Capricorn actioned detailed Coronavirus support and guidance strategy for members, preferred suppliers and staff.
Australasia’s largest automotive cooperative, Capricorn, has actioned a detailed COVID- 19 communications plan to assist over 20,000 Members, along with Preferred Suppliers and staff located across Australia and New Zealand.
Led from the onset of this unprecedented pandemic by Capricorn Group CEO David Fraser, a detailed strategy was introduced, ensuring that Members in each country are accurately informed of the business support mechanisms that may be relevant to them.
As the vast majority of Capricorn Members are small, family owned automotive aftermarket businesses, these communications include timely Member exclusive COVID-19 emails providing information in line with announcements made by state and federal governments. Importantly, these have been provided in an easy to understand format with state specific information, making it easier for Members to identify their eligibility for the various stimuli, staff retention and other taxation-based incentives that have been and continue to be introduced.
In addition to direct communications, Capricorn also continues to update “The Workshop”, the cooperative’s Member community platform that provides business support and resources to help Members stay strong through COVID-19.
The Workshop includes a COVID-19 Community Support Forum, where Capricorn Members can connect, share ideas and discuss their experiences operating a business during these unprecedented times. The Capricorn team is also available through these forums to answer any questions that Members may have. Capricorn’s community platform also features a resources section dedicated to ensuring Members are accurately informed of any changes to the assistance packages both at the federal and state levels, a series of videos designed to help workshops through these extraordinary times and a comprehensive list of mental wellness resources. Since March 20, The Workshop community platform has had over 16,500 visits and over 10,000 new users accessing the information made available.
“Our responsibility from the onset of COVID-19 was first and foremost to ensure that our Members and Preferred Suppliers are constantly and accurately informed of the local, state and federal government stimulus mechanisms and support services that have been introduced and continue to be made available to them,” Mr Fraser said.
“As a cooperative structured organisation, everything that we do is for the benefit of our Members, so it is incumbent of us during such an unprecedented situation like this to make use of our online services platforms and Member services capabilities to do all that we can to provide assistance to our Members, while also providing telephone or online based support.
“Our actions to date and the continued support services that we will be providing our Members across Australia and New Zealand have one major objective, to ensure that we sail these uncharted waters together, emerging safer and stronger once things return to some form of normality,” Mr Fraser stated.
“All of us at Capricorn understand that we are all in this together and that supporting our Members, Preferred Suppliers and staff through this pandemic is paramount” Mr Fraser concluded.