Covid-19 Updates

Supporting Public Authorities in Keeping Us All Safe

The safety and well-being of everyone who uses and provides roadside assistance services powered by Urgently is our top priority, and we are committed to supporting public authorities and local communities as they work to manage and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have and will continue to take preventive measures, based on guidance from the CDC and federal and local officials, to minimize the spread of COVID-19, including:

• Limiting contact between Service Providers and Motorists during service events, by avoiding close contact, not shaking hands, and working with stranded motorists to arrange alternate transportation if their vehicle must be towed from the scene.
  

• Short-Term Mobility. Our Contact Center agents are providing alternatives to stranded motorists, including unattended service events to avoid contact between Service Providers and Customers. Our technology platform continues to provide Short-Term Mobility options to reduce the need for tow vehicle ride-alongs, which do not comply with the CDC’s social distance guidance. These options include assisting stranded motorists in coordinating pickups at their disablement location by a trusted family member or friend, or by a ride-hailing service, like Uber, Lyft or taxi.
  

• Advising our Service Providers to regularly disinfect surfaces, practice good hygiene and wear facemasks: Use disinfecting wipes to clean surfaces and door handles regularly. Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water for 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. Wear a facemask, especially in situations where social distancing is not possible.
  

• Running remote operations to safely maintain service levels. Urgently’s Corporate Offices, Contact Center and Network Operations proactively transitioned to a 100% geo distributed workforce to abide by social distancing requirements.
  

• Working with CDC and Local Health Officials. If we are notified of a Service Provider or Customer showing symptoms, feeling sick or known to have been in contact with someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, they will be temporarily unable to service stranded motorists or use Urgently roadside assistance services until they are medically cleared. In such an event, we will also follow guidance from the CDC and local health officials to identify other individuals who may have been impacted.
  

Protecting Our Essential Service Providers

Helping a stranded motorist on the side of the road, who has no other option, will continue to be needed. Urgently and our Service Provides want to assist these customers, and to do so in the safest way possible. It is our belief that the Service Provider and the stranded motorist are in the best position to make decisions on safely delivering and accepting assistance. We will continue to work with both Service Providers and Customers to provide the best solution.

For Those Who Are Sick

Urgently has been and will continue to be in touch with our Service Providers to make sure they have the latest guidance from the CDC on how to best protect themselves: CDC’s full guidelines. In addition, we are advising Service Providers and Customers:

• Please stay home if you are sick. If a Service Provider is showing symptoms, feeling sick or has been notified of being in contact with someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, that Service Provider should not report to work until medically cleared.
  

• Customers who are not feeling well, have tested positive for COVID-19 or have been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19, will be instructed to contact the appropriate health and human services authorities for assistance.  
  

Keeping Service Provider Employees Healthy

The wellbeing of the Urgently community is our priority. In addition to the preventive measures described under how we are Supporting Public Authorities, below are recommendations from leading fleet service managers on steps Service Providers can take to help keep their employees healthy.

• Maintain clean vehicles. Disinfect door handles (interior and exterior), arm rests, turn signal levers, shift knobs/levers, radio, dash, dash controls, steering wheels, and seat belt fasteners. Disinfect cabs between drivers shifts. Clean and disinfect vehicles nightly – contact your local ServePro cleaning service as an option. Change cabin air filters more frequently. Use a log of who was using each vehicle at a particular point in time, to more easily trace connections in the event someone becomes ill.
  

• Disinfect tools. Use disinfecting wipes or isopropyl alcohol to clean tools regularly.
  

• Waive requirements for customer signatures. Drivers should sign with initials of CPG – Corporate Preventive Guidelines (for audit purposes).
  

• Mobile device usage. Disinfect hands after using touchscreens. Disinfect POS devices and personal mobile devices regularly with disinfecting wipes.
  

• Fueling vehicles. Disinfect gas pump handles, touchscreens, fuel cards, and windshield washer handles. Use paper towels while holding the pump, and wash or disinfect hands after fueling.
  

• Using ATM machines. Disinfect hands after use of touchscreens and credit cards.
  

• Check with CDC for approved disinfectants. Some disinfectants could be harmful to interior fabrics. Test in a small unseen area first.
  

• Wear protective clothing. Use disposable gloves and change between jobs. Wear facemasks, particularly in situations where social distancing is not possible.
  

