COVID-19 Coronavirus update from Sim Imaging
Official production updates from Sim Imaging in light of the Coronavirus to keep our customers informed during this unusual time
2nd November 2020
SIM IMAGING IS OPEN
An update from the Team at SIM
We are pleased to confirm we are open for business as usual and will be remaining operational throughout the lockdown period. As we are a manufacturing business and not customer facing, we will remain open as long as it is safe to do so and will continue with our procedures in place to protect our staff.
Since reopening back in June, there have been some changes in the way we have been operating within our building to ensure staff remain safe whilst at work. While we are only a small team, we have been closely following the social distancing guidance to ensure that we can keep offering customers the same excellent service we’re famous for.
Our reception point is currently closed for any showroom visits or order collections. While we are processing orders normally, this will mean that any orders placed online will need to be dispatched via DPD as we are not admitting any visitors. This is to keep both our customers and staff protected as best as we can to ensure we continue to operate safely, so for the time being, only the delivery options will be available at the checkout. The reception is likely to be closed until further notice but we will let customers know once we can resume this service.
You can order USB’s, cards and frames online directly in your browser and our free SimWare software is available for PRO users to download to design albums and books. Normal turnaround times are still being upheld which would be 5 working days for USB’s, 7 working days for frames and wall art and 10 working days for books and albums.
Rest assured that our excellent service has not stopped or faltered over the past few months. Our TrustPilot remains packed with heartfelt comments from our wonderful customers with more being added every day. While these are uncertain times across the photography industry, rest assured that we are here to help as much as possible and we remain on hand to answer any questions you may have.
If you have any concerns in the meantime please do get in touch with the customer support team via email, online chat as we would be more than happy to discuss these with you. We want to reassure you that we are here to help as best we can during these difficult times and we are committed to supporting our photography community.
As always, please stay alert, stay safe and stay SIM.
1st June 2020
SIM IMAGING IS OPEN
We are pleased to be open for business and have resumed production following our temporary closure during lockdown. We’re working hard to get back up to date with orders and return to our normal turn around times. We will be working through all of our current orders chronologically and dispatching parcels daily with DPD who are carrying our contact free deliveries.
We’ve been busy during the past few weeks introducing new safety measures in the workplace to ensure our staff are safe and protected. This means we can safely continue to offer fantastic service to our customers both in our beautifully handcrafted products and our friendly customer support.
Whilst there will be some delays on our normal turn around times as we get back up to date, we’ll be working hard to complete and dispatch orders as quickly as possible. You’ll be notified once your order has been dispatched as normal via our email and via the courier tracking. DPD offers live tracking, arrival time slots and contact free deliveries to protect customers and drivers alike.
If you need to amend any delivery addresses for your orders, please get in touch with our customer support team via email, online chat or via the telephone on 01707 273 747. Our customer support team will remain on hand as they have been throughout the entire closure to help customers and answer any questions you may have.
If you have pending orders that you have selected the “Pay Later” option for, then you can now login to your account and process the payment for any pending orders. Please note that any “Pay Later” orders are not submitted to production until the payment is processed.
If you have any questions about new or existing orders, please get in touch with the customer support team via email, online chat or via the telephone on 01707 273 747. Our customer support team are always on hand to help customers and answer any questions you may have.
We’d like to thank all of our customers for their patience and support during this unprecedented time and for trusting in our fantastic service. We encourage everyone to continue to stay alert, stay safe and stay SIM.
11th May 2020
SIM IMAGING SET TO REOPEN
Update from the team at SIM
During the lockdown, we’ve remained temporarily closed to maintain the safety of our staff. Following the update from the government on the 10th of May, we are now looking to arrange a phased return to full production over the coming weeks.
We will be making preparations over the next few weeks to ensure that staff can return to work safely so please bear with us during this time whilst we work in the background. Due to the reduced number of staff, it will take a while to ensure production is running safely and to re-establish supply lines and services. We expect to be dispatching orders for delivery to customers by the 1st of June and will work through any pending orders chronologically. Whilst there will be some delays on our normal turn around times with reduced staff on site, we’ll be working hard to ensure orders are completed and dispatched as quickly as possible.
