Zip Water, like many other companies, is prioritising the health and welfare of employees, customers and retail partners, to minimise the disruption to day to day operations, residential director, Cliff Thompson told Appliance Retailer.

“We have many parts to our business, including residential, commercial, HORECA, service, specification, and manufacturing which is a very large proportion of our operations. Whilst we do not have any showrooms to consider, we do have over 300 people in our Condell Park factory alone, over 450 nationally with offices and warehouses in every state, and over 700 employees worldwide,” he said.

The actions that have been taken by Zip include:

  • Improved hygiene principles including increased cleaning and provisions of alcohol wipes and sanitisers to staff including those in the field (both sales and service)
  • Minimising person to person contact and practicing social distancing
  • Implementing working from home arrangements where appropriate
  • Instructing all external sales staff to conduct their sales calls remotely via phone, unless specifically requested to attend site
  • Limiting non-essential business travel and ceasing all overseas travel
  • Communicating to all staff to not attend work if sick
  • Updating staff on government travel bans and isolation requirements
  • Offering assistance to our employees via Access, our Employee Assistance Program
  • Addressing food handling practices in the workplace
  • Addressing unique risks posed to staff who work in the field. For example, requiring questions around exposure to COVID-19 to be asked by call centre staff prior to a technician attending the worksite. Additionally, for potential risk areas we will undertake appropriate risk assessments in collaboration with our customers and suppliers
  • Procedures are currently being put in place around assessing COVID-19 exposure with visitors and contractors
  • Ceasing customer pick-ups by recommending that all orders be dispatched via national carrier Star Track

“We are continually monitoring the situation and potential impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. At this stage, we are not expecting major supply chain disruptions. Fortunately, the majority of Zip products are manufactured and assembled here in Australia, and nearly all of our supply partners who had been impacted by the initial outbreaks are back in production with shipments being received at Zip with more on the way.

“We have put in place an action plan, so we are prepared. Our approach has been and will continue to be, to monitor the situation daily and implement precautionary measures, in line with public health and government guidelines. Should a situation arise whereby our service is interrupted, we will issue further communication to those impacted. Our specification team is available via email and phone to assist.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our own staff, as well as our customers and suppliers for their support during these unprecedented times,” Thompson said.