We would like to update you on our response to the COVID-19 crisis and how this impacts our daily operations.
As members of PLNA, they have worked on our behalf to clarify some of the questions regarding the Pennsylvania shut down of all “non-essential” businesses in the state. The state has listed specific categories of the landscaping industry and has, at least for the moment, clarified that we are an essential business permitted to continue as long as the listed guidelines are put in place. Please read the information and guidelines here.
In addition to the guidelines provided by the state, our number one priority is the SAFETY of our customers, our employees and their families. We are taking extra steps to maintain a healthy work environment for everyone involved:
- Our employees will stay home if they are sick to any degree.
- Office procedures will be measured and assessed to maintain healthy distancing and a clean work environment.
- Customers will not be visiting our business location/ office for any reason.
- We will not be meeting inside the homes of our customers to go over estimates, designs or to sign contracts.
- Social distancing will be a number one priority when we are working at a client’s home.
- Emails and phone calls will be used as much as possible for finalizing designs, communicating with customers and sending updated contracts.
At Knutsen Landscaping Inc., we feel fortunate that we are part of the green industry, and in such providing essential services to our community for new plantings and outdoor enhancements that provide many benefits to the environment around us. We feel strongly that if there is a sector of the economy that can safely work and is approved by the state to maintain their daily business operations, we should keep pressing forward to help combat some of the larger economic issues that could develop from this crisis. With that being said, we will be getting permission from ALL of our customers before scheduling work. We want our customers to feel safe and comfortable with scheduled work and be able to give them the opportunity at any point to delay contracted work, estimates or anything else that would cause hesitation at this trying time. If we are doing a job for you, please be patient as we are working with an ever changing situation. Some of our vendors have closed and are, at the moment, assessing the situation. In addition to our vendors, some of the manufacturing plants and nursery supply chains are being affected by this. They have to adhere to their state’s policies on what they think is the best approach to combat the COVID-19 virus.
Lastly, and most importantly, please do your part to follow the guidelines for social distancing and washing hands frequently. If we all do our part we will get through this faster. Let’s work together as a community to help mitigate the fast and furious spread of this new virus. Be generous and help those in need. Pray that this is quick to subside, that families and communities are minimally impacted and that we can get back to normal as soon as possible. Maybe through these trying times, we can gain better perspective, grow stronger as a community and, in a larger part, as a country. As testing becomes more available to the public, we will see increased cases of COVID-19. This is not necessarily bad news if we understand the long term goal. Let’s be measured and knowledgeable in our responses and not just read the headlines. Do your part to understand this virus as much as possible so you can understand how best to react.
Thank you for trusting Knutsen for your outdoor enhancements projects! Whether it’s now or after all this passes, we look forward to helping you in any way we can with your outdoor needs! We will continue to update our status as the state may make changes to their policy.
Thank you,
Andy Knutsen
President
Knutsen Landscaping, Inc.