You’ll be notified once your order has been dispatched as normal via our email and via the courier tracking. If you need to amend any delivery addresses for your orders, please get in touch with our customer support team via email, online chat or via the telephone on 01707 273 747. Our customer support team will remain on hand as they have been throughout the entire closure to help customers and answer any questions you may have.
We’ll ensure customers are kept in the loop via updates on this page as well as newsletter emails so you know when production is fully up and running. If you have pending orders that you have selected the “Pay Later” option for, then the payment will need to be processed before the order is submitted to production.
If you need any help or have any questions, please get in touch with our team via email, online chat or via the telephone on 01707 273 747. We’re here to support our customers as we all hopefully begin to adjust to the new normal, but in the meantime, stay alert, stay safe and stay SIM.
24th March 2020
SIM IMAGING IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Notice from the team at SIM
Following the latest government announcement, SIM Imaging will be temporarily closed for business and production as of the 24th of March. This is in order to maintain the protection of staff during this difficult time and to adhere to government advice which is to stay at home unless absolutely necessary unless you are employed as a key worker.
This decision has not been easy, but in order to maintain the protection of our staff and their families as well as follow government advice, this is the right decision at this time. We are a dedicated team and it remains the highest priority to ensure our staff are safe and protected during this pandemic.
Our customer service team will remain available to talk through questions, queries or existing orders for the remainder of this week as they are working from home. This is a heartbreaking situation that we know many of our customers have faced themselves during these unprecedented times. This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but if advice is adhered to over the next few weeks and the rate of infection calms then these restrictions may be lifted, in which case we will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you currently have an order with us, production will be paused at its current stage for the time being. At this point, some orders may be part way through production and will be continued as soon as restrictions are lifted and work can resume. Unfortunately due to factors outside of our control, we do not know how long this will be but as soon as restrictions are eased, we will continue with production from the point of closure.
While this situation has been building over the past few weeks to an inevitable point, we completely appreciate that customers will of course be disappointed with being left waiting or without orders during this period. We want to ensure we work with customers during this time to ease any stress while supporting and reassuring you where possible. If this subsequent delay is not suitable for your particular order that’s currently with us, please get in touch with the team this week via the phone 01707 273 747, email [email protected] or online chat via https://www.simimaging.co.uk/.
Our dedicated customer support team will be monitoring all channels of communication for customers from the safety of their homes during this time. We can discuss your order and the needs of you and your clients, but until restrictions are lifted we cannot give specific time frames on when production will resume until. Rest assured, we are here to help as we always have been and will remain to be and our aim is to be up and running again as soon as possible.
Our ordering system will remain live 24/7 online and via your SimWare, as will our winter sale discount until the 31st of March using code WINTER2020. You can continue to place orders throughout this time, all of which will be produced once we have reopened. Please be assured we will be in touch as soon as we are open again but for this week our customer service team will be on hand for any questions, queries or concerns.
We know that everyone in the UK and indeed the world are facing similar issues while trying to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic. However we are acutely aware that many of our customers in particular have been hit hard by this ordeal with lots of you being self employed business owners. We are pledging to help and support you as much as we possibly can moving forward, and please know that our community will remain strong throughout this ordeal. Our thoughts are with our customers and their families during this time and we will be here to talk on all of our channels if you need us. We urge you to follow the government's advice as we have done, to practice social distancing, stay home and most importantly, stay safe.
We will be back soon, but we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers for their continued support and business, and we are committed to seeing this through and rebuilding our collective industry together.
With thanks and well wishes,
The SIM Team
Questions
Here are a few questions we have encountered already so please have a read through. If you still have a query that’s not listed here simply get in touch via our email on [email protected] and we will come back to you.
Can I speak to someone if I’m concerned?
Of course. We are here to help as we always have been both via the phone on 01707 273 747 and via our email [email protected]. We’ll also remain on the online chat on our website, which you can leave a message on outside of working hours and we will get back to you.
What about my order in production?
Your order will be currently paused at its present stage in production.
I had an order to collect, can I still get it?
Unfortunately our office and production premises are completely closed at the moment until further notice.
When should I expect my order?
