13 January 2021
Please note: As of January 13, 2021, our offices and warehouses remain closed to the public. Please reach us by telephone or online for assistance. Packing materials are available for sale online or by phone with free local delivery or low intervention curbside pickup. Please contact your local office if you have any questions about your items in storage.
The Moving Industry Prioritizes Health & Safety as we Continue to Provide Essential Services
The health and safety of our customers, drivers, and front-line employees is our highest priority. As an essential service to Canadians, we are committed to providing moving and storage services with safety and service top of mind. We appreciate that there are conversations happening across Canada and around the world on how the industry will manage and how supply chains will continue to keep Canada moving. It is important to you and important to us.
Van Lines, Moving Companies, Suppliers, and other Members of the Canadian Association of Movers have taken steps to ensure that they are staying up to date with the latest direction from the World Health Organization and all Public Health Organizations within Canada and around the world. Through education, communication, and collaboration, we can work together to provide safe moving and storage services.
Canadians need to know that we are here, and we are working with fellow industry colleagues, clients, moving and storage partners, and government agencies to keep Canada moving.
We take the role as an essential business with all seriousness. We are taking every step along the way to ensure the health and safety of our co-workers and customers while we service the country moving forward.
If you are in need of services at this time, or have questions about your upcoming booked service, please know we are here to help. Contact us at 800.267.3170 or www.pleasemoveme.ca.
We are here to serve your moving and storage needs and provide help where needed. The Walker's/Capital Group remains staunchly committed to the health and safety of its employees, customers, contractors, and partner companies.
To safeguard the health and well-being of our staff and customers while we remain operational, we have put in place the following measures, in accordance with advice and information from our public health agencies, federal and provincial governments, and the World Health Organization.
Sales & Estimating
At this time, we will no longer be performing in-home surveys for estimating purposes and use a variety of approaches to generate an accurate inventory and estimate remotely. When you contact us to receive an estimate for moving services, we will still provide you an accurate outline of costs but we will offer to gather the information we need by photos, FaceTime/Skype (etc), or a detailed inventory listing. The additional benefit to this option is that you will likely receive your pricing in an even shorter amount of time!
Purchase of Packing Materials & Supplies
We have now restricted access to our offices, with a “locked door” policy. We are offering online and telephone ordering and purchase options for packing materials (whether you're getting ready for a move or taking advantage of time at home to get organized) with free, local, contactless delivery or outdoor pick up at any of our locations.
Facilities
In an effort to reduce traffic through our offices and warehouses, we have restricted access to all areas, permitting entry only on an as-needed basis and with a guiding policy of minimum personnel. Staff who can complete their work from home are permitted to do so to reduce the number of people in the office and support physical distancing for those who must report to the office.
In accordance with provincial and public health requirements, our staff wear face coverings in all indoor settings and in outdoor settings when 2m distancing is not possible.
Office and warehouse doors remain locked during our business hours. Access for storage or deliveries is provided upon request and by appointment.
All staff and essential visitors must complete COVID-19 screening prior to being permitted access to any of our premises.
Staff have been provided with specific access directives based on their duties. Administrative staff are kept to a minimum and spaced out within the office areas. Operations staff are to report only as needed to dispatch and only one at a time to reduce crowding and facilitate 2m distancing.
Where possible, common touch surfaces have been reduced by leaving doors propped open.
Shared time-entry terminals must be cleaned after each use and staff are encouraged to use their mobile devices where possible to avoid use of shared terminals.
Frequency of environmental cleaning services has been increased.
Regular cleaning throughout the day of common, high-touch surfaces has been implemented. Disinfecting cleaners and paper towels are provided throughout our facilities to facilitate adherence to this policy. Door knobs, light switches, touch screens, desk and transaction tops, telephones, keyboard/pads are frequently wiped down and disinfected during the day.
Hand-sanitizer is available in common areas.
Hand-washing guidelines have been posted at all sinks.
