Using covid as an excuse

[Lockdowner13]

So many local businesses are using covid as an excuse. An example being a local nursery that was Due to open in summer.

I was in waiting list. I chased and chased and chased. Finally I got the answer “it might open in 2021 but we can’t tell you exactly when”

They didn’t even have the courtesy to email us waiting parents.

Meanwhile the nursery shell is finished, it sits empty with the finishing touches (paint, carpet, furniture etc). There are no trades people working there. It’s literally stopped.

Covid is NOT an excuse for poor communication.

This is the second time this has happened to me. I’m finding that businesses are using covid as an excuse for poor service, poor communication and nobody wants to think outside the box anymore.

COVID is a reason for a business to not be open/not offer some services etc.
However I’d agree that generally speaking, covid is not a good excuse for poor communication. In your example, they’ll have had a waiting list, with contact details. Writing an email updating people takes minutes and it could be the difference between people sticking with you, or going elsewhere.

Blimey queenblue. Did you even read my post above? I even mentioned theatre workers....

It doesn’t help those that have to work still does it?

How does not opening a nursery help me? I need childcare, I get that someone down the road has lost their job and doesn’t need it and it’s terribly sad but it literally does not help my childcare situation.

It’s like going to Sainsbury’s and finding that they no longer stock pasta because your neighbour no longer buys it. It’s all well and good until you try to make a spaghetti Bol!

I would have been happy with a vague email saying the situation is unknown. But instead in both cases I received nothing until I chased, sometimes multiple times.

I suppose my point is, why would they be furloughed? We are supposed to be getting back to normal. People need childcare. I’m still working 9-5.

I can understand some jobs: eg theatres are closed for now, furlough the theatre workers. As far as I know childcare and education is still going! Yes there are some people that have lost jobs etc and perhaps they don’t need childcare. I’m pretty sure demand has not gone down that much round here.

Some people can not afford childcare, so yes demand will have gone down. Some people may have also taken the decision to remove their children from childcare to the risk that poses to their family. Childcare was also shut down during lockdown, except for key workers. So even if demand had stayed the same, it’s a large chain and 90% of children can no longer attend, 90% of families are no longer paying full fees, income drops. They need to keep the childcare professionals employed to take care of key worker children you can’t use a comms expert to take care of children, so why wouldn’t the comms people be furloughed? This is a national chain, so there’s no chance they’ve experienced financial difficulties? Really?!? There’s a new supermarket near me, Tesco wanted it built. They spent a fortune building it just before the miscounting of many millions came out. Suddenly they couldn’t afford to continue with opening that store, despite the money already sunk into it. It has since been sold to another supermarket.

OP I agree with you, too many using covid as an excuse for poor service. I had to email a local council today, I got an auto reply basically saying "yeah, covid, don't expect a reply any time soon"