Halls Quality Painting

Painting a business and the holiday season does not always mix well, especially when you expect customers to be present. However, you can accomplish the task of painting during the holidays as long as you plan and take special precautions. Listed in this article are some standard safety measures you can take when painting around customers in Fernandina Beach Fl.

Plan for Your Customer’s Safety

As a business owner, your customers are your first priority. You should do all you can to make your customers feel safe while shopping and assure them they can purchase the items they need. In that case, most customers will understand the need for maintenance and upkeep of your business. The key to painting your business or having any maintenance performed when customers are present is making sure that everyone is safe.

Post “Wet Paint” Notices Throughout the Store

Before the painting company arrives to begin the project, you can put up signs in your store to notify customers about the scheduled painting project. The signs can state the specific days and hours that the painters will be present. That way, customers can plan their shopping experiences around those hours if they desire. Your customers will appreciate your warning them that shopping in the store will not be business as usual during that time.

Warn Customers that Painters are Present

It may appear evident to you that customers can see that commercial interior painters are present. However, as the business owner, you must make sure they know about potential hazards, such as water on the floor, wet paint on the walls, or ladders in the hallway. Adults may see these things, but often children accompany their parents on shopping trips. If a child or anyone else gets hurt, you could be liable. The best thing you can do is post signs in the store. Place the signs in entranceways, hallways, and the painter’s work areas to divert people away from those locations. You can also take it a step farther by posting diagrams showing where the painters will be working and then block off those areas to keep customers away.

Section Off the Area Where Painters are Working

Using plastic dividers, thick plastic sheets, or ropes to section off the painter’s work areas keeps customers away from the painters. Most likely, there will be merchandise that’s for sale in the painted areas. You can have those items moved to a location where they would be more assessable to your customers. As long as your customers can purchase the things they need without the risk of getting wet paint on themselves, they will still be happy shopping in your store.

Ensure Proper Ventilation Exists

Make sure the painted areas have proper ventilation, so the customers are not inhaling large amounts of paint fumes while they are shopping. As you petition off areas, make sure they are far enough away from customers, so the fumes are not overbearing. If it does not pose a security risk, you could open windows or prop open doors. It will help if you post employees at the entrances to help monitor what’s happening in the painted areas. The employees should also watch to make sure no customers wander into the painters’ area by mistake.

Avoid Painting During Peak Shopping Hours

If at all possible, you should not have painters present during your peak hours of business. Instead, allow the painters to come in after-hours when no one is there, or only a few customers are inside the store. Avoiding having painters present during peak hours will reduce your liability and the possibility of someone getting hurt. It will also be easier for the painters to finish the job if they don’t have to work around a lot of people.

Keep Painting Equipment Away from Customers

Many commercial painters are meticulous about keeping their work areas clean for the safety of their clients. However, it is not the painting company’s responsibility to keep people safe while inside your business. That responsibility ultimately belongs to you. Therefore, make sure the painters’ area is large enough to store all of their paint ladders and other equipment away from the customers. Anytime items are left unattended, they should be adequately marked or covered. You should also post a sign to let people know to walk around those items.

Be Prepared to Retrieve Merchandise for Customers

There may be items in the store in the area that’s being painted, which you cannot easily move. In that case, those items can still be available for purchase if you have an employee present to get them for the customers. Retrieving merchandise for customers under these circumstances is no different than getting inventory from the store’s stockroom when that item is not on the display shelf.

The Painting Inconvenience is Temporary

Ideally, you would not employ paint contractors during peak shopping hours. So, when customers see painters or any other maintenance workers, they understand there must be a need for their being scheduled. Painting during the holiday season is only a temporary situation. If customers complain, you can remind them that the painters are only temporary.

Provide Discounts If Possible

If possible, you can provide a discount or incentive to loyal customers who continue to shop in your business throughout the painting process. And after the job is complete, if you handled things well, your customers may tell you how great the place looks and how much they appreciate the efforts you’ve taken to keep it that way.

It is possible to have your business painted during the Holidays even while customers are present. You must take extra precautions to make sure your customers and employees are safe during that time. Most customers appreciate being able to shop in a freshly painted store. Knowing that you care about providing them with a clean and safe environment can translate to an enjoyable and profitable shopping experience.

If you are in or near Fernandina Beach, Florida, and need to have your business painted during this coming holiday season, contact the commercial painters at Halls Quality Painting. We can help you plan ahead, so the project does not deter your customers’ shopping experience.