Posters with messaging about hygiene and safety practices, awareness of symptoms, cough and sneeze hygiene, and safe distances have been put up throughout facilities.
Field Staff & Customer Safety (movers providing service on customer sites)
Operationally, we have developed a detailed and strict protocol for our teams in the field that starts when they arrive at our facilities to begin the day and include key requirements and processes for communication at the worksite (home or office), cleaning of equipment and vehicles, and hygiene. Checklists have been created to support observance of and compliance with the processes.
Staff are required to complete pre-shift COVID-19 screening questions prior to each shift. Customers receive similar screening prior to attendance at their site by any of our teams.
Operations teams are provided with disinfecting surface cleaners, paper towels, soap, and hand sanitizer (when available) for every order. Vehicles are regularly wiped down and disinfected throughout the day - including handles, latches, steering wheels, controls, consoles, and onboard equipment.
Tools are not to be shared. Any that are must be cleaned after each use. Limited handling of vehicle keys is encouraged.
Staff are limited to two per truck cab to permit distancing.
Customers are requested to limit people on site to the minimum required to allow crews to practice safe distancing. When possible, services are staggered over more than one day to permit smaller crews on a customer site.
Items such as pens are not shared. Reduced handling of paperwork is encouraged. Provisions have been made for scenarios when signatures on paperwork cannot be safely obtained.
All greetings are non-contact.
Communications
Mandatory Pre-Service Health Check Calls
Prior to sending crews out to customer sites our offices are in touch to ensure there are no concerns.
Two to four days before a packing and/or moving service we will call the customer and ask:
Are you or any family member experiencing flu or cold symptoms that may be related to COVID-19?
Have you or any family member been out of the country or province in the last 14 days?
Also, ask the customer to have a hand wash station with soap and paper towels available for the crew to use throughout the day. (Note: our crews carry their own cleaning and hygiene supplies.)
If the customer is moving from or to an apartment or condo complex, we ask them to contact the building manager to ensure there are no limitations related to moving or an outbreak of the virus.
The day prior to service we are in touch again to make sure nothing has changed - as well as answer any of the customer’s concerns.
On service day, the crew lead will knock on the door and check in with the customer once more with regard to the above.
We cannot send teams into any worksite where concerns have been reported regarding illness or exposure.
Staff Communications
Following guidelines from our public health agencies, we are increasing communication with our employees regarding the COVID-19 virus and steps needed to keep themselves, their families, and others healthy and safe, and to educate them on best practices to support the safety of our customers whether providing service in the office, warehouse, or in-home.
At any point during the course of their duties (office or field), prior to service, upon arrival at the worksite, or during the delivery of services, staff are encouraged to and supported in reaching out to dispatch, management, or the van line to advise of concerns about or barriers to service/duties.
Information regarding health & safety matters related to COVID-19 and employee support has been posted in our facilities, on our company intranet, and is provided via regular memos and briefings.
Managers and dispatchers hold daily briefings and order-specific debriefings to provide support to teams and stay on top of operational concerns and compliance. Morning check-ins are held with staff to verify health and no new risk exposure since the previous shift.
As an organization we are promoting two-way communication for both staff and leadership and customers and service teams to ensure we are remaining diligent in our health & safety measures, to be proactive in the case of possible issues, and to provide guidance and support wherever it may be required.
Moving can be stressful at the best of times. As always, we take our role in minimizing this stress very seriously. We understand that some customers may not feel comfortable proceeding with a booked service during this time and we will work with them to reschedule their services to a more optimal time.
Please contact us if you have any questions about what we're doing to support our communities' health and safety or if you have concerns about receiving moving services at this time.
We are monitoring the latest advice, guidance, and directives from local and provincial health and government agencies. We are continually reviewing our practices to ensure they are offering the greatest degree of safety to both staff and customers.
We sincerely thank our staff for all that they're doing during this challenging time and we are grateful to our customers for their continued support.