Minding Your Business

Our focus on the wellbeing of Service Providers also extends to the health of your business. Urgently is mindful of the business impacts from stay-at-home orders, non-essential business closures and social distancing. All of these precautions affect miles driven, which is likely to lead to fewer jobs for Service Providers in the short term.

However, essential workers still need to get to work. And we all need to shop for groceries, prescriptions and other essentials for our families. During this time, vehicles will break down, and when vehicles have mechanical failures, motorists will need Urgently’s essential Service Providers, more than ever, to assist them in getting through this anxious time in their lives.

Here are some of the ways Urgently is addressing the business impacts to Service Providers:

• Urgently recommends our Service Providers always use (and update regularly) the Urgently or Towbook technology. Using and updating the technology in your vehicles and dispatch offices will help ensure you have the greatest opportunity for jobs in your area. Regularly updating technology ensures optimum performance, to help you run your business most efficiently.
  

• Tracking call activity trends and offering guidance on possible actions. Urgently is tracking call volumes across its network and informing Service Providers of shifts in peak activity that could lead them to make staffing adjustments to address peak periods or to flex staffing in order to provide enough work for key drivers.
  

• Urgently is working with our Partners and exploring new innovative service ideas. Such service involves pick-up and re-delivery of repaired vehicles from Dealers and Repair Facilities that would benefit everyone involved in the ecosystem, support social distancing guidelines by limiting car owners’ need for travel and in-person contact with Dealers and Repair Facilities, and bring more jobs to Service Providers.
  

Important Advisories

Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Updated Advisory on the identification of Critical Infrastructure Workers (March 28)

CDC COVID-19 Guidance on How to Protect Yourself

Serving Customers and Keeping Them Safe

Urgently and our Service Provides want to assist stranded motorists in need of help, and do it in the safest way possible. It is our belief that the Service Provider and the Customer are in the best position to make decisions on safely delivering and accepting assistance. We will continue to work with both Service Providers and Customers to provide the best solution.

Preventive Measures

The wellbeing of the Urgently community is our priority. We are taking preventive measures, based on guidance from the CDC and federal and local officials, to minimize the spread of COVID-19, including:

• Limiting contact between Service Providers and Motorists during service events by avoiding close contact, not shaking hands, and working with stranded motorists to arrange alternate transportation if their vehicle must be towed from the scene.
  

• Short-Term Mobility. Our Contact Center agents are providing alternatives to stranded motorists, including unattended service events to avoid contact between Service Providers and Customers. And our technology platform continues to provide Short-Term Mobility options to reduce the need for tow vehicle ride-alongs, which do not comply with the CDC’s social distance standards. These options include assisting Customers in coordinating pickups at their disablement location by a trusted family member or friend, or by a ride-hailing service, like Uber, Lyft or taxi.
  

• Advising our Service Providers to regularly disinfect surfaces, practice good hygiene and wear facemasks: Use disinfecting wipes to clean surfaces and door handles regularly. Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water for 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. Wear a facemask, especially in situations where social distancing is not possible.
  

• Working with CDC and Local Health Officials. If we are notified of a Service Provider or customer showing symptoms, feeling sick or known to have been in contact with someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, they will be temporarily unable to service motorists or use Urgently roadside assistance services until they are medically cleared. In this event, we will also follow guidance from the CDC and local health officials to identify other individuals who may have been impacted.
  

Keeping Industry Partners Informed

We are keeping our Partners updated on the COVID-19 impacts to customers and mobility assistance programs, and how Urgently is continuing to operate safely and effectively.

Based on the latest CDC information and guidelines, we are taking steps to protect both customers and Service Providers, by limiting close contact during roadside events, while continuing to provide safe and positive experiences for customers. Here are some of the steps we are taking:

• Remote Assistance. Where safe, proceeding with scheduled, unattended service events.
  

• Onward Mobility - Family/Friends: Working with each customer to understand if there is someone they know and trust who could pick them up from their disablement location.
  

• Onward Mobility – Ride-Hailing Service. Working with each customer to arrange short-term mobility through a ride-hailing provider like Uber, Lyft or taxi, to safely transport them from their disablement location.
  

We have been monitoring our service levels in real time, and the majority of jobs have performed at or above our high-service expectations.