TORONTO - OneLocal commissioned a survey of 1,072 respondents to understand how consumer behaviour is changing with COVID-19. The survey found that 80 per cent said they would not enter a small business unless they complied with safety regulations, while 89 per cent believe it is necessary for all businesses to share their safety measures. Enter COVIDsafe.services, a new tool for North American auto repair services that addresses evolving safety protocols. OneLocal has developed this free online resource where auto repair services can both access and share the latest COVID-19 regulations.

We’re hopeful COVIDsafe.services will give consumers an alternative to buying online because we truly believe that small businesses are the key to restarting the economy.

“We’ve been speaking to small businesses, and even those who have since reopened, or maybe never closed at all, are struggling to get people through the doors,” said Maggie McIntyre, Director of Operations at OneLocal. “People are saying ‘why should I walk into a store and risk my health when I can just order online?’ We’re hopeful COVIDsafe.services will give consumers an alternative to buying online because we truly believe that small businesses are the key to restarting the economy.”

Businesses can access tailored safety checklists to navigate COVID-19 government regulations. For auto repair services, there is a set of mandatory protocols that they must say they are following before they can share it with their customers. Once they are following these guidelines, they can then create a public profile for their customers to see. Another thing businesses get is a COVIDsafe badge that they can post on their website, which summarizes the safety procedures they are following.

“We’re asking these small businesses to digest a lot of information, from a lot of different sources, and we feel this is a huge ask. Not only that, but it’s unclear whether these businesses are being set up for success when they reopen,” said Maggie McIntyre. “We think there’s still going to be some fear among consumers. After months of being told to stay home,  people may think twice before rushing back into stores. Especially if businesses can’t show the precautions they’re taking.”

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