The COVID-19 crisis has created a heightened awareness of the importance of instituting safe delivery practices designed to minimize contact between persons in the automotive aftermarket. While your business, and those of your customers, will have new protocols in place to reduce and hopefully eliminate the spread of the disease, minimizing contact between persons is an important component.

In addition to the broader mandates to keep people who are feeling ill out of the workplace, hand-washing, and surface cleaning, consider implementing the following:

• Drop deliveries outside. This will minimize cross-traffic between individuals.

• Proof of Delivery (PoD) signature/notifications eliminate the need to pass terminals and styluses between individuals. If the delivery driver is asked to sign on behalf of the recipient, sign it “SAFE DROP” (instead of COVID-19, which is disturbing to some people).

• Ensure businesses acknowledge the delivery (via cell phone, text, or email) at time of delivery. Keep a record of this acknowledgement.

• Travel with an ample supply of hand sanitizer and use it before and after each delivery.

• Wash your hands regularly throughout the day.

• If you wear protective gloves, dispose of the gloves regularly and in accordance with protocols.

• Consider delaying pick-up of cores and returned products until we know more about the coronavirus and how to guard against it. If you must pick up, strongly consider a policy of using totes/baskets that can be wiped down and minimize contact with the product.