THIS IS THE SECTION TITLE.Louis is also fighting against the losses ...
Like all other shops, the motorcycle clothing and accessories retailer Louis was more than marginally affected by the consequences of the corona pandemic. The branches had to close. Employees went on short-time work.
Image: Louis branch Hamburg, Copyright Fa. Louis
Press spokesman Jürgen van Bömmel gives the crisis at Louis a face.
He answered our questions and provided interesting insights.
Jürgen van Bömmel, picture Onno Seyler
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Editorial staff:
What impact did the crisis have on business operations?
“All German, Austrian and Swiss branches had to remain closed from mid-March 2020. For Louis, this means an immediate loss in sales of around 75 percent. The mail order business has been booming since then, but cannot even come close to making up for the losses in the stationary trade. "
Editorial staff:
Have preventive measures already been taken or has the crisis caught the trade “cold”?
“As is well known, we source many products from Asian countries. Therefore, when the epidemic broke out in China, we brought forward deliveries in a targeted manner in order to avoid possible delivery bottlenecks. Our warehouse is full, so we are now able to meet all customer requests as usual. "
Editorial staff:
What was the impact on you and your employees?
“With the branch closings, we unfortunately had to register short-time work for most of the employees working there. The establishment of individual branches as "pick-up stations" could offer some colleagues work and generate small sales. Fortunately, with the reopening of the first branches on April 20, the situation is easing again.
Of course, this situation also depresses the mood. The uncertainty about the financial impact and the likely duration of the crisis. On the other hand, dealing with one another is more friendly, considerate and helpful than it always was and always is at Louis. In the crisis, you grow even closer together. A community.
We were almost spared any infections within the workforce. There have of course been suspected cases and numerous quarantine measures. "
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Editorial staff:
Is there also a personal story that makes pure numbers more human?
“Perhaps a little anecdote about this: shortly before the virus came to Europe, we had introduced a new program for (internal) communication via chats and video telephony at the company headquarters. Probably never before has new software caught on so quickly and so thoroughly among employees. The acceptance of this new technology is extremely high. "
Editorial staff:
What has the Louis company done to support, absorb and help?
“We will also help the hardest hit employees financially and create a certain balance. After all, the individual employee is not responsible if their branch was closed or even has to stay. "
Editorial staff:
The company has been open again since April 20, 2020. Can the losses be absorbed? How was the first influx after opening?
“It is true that some branches have been allowed to open since that date. The branches closed at the start of the season in our branch - the worst time! We will not be able to make up for the losses incurred in the course of the year. On the other hand, we see that our customers in the stationary trade want to shop with our motivated branch teams and do so. It's nice to see. "
Editor: How do the customers behave?
“The vast majority of them adhere very well to the general hygiene rules and also to our hygiene rules that apply in the branches. This is extremely important in the interests of the health of our branch teams, but also in the customer's own interests. "
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Editorial staff:
W.hat have you done to protect yourself, your employees and customers while still maintaining a personal atmosphere?
“The management informed about the situation and the necessary hygiene and safety measures very early on. Many administrative colleagues can now work from home. That works largely smoothly. And in the days before the reopening, our branch management was busy working out and implementing the necessary hygiene measures for the individual branches. "
Editorial staff:
How did you bridge the time off? Was that time rather stressful? After all, this wasn't a vacation.
“During the lockdown, as mentioned briefly above, we converted some branches into pick-up stations, where the customer could then pick up the required goods contactlessly after pre-ordering. So we were able to get a few employees out of short-time work. "
Editorial staff:
Mr Van Bömmel, thank you very much for answering the questions. We hope that you will soon be able to resume completely normal operations and recover from the effects of the pandemic.