Three months have now passed since we implemented our COVID-19 contingency plans and measures, the extent of which affected our customers, being:
- All HPMS offices, reception and meeting areas closed to customers and the general public, including contractors and service suppliers.
- All face to face interactions and meetings with customers were suspended.
Whilst these measures remain in place, with the anticipated continuing relaxation of Government restrictions, our customers’ needs continue to increase daily, with many contractors (who ceased operations to some degree) also returning to work. In this respect, with the support of our people, we have started a phased return to resume working from our office premises.
Pleasingly, as a result of our comprehensive contingency plans, our customers have experienced little disruption when contacting us over this period with our Directors, factoring staff, and all essential support teams all equipped to work from home. Notwithstanding, with our customers’ needs increasing, we are pleased to update our communication and operational strategies as follows:
- Our main telephone switchboards are fully staffed and operational.
- Factoring teams continue to be contactable directly by telephone or email (details available through your My H&P App), or through our main switchboard.
- Our email addresses info@hackingandpaterson.co.uk and edinburgh@hackingandpaterson.co.uk continue as usual, and emails received will be forwarded to the appropriate department for action and response.
- In the event of an emergency affecting your property, out-with office hours, customers should continue to contact the contractors identified at https://www.hackingandpaterson.co.uk/customer-support/emergency-contacts/
- Our factoring teams continue to be available to deal with all customer communications, including repair/maintenance requests and account queries.
- We continue to issue customer communications both electronically and by post, however, continue to encourage customers to sign up for paperless communication. We would like to thank all our customers who have provided us with email addresses.
- Our factoring teams continue to be available to meet with individuals and groups of customers remotely using Zoom and Microsoft Teams, these proving a very worthwhile addition to our business facilities.
- Our ground maintenance team are visiting many of our customers’ properties.
- Our factoring teams continue to be available to respond to claims required against our customers’ communal insurance policies.
As restrictions are, hopefully, relaxed further, we anticipate our customers’ needs will continue to increase and expect, in the coming weeks that, in addition to continuing digital meetings, our factoring teams will return to visiting properties, where necessary, and meeting customers outside their properties (ensuring all appropriate Social Distancing requirements are adhered to).
We would like to thank all our customers for their continued support and to further emphasise that our dedicated factoring teams continue to be fully available to assist with their needs and are ready to help with the communal maintenance and servicing requirements of our customers’ property.
As we slowly move towards returning to some form of normality, we continue to learn and develop our service offering. This period has enabled us to adapt our business model to incorporate new ideas, and ways of communication that we are confident will continue to further enhance our ability to deliver the best factoring experience for our customers.
The pandemic has made us come together to rally our greatest strength, the human spirit, and through all of this, we are re-emphasising what is most important – our people and our customers.
Please stay safe.
