Can we deliver?

[Davec78]

Hello,

We deliver and install into government buildings school, councils, police stations etc.

At the minute as a business we are closed but I'm reading so many conflicting advice on if we could re open with a smaller team to start delivering again.

Can anyone shed any more light on this?
As on a morale ground think we doing right by staying at home but just confused if we are allowed to still travelling around the country delivering.

Thanks
Dave

 

[The Byre]

Deliver what exactly?

 

[Davec78]

Deliver what exactly?

We deliver office equipment, personal lockers and seating

 

[The Byre]

From what I have read of the rather vague government's new rules and guidelines, office equipment hardly falls within the group of essential goods and services.

 

[Davec78]

From what I have read of the rather vague government's new rules and guidelines, office equipment hardly falls within the group of essential goods and services.

That's why we shut, just didn't really seem clear and I'm still seeing business similar to ours out working which made me think should we be closed

 

[Alison Moore]

I would have thought no... Only essential deliveries are being permitted.

 

[alan1302]

I would have thought no... Only essential deliveries are being permitted.

Since when?

 

[Alison Moore]

Since when?

yes sorry you are correct. My mistake. Deliveries are still allowed - however I can't see government buildings wanting non-essential deliveries and installations at this time.

 

[Ginmaster]

ALL deliveries are allowed. There is no definition of "essential".

From gov dot uk:
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Online retail is still open and encouraged and postal and delivery service will run as normal.
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Businesses are encouraged to take orders online or by telephone, and businesses should not provide seating areas, indoors and outdoors, for customers to consume food and drink on. Ordering in advance is strongly encouraged to avoid waiting in, as per Public Health England guidelines.
---

I can't post the link due to my low post count.

 

[Mr D]

We deliver office equipment, personal lockers and seating

Will such things be needed in the emergency hospitals being set up?
Could be essential for them.

 

[prophet01]

Today's revised guidance
Update from GOV.UK - Coronovirus (COVID-19): Guidance for UK businesses

 

[Guy Incognito]

Depends on a number of things (such as your working practices).

But no reason for you to stop based on what you've said.

 

[OMGVape]

Our products are far from essential to anyone but it’s online ordering so it’s business as usual.

Courier calls every afternoon and we usually load 500-1500kg per day. He’s in for a shock on Monday as I’m enforcing my ‘social distance” policy. The stuff will be outside for him to load his lorry on his own while I supervise from the office window

 

[Mr D]

Our products are far from essential to anyone but it’s online ordering so it’s business as usual.

Courier calls every afternoon and we usually load 500-1500kg per day. He’s in for a shock on Monday as I’m enforcing my ‘social distance” policy. The stuff will be outside for him to load his lorry on his own while I supervise from the office window

Sounds good.
Glad you are doing well - people want stuff and there are thousands of internet sellers who can stay safe and supply customer demand.

Getting replacement stock may well be problematic - don't know about you but my supply chain has some holes in it already. Can work around them but certain items no replacement stock available for weeks or months.

 

[OMGVape]

Getting replacement stock may well be problematic - don't know about you but my supply chain has some holes in it already. Can work around them but certain items no replacement stock available for weeks or months.

It’s a big worry at the moment, I have two containers planned to leave China, one early April and one a month later. If things continue as they are now, all will be good, but who knows what state we will be in when they arrive in Felixstowe port. I have the feeling that the government want to keep distribution networks going but I can’t imagine what state the country will be in by then. I got an email from my UK shipping company on Friday, it was a bit cryptic but I think they were saying that they have a storage site of 1.5 million square meters available for storage of containers if they arrive in UK but can’t get delivered to customers. I’ve only paid 10% deposit on the first container with the balance due before it reaches UK so I hope that will give me leverage to get the supplier to agree to at least share storage costs if I can’t get the container delivered to me when it gets off the boat.
I’m expecting Boris will have us all in total lockdown soon and I hope it happens soon before my first container leaves China, otherwise that 5-6 week journey on the water will see me chewing my finger nails right down to my knuckles :-(

 

[Mr D]

It’s a big worry at the moment, I have two containers planned to leave China, one early April and one a month later. If things continue as they are now, all will be good, but who knows what state we will be in when they arrive in Felixstowe port. I have the feeling that the government want to keep distribution networks going but I can’t imagine what state the country will be in by then. I got an email from my UK shipping company on Friday, it was a bit cryptic but I think they were saying that they have a storage site of 1.5 million square meters available for storage of containers if they arrive in UK but can’t get delivered to customers. I’ve only paid 10% deposit on the first container with the balance due before it reaches UK so I hope that will give me leverage to get the supplier to agree to at least share storage costs if I can’t get the container delivered to me when it gets off the boat.
I’m expecting Boris will have us all in total lockdown soon and I hope it happens soon before my first container leaves China, otherwise that 5-6 week journey on the water will see me chewing my finger nails right down to my knuckles :-(

If Felixstowe is anything like some of the couriers there are some staffing shortages.
For multiple reasons. Temps are being used but of course don't know the job or take time to come up to speed on the bits they get assigned to.
So some slowdown expected over time, helped by some businesses running at reduced output and some not open at all.

As an island nation I daresay the ports will get considerable priority. If they start moving what they consider priority loads first then all other loads parked up that will create issues in supply chains.