Government has currently stated that this situation will remain under constant review, and have promised to look at circumstances in the UK in 3 weeks time. Should the situation have been improved, these restrictions may be relaxed in which case we will resume production as soon as it is deemed safe to do so. You can contact us during this time if you need, someone will get back to you.
I can’t wait for my order, can I cancel it?
We understand customers may still be on specific deadlines for certain orders. If you do have an order in production that you cannot wait for, please email your order number and request to [email protected] so we can resolve this with you. As we have had to close unexpectedly following the government announcement on 23rd March at 8.30pm, orders may have been started. We do not want to disappoint or upset any customers, so please rest assured that we will work with you to ensure any concerns are resolved.
When will you be open again?
We will be open again as soon as possible for production to resume as normal. We will be monitoring government announcements until such a time as they review the situation and we can reopen.
If I’m happy to wait, can I still place orders now?
Yes of course. Our ordering system will remain live throughout this time, so you can still make the most of our Winter Sale. We will simply resume production once we have reopened and dispatch your order as soon as we possibly can.
19th March 2020
COVID-19 Coronavirus update
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve created this information page for our customers to keep you informed. We've been talking to customers regularly over the past few days discussing different situations that individuals are facing and how we might be able to help.
Collect from Store option to be removed from the checkout
In order to uphold government advice with regard to social distancing, we are suspending our “Collect from store” option and closing our showroom and reception area until further notice. Our reception and showroom in Hatfield has always been a popular collection option for our local customers but unfortunately due to current times, this action is to continue to protect our staff and customers alike. This closure is limited only to the collection of orders from reception and viewing products in the showroom. Rest assured that you can still select the “Next working day courier” option at the checkout for our dedicated couriers to deliver your order instead. Remember to place orders together in one basket to avoid additional postage costs.
Can I still speak to someone if I need advice or help placing my order?
Absolutely! Although our reception access will be closed to customers, our dedicated customer support will still be here on the phones, email and online chat assisting customers so you can get a hold of us at any time. We will of course continue to take government advice over the coming weeks and keep our customers informed but if you have any individual queries please do not hesitate to get in touch.
So how can the team at SIM help photographers during this time?
A number of people in the UK are already working from home or self-isolating, particularly photographers who may have had events or weddings postponed or cancelled. While this is a difficult time, some customers are using the time as wisely as possible to tidy up old orders, create layout mock ups for customers who haven't ordered their albums yet and trying to encourage as much ongoing revenue as possible with existing customers. One of our album design partner Fundy has launched its "Profits now" campaign to give Photographers advice and ideas facing the Coronavirus outbreak. See Fundy's facebook to tune in.
Self-Isolating?
No problem! Our thorough QC process means you can have albums, prints and more delivered direct to your own customers without having to worry. We send all of our products white label as standard without any paper invoices or order confirmations, and any items not going straight to the photographer are completely exempt from any promotional or branded leaflets.
How do I order?
You can order online from the comfort of your home be it a dedicated desk or sofa substitute via our Sim Imaging website for albums and USB's, Sim Frame website for Frames and Wall art or Sim Lab for Prints and Fine Art posters. Don't forget our Sim Imaging & Sim Frame Winter Sale is still live until the 31st of March, so place your orders with up to 3 items in the basket on either your Sim Imaging account or 8 items on your Sim Frame account. Savings start from only £100 in your basket and if you add up to £400 worth of products, you can get an incredible 30% off your order total before VAT, simply add our WINTER2020 code at the checkout.
Made in the UK
We're proud to be a British based company creating fantastic quality products all under one roof. We’ll be keeping in touch with customers throughout the next few weeks and putting together some top tips on maintaining your photography business during this difficult time. We're on hand to help as and when you need it, so if you have any queries feedback for us or want to talk through your current situation and concerns, please get in touch with us on 01707 273 747 or via [email protected].
T&C’s
Voucher valid on Sim Imaging or Sim Frame only. Voucher not valid on Sim Lab. Cart value must exceed specified amounts before delivery and VAT.
Cannot be consolidated over multiple carts or multiple order numbers. Cannot be consolidated across multiple brands and cannot be used with the design service or in conjunction with any other offers, vouchers or discount codes. Valid until 31/03/2020.
