either not open or don't want to pay for it right now because work is slow for them too.
• recently those who have offices open are now saying they are concerned about cashflow and want to push dates out past July
• Only essential businesses. A lot of business are shutdown.
• Need to call and contact every customer to ensure they are open and will allow technicians into their facility
• Postponing inspections and recheduling jobs with high occupant load & children. Doing some inspections mostly in buildings that have been closed. Concentrating on defielciency service work and emergency work and responding to calls where customers want work performed.
• We are shocked that in the hot spot NY area that we are. Companies still want services provided.
• higher percentage of system inspections than portable inspections
• Down ~10-15%
• Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties are the closest to us and have went to 'stay at home' orders. This drastically reduced the amount of work that could be done.
• We do not want our techs to be exposed to the virus, so we are choosing not to send them out. We also are concerned if we do service and they go out of business or can't afford to pay us.
• Most customers are doing take out and drive through business, it's not paying the overhead not enough volume.
• "Annual" clients and restaurants are tough right now...but we do a lot of "monthly" clients including hospitals, defense contractors, electronics manufacturing which are all open and requiring that services can continue.
• Restaurants are closed but Grocery store chains we are doing as well as other such hotels. hospitals etc.
• Have had a few where we are not allowed in. These have been mainly food processors.
• All scheduled PMs have canceled
• Most restaurants are closed down, bank lobbies closed, doctors offices, etc. closed. I expect that when they open back up hopefully by May, we will be quite busy.
• Restaurants seem to be the bigger challenge, others are mainly open and some have shut down but still some letting us in.

7. Is there anything NAFED can do for you at this time?

• I appreciate what NAFED is doing. Keep communicating, and keeping our industry informed.
• Keep messaging that our work is "essential" and "critical".
• NAFED has done a good job keeping it's members in the loop. Keep up the good work, it's reassuring having an informational pipeline
• Continue has you have been and keep us up on all things Corona...Maybe you could help with understanding the "bail out" as it pertains to business loans forgiven for payroll expenses etc. Most small company's do not have one to help them so they muddle through. It would be nice to not have to muddle through!
• I appreciate the memos regarding fire protection is an essential business and must remain open. Keep them coming. We've passed the memo along to our techs in case they are questioned...
• Yes, encourage all members to look out for each other. Family, friends, employees, neighbors, and the elderly are our biggest assets. PROTECT YOU ASSETS
• send cash
• LOL, I wish
• NAFED IS DOING A GREAT JOB
• Promote that fire safety is still essential even when a virus is affecting the community. Fires can still happen and equipment needs to continued to be mantained.
• Pray and keep keep information coming. Thank You!
• Letter to CISA about fire and life safety being a necessity to support Essential Critical Industries. Open letter to community why our services are critical (e.g. NFPA Guidance for Maintaining Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems Regardless of Occupancy Status)
• You have been excellent. Your email re: NFPA's position on essential services has helped a lot to educate our staff and customers. While our AHJ is stating it can be delayed (for annual inspections) this has been an excellent resources to refer to. Sprouse is a huge supporter of NAFED and while not many Canadian Companies attend each year, we commit to being there every year that we can. Thank you for all you do!
• pray for our industry during this time, it will not come out of this event looking the same!
• Advocate for the government to support and fund the small businesses who are our customers so they are still viable when they are allowed to open again. Also to increase production of safety gear so that we can keep our staff protected.
• Keep us posted on national trends
• Help interpret what the government is doing to help and how to take advantage. Keep communicating that our business is essential.
• Keep providing information on how the industry is getting on and what others are doing to keep their business open and productive.
• Perhaps a "Notice to Businesses" paper that fire protection companies could share with customers stating that fire codes, insurance, OSHA, and other groups have not relaxed requirements due to the coronavirus or state shut downs. It is essential that life safety equipment be properly maintained at all times...
• Yes - share how other FEDs are handling their work and lack of workforce - thanks!
• nothing in particular right now. you have sent out some good information to the membership.
• No thank you! Wishing all good health!
• Just wish us well and to stay healthy!
• Be well...wash you hands...practice social distancing
• No, the notice you sent out was great we incorporated it into a memo for the State to prove we were an essential business. The owners are manning the phones this week and slowly bringing people back next week as long as they are healthy!
• So far NAFED has been great with all the information provided.
• Probably not. This will probably be the death knell for this small company after 30 years.
• I don’t know. Any suggestions are welcome.
• Find a cure for the virus! Just kidding. However, keeping up with the latest news like you have been sending is helpful.
• Keep updating with any/all information regarding our industry and what small business employers can do.
• Nothing short of a cure or vaccine, but thank you.