MAY 28 • 2020 | 87
including one for new grads.
“We thought, ‘
What do we
have to lose?’
” Trepek said.
“We’
re not making any profit
off the masks — the profits go
to charity —but people want
them, and it keeps us in front
of our customers’
minds.”
Trepek is optimistic about
the future. “We are definitely
going to make it. People want
to shop; that’
s the good thing,”
she said. “But how we shop is
going to be very different. We
will do more by-appointment
sessions with our customers
and keep working through our
social media.”
JANITORIAL
Deemed essential workers
by Granholm, Jan-Pro in
Southfield never had to close;
however, a third of its custom-
ers did, according to owner
Jared Rothberger. That left
the company scrambling to
increase revenue so it wouldn’
t
have to reduce staff.
Late last year, the compa-
ny started a supply business,
offering their customers and
the public masks, gloves, toilet
paper, paper towel and hand
sanitizer, among other items.
That business has taken off.
“We did about $4,000 worth
of business in November,
compared to several hundred
thousand in April,” Rothberger
said. “That’
s helped us make
payroll.”
As the economy in
Michigan slowly begins to
re-engage, Jan-Pro is sharing
how use of its disinfectant
spray EnviroShield can help
slow the spread of COVID-
19, keeping employees and
customers safe. EnviroShield
eliminates 99.9% of bacteria
and viruses on exposed sur-
faces in a building. It wraps
around surfaces to hit hard-to-
reach areas, and has been used
in hundreds of local facilities
over the last several years,
including childcare facilities,
medical facilities and schools.
Throughout the pandem-
ic, JAN-PRO has given free
EnviroShield sprays for all
police, fire and EMS vehi-
cles, precincts and fire sta-
tions. As part of the process,
Rothberger was able to get
behind the wheel of those
first-responder vehicles for
short drives. “I lived out my
dream to drive a fire truck,
police car and ambulance,” he
said. “My 10-year-old self was
so proud.”
REAL ESTATE
Dan Gutfreund of Signature
Sotheby’
s in
Birmingham
has been selling
real estate for a
long time. Before
COVID-19 hit, he
was selling two
or three homes
a week. During the stay-at-
home order, he sold four
homes total. Technology
helped. Using MatterPort 3D
technology, agents were able
to give clients virtual homes
tours.
Whitmer allowed the real
estate sector to relaunch with
limits on May 7. Gutfreund
said that was welcome news,
although he and his team are
having to adapt the way they
sell homes to help slow the
spread of the virus.
Now that people are once
again able to walk through
homes, changes had to be
made.
“We’
ve put sanitization
stations in every one of the
homes we’
re showing,” he
said. The stations contain
masks, booties and sanitiz-
ers. Showings are limited to
four people and “perspective
buyers are asked to touch
nothing and maintain CDC
social distancing standards,”
he said.
Open houses are still
not allowed, so technology
will continue to play a big
role, Gutfreund said. “We’
re
doing virtual open houses on
Facebook video, using Zoom
and providing 3D tours online.”
He said his employees are
going to continue working
from home, and title compa-
nies and banks are allowing
closings to take place online.
“Health and safety remain top
of mind,” he said.
He says the industry has a
positive outlook for the future.
“There is pent-up demand
and interest rates and inven-
tory are at all-time low. This
truly is a sellers’
market. I
think the market will snap
back as soon as the governor
relaxes the rules.”
COURTESY OF EVENT BLISS
COURTESY OF JAN-PRO
Dan
Gutfreund
Whitmer continues to allow
different sectors of the
economy to re-engage. Her
stay-at-home order was
set to expire May 28, and
on May 26 she opened up
retail and auto dealers by
appointment only.
To make transitioning
easier, the Small Business
Association of Michigan
has developed resources to
assist small businesses.
“Getting back to work will
require changes for small
businesses that could be
overwhelming,” said SBAM
President Brian Calley in a
statement.
The “Get Back to Work
Safely Guide” includes tips
and resources for issues
that small businesses may
face, including revising
employee policies and
employee handbooks,
as well as talking with
employees about new
expectations. The guide also
provides checklists on PPE
use, cleaning and health
screenings, as well as
other considerations small
businesses may need to
take on in their facilities.
The guide is available at
sbam.org/Resources/COVID-
19-Resources.
Getting Back to Business