In Switzerland, measures to combat the coronavirus have been gradually eased. It is impossible to predict with certainty how things will proceed and when, under what conditions, a complete all-clear can be given and a return to normality can be achieved. This report addresses the challenges Elco's service sector faced during the lockdown, the protective measures implemented, and how prevention efforts will continue.
On March 16, 2020, Switzerland was placed under an unprecedented lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. "The Federal Council's decision did not catch us unprepared," says Paola Raganato, Head of Service and member of the Executive Board at Elco. "Our employees had already been comprehensively informed about our safety plan a week prior, which had been developed by a pandemic team comprised of members of the Executive Board and the Head of Occupational Safety." The internal directive regulated, among other things, working from home, contact between regions, and interactions between employees and with customers. Training courses were canceled, and visits from external parties, meetings, and business trips were suspended or reduced to a minimum. Subsequently, the directives of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) came into effect. “Since our internationally operating parent company also has a presence in China, where the pandemic originated, we were able to reliably assess the potential impact as early as mid-February and acted accordingly. Servicing heating systems, including commissioning, maintenance, and troubleshooting, is a critical service activity and cannot be postponed at will,” explained the service manager. The availability of spare parts was also guaranteed at all times, and no Elco heating system had to be shut down due to a lack of parts. In April, an additional reserve was even established in Central Switzerland. Initially, procuring infection control materials proved challenging, due to export restrictions and customs delays. This necessitates a shift towards local suppliers.
Maximum Prevention for Customers:
Immediately after the lockdown, Elco sent a circular to all its customers, developed in conjunction with the manufacturers' and suppliers' association "GebäudeKlima Schweiz" (Building Climate Switzerland), outlining the measures and procedures for service technicians. The primary goal was to guarantee maximum prevention for customers. The key message was that service work is safe when performed while maintaining social distancing. Paola Raganato is convinced that this customer information helped to calm the situation and bring a more objective perspective, "because immediately after the lockdown, we were confronted with numerous cancellations and postponements of service appointments, with regional variations." For example, there were noticeably fewer cancellations in German-speaking Switzerland than in Ticino or French-speaking Switzerland. It proved advantageous that heating systems in Switzerland are primarily located in basements, meaning that living spaces do not need to be entered for service work. Service business picked up again in mid-April and even performed better than the previous year. The overall situation remains favorable today. In an interim assessment, one might conclude that Elco weathered the lockdown and the peak of the pandemic quite comfortably. "It wasn't quite that simple," Paola Raganato counters. "There were two problems that particularly concerned us: firstly, the sudden absence of around a quarter of our 400 service technicians." This was due to the shift to working from home, primarily by those at high risk, as well as conscription into the army and civilian service. The second problem arose when borders across Europe closed overnight. Elco also employs cross-border commuters, especially in Ticino and Geneva. The necessary entry formalities had to be completed immediately, and crossing the border often involved hours of waiting. In Geneva, they managed by switching to early and late shifts, so that employees from neighboring countries no longer had to cross the border during peak times. Elsewhere, these employees increasingly worked from home.
Protection concept refined and expanded.
The protective measures that were implemented are considered appropriate and effective in retrospect. The fact that the service department returned to normal operation within a short time after the lockdown is thanks to early action and the customers' trust in the measures taken by Elco. "If the protective measures are observed, service work on heating systems is safe," emphasizes the service manager. "Furthermore, the regular and transparent communication helped to prevent any uncertainty and ensured that all involved could adequately understand the sometimes complex subject matter." It is not yet possible to definitively assess the extent to which changes triggered by the lockdown will persist in the future, but working from home is likely to be redefined, says Paola Raganato: "We are also considering this direction." She added that it was observed that communication during the lockdown shifted more towards email than post. However, it remains to be seen at what level this will stabilize. Elco has also made provisions in case of a second wave of the coronavirus. The company will maintain its preventative measures for service technicians. Furthermore, the safety concept has been refined, expanded, and implemented throughout the entire company. This concept regulates, among other things, room occupancy limits, service technician training, and working from home. It can be quickly adapted to new requirements if necessary. "Of course, we hope to be spared a second wave, and if it does occur, that it won't coincide with peak season for heating service, such as the start of the heating season," hopes the head of Elco's service department.
