The COVID-19 pandemic has seen myriad companies and organisations adapting their services to provide additional essential assistance or key products whilst following government guidelines on safe protocol, and BTCC title sponsor Kwik Fit is no exception to this.
Kwik Fit looked forward to building on the successful activations and relationships formed in 2019, its first year as title sponsor, but needless to say, the early stages of the 2020 season have not gone quite how the leading car servicing and repair company and its staff had planned.
BTCC fans who attended race weekends last season had the opportunity to meet members of the Kwik Fit team around the circuits, as they challenged people to take part in their racing competition in the fanzone, as well as hosting driver meet and greets and giving out goodie bags.
The last few weeks have similarly seen Kwik Fit staff giving out free items, but instead of BTCC merchandise to fans, it’s been valuable personal protective equipment (PPE) to key NHS and care workers.
The company’s centres have remained open under government guidance during the lockdown to support those needing to make essential journeys. Throughout the last few weeks, staff have served many NHS and blue-light workers at their centres, both in emergency vehicles and in their own cars, and have heard lots of stories from the frontline.
As a result of one conversation, the manager of Kwik Fit’s Winchester centre had the innovative idea to provide community nurses with protective seat and steering wheel covers, as well as gloves. Upon hearing of this initiative, the management team decided to extend this offer to nurses and care workers across the country and has now donated hundreds of thousands of PPE items throughout the UK.
While the centres have remained open, the staff have naturally had to adapt operations, to keep both customers and the Kwik Fit team as safe as possible. Social distancing and thorough hygiene practices are paramount, with some reception areas having had seating removed to ensure that people remain two metres apart. Customers are being asked to stay inside their cars whilst waiting to be served, and consider going for their daily exercise while their car is worked on. Reception desks have been fitted with protective screens and centres will no longer take cash in order to reduce any personal contact.
The many social media comments from key workers up and down the country have been testament to how glad they have been that Kwik Fit centres have been open when they have been needed. In response, Kwik Fit staff last week carried out a virtual tyre roll involving more than 600 centres from Aberdeen to Penzance to thank the frontline NHS staff for keeping the nation rolling. In addition, Kwik Fit has been providing discounts for NHS staff and repairing all punctures for key workers free of charge.
“This is obviously not how any of us wanted to be spending the first part of the season,” said Andy Lane, Marketing Director of Kwik Fit. “But it’s vital that we take the right action to keep everyone safe and support the NHS. We’re looking forward to getting back to the tracks and supporting all the BTCC teams as soon as we can, but that can only be done when the risks can be managed.”
