Just pulled from NGC site: 4/2/2020 NGC and PMG remain open and fully operational at their Sarasota, Florida, USA headquarters and their other locations around the world. NGC and PMG meet a number of criteria for essential services according to Florida Executive Order 20-91, issued on April 1 by Governor DeSantis. The Executive Order specifically defines “essential services” to include, among many others, businesses that interact with customers electronically or by telephone and deliver products through the mail, manufacturing facilities, businesses that supply other essential businesses, and businesses that provide access to financial services, including non-bank financial services. In addition to the enhanced cleaning and safety protocols previously instituted, including frequent cleanings of all work areas, NGC and PMG have taken the following immediate steps: All customer drop-offs and pick-ups at their Sarasota headquarters, including the recently implemented Contactless Curbside Pick-Ups and Drop-Offs, have been suspended. (Note: Under normal circumstances, customer drop-offs and pick-ups at NGC and PMG’s Sarasota headquarters are available to Authorized Dealers by appointment only due to security requirements.) Any additional employees who have been identified as being able to do a substantial portion of their work from home will be required to do so. NGC and PMG Customer Service representatives are working from home and remain available to help. The fastest way to reach NGC and PMG Customer Service is to email Service@NGCcoin.com or Service@PMGnotes.com.
From my perspective, third party grading is non-essential, and hairs are being selfishly split by NGC to capture market share from their competitors. They know what the right thing is to do . . .
Many of their customers do, as well. I wonder if they'll get blowback because of this. On the other hand, if NGC or any other business for that matter, can guarantee that their being open to a limited number of people can be done without endangering their employees or others any more than having everyone stay at home would, why not continue to operate? Day-to-day work may be a pain, but at least your revenue stream isn't coming to a screeching halt. I'm not saying how that could be guaranteed, but only supposing it could.
If that were possible sure, but it's not. The simple act of having to go to work with other people is an extra danger. It's hard not to imagine that there won't be some impact given that FL is closing because idiots wouldn't stay home and stay off the beaches etc. It'd be one thing to try and open back up in a week or two, but to just say doesn't apply to us were good like that if nothing else it gives off the appearance that all that matters is money
Good luck . . . unpacking shipped coins coming from who knows where, handling them numerous times, passing them among as many as four or even 5 graders, holdering them and then shipping them back to their origin. NGC can no more guarantee that they won't spread the coronavirus, than they can guarantee that it won't quietly find its way onto their premises.
I'm not overly concerned about the shipments themselves (likely they would be infecting each other more than anything which obviously would spread to the community) but it is cringe worthy how they tried to promote their cleaning as the reason why they were still open before and now this. I have a submission there right now too, hope they enjoy that money as I will be letting my membership lapse
I know, but for every scenario, you could probably imagine a way to mitigate the risk, even though it would eventually paralyze the business. For example, inbound shipments handled with PPE, quarantined in a vault for 5 days. You'd need to have enough vaults so that after 5 days of receiving shipments, you could have them stored separately and start working on the first day, clearing out that vault before day 6 arrived. They're not doing this, of course, but you could come up with a process that was effective.
True, but you still can't control for does the employee have it or not. What happens if someone gets it in the office? What happens if a grader gets it? What if a finalizer gets it? Are they going to tell the public sorry we had cases here and have to shut down or just keep quietly telling the employees to come to work? What if several graders get it, will junior graders now take over senior roles just to stay open and if so would they ever tell the public? Not to mention what about the postal employees they're giving extra risk to at pick up and drop off as there is no way that's a quick process with the number of packages? I'm all for life must go on, but coin grading and coin shows are so far down the list of acceptable risk its just really bad PR overall if nothing else
I agree, coins and currency are not essential, but it’s not a foolish decision. Read again: “All customer drop-offs and pick-ups (...) have been suspended” and “employees who have been identified as being able to (...) work from home will be required to do so.” This makes a lot of sense to me and that’s what companies here in Europe have already been doing for weeks now. Employees wear masks and gloves and/or work in different rooms. No lunch breaks with colleagues and no customer interaction.
Graders, receivers, shippers, slabbers, any conservation etc all have to be there. The big thing if nothing else is really just it's a horrendous PR look if nothing else. As soon as PCGS was shut down when CA was shut down they came out about their fantastic cleaning practices and how they're still open. Now within 24 hours of FL shutting down this? You can only have so many tone def/arrogant statements before it hurts more in the long run as it has before with them in the past
Rick Snow stated that he got PCGS results today. Another friend of mine, Ron, said his order moved from Encapsulation to QA today. So it appears PCGS is no longer following the LA County restrictions.
The harangue of “what ifs “ and charges of greed and apathy is getting really old. Zip the lips and take empowerment simply by not doing business with them. The “anti-3rd party grading companies” people ... relax ... just take a respite and enjoy your isolation. In the meantime, stay healthy and wash
In fact many businesses “slow down” things and adapt their standard procedures to prevent the spread of the virus, however “the show must go on” ;-) e.g. some mail services now leave parcels at the front door instead of requiring signature confirmation - so there’s much less risk of spreading the virus. I have no doubts NGC took appropriate preventive measures, too.