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Close to 76,000 businesses gradually return to business
Posted On 04 May 2020
With biosecurity suits, masks and equipped with fumigation pumps, the staff of Muebles El Bosque disinfected their warehouses and trucks last weekend, which since Monday, May 4 will be reactivated after 48 days of quarantine and stoppage. forced by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Close to 76,000 businesses gradually return to business
Mario Díaz, Marketing Manager of the company , pointed out that in this way they comply with biosafety protocols to protect their employees and clients. This, after the national Emergency Operations Committee (COE) approved on April 28 the ‘Guide and General Plan for the progressive return to work activities’ and delegated to the cantonal COE the responsibility of defining the degree and timing reopening of commercial and productive activities in their territories.
In turn, the cantonal COE of Guayas resolved “that the trade may sell at home. The sale will be direct from the warehouses of the authorized premises to the point of delivery to the consumer ” . The extension of the home delivery service was also ordered from 07:00 to 22:00, before it was only until 13:00.
According to the calculations of Pablo Arosemena, president of the Federation of the Chambers of Commerce of Ecuador and the Guayaquil Chamber of Commerce , from today around 76,000 formal businesses will be reactivated nationwide, which would mean the return of some 200,000 seats of suitable employment . Stores dedicated to the sale of household appliances, electronic devices, furniture, hardware and household items, clothing, cosmetic and beauty products, vehicle parts and toys will be reactivated.
Stationery, office supplies and construction were revived last week through a pilot plan.
“It is likely that as the days go by, these workers will gradually return. Let us remember that the demand for goods is also contracted, “said Arosemena, who assured that the commercial sector at the national level has lost more than 3500 million dollars.
In the case of Muebles El Bosque, Díaz assured that 100% of the operating personnel and 40% of the administrative staff of the warehouse and logistics area were called, with the exception of those who, on medical recommendation, must maintain quarantine. Meanwhile, 100% of the physical sales and administration area will work under the home office modality .
“The start of the delivery activity will begin in the city of Guayaquil and in the coming days it is expected to be enabled in the rest of the cities according to the established regulations,” added the manager.
Kia Ecuador is another company that will reactivate about 60% of its commercial area staff to cover online sales of parts and vehicles, said Ricardo Rosales, general manager of the brand in Ecuador .
“As of May 4, we will emphasize online sales respecting the guidelines of the COE, that we have to make home deliveries of the vehicles that are sold or the spare parts that are sold in our orders,” said Rosales.
He added that weeks ago they reactivated between 20% and 30% of the personnel in the service area (workshops) to cover the demand for the brand’s police service vehicles and customers with safe conducts for their activities related to the first supply line: medical services, police, military, etc.
Also, some thirty companies that participate until Monday, May 4 in Cyberday.Ec plan to start home deliveries of their orders. After 60 hours online, from 00:00 last Friday to noon on Sunday, CyberDay.Ec registered 275,000 visits to the platform. The digital event, organized by the Ecuadorian Chamber of Electronic Commerce (CECE), was scheduled to last only 48 hours, until midnight last Saturday; however, due to the generated demand, its extension was ordered for an additional 48 hours. (I)
