Thompson Machinery remains dedicated
to servicing our customers during
the COVID-19 outbreak
Thompson Machinery, your authorized Cat dealer, remains open at all locations operating with regular business hours. As an essential provider, we will continue to sell, rent, and support equipment while being sensitive to our community's needs.
OPEN: MONDAY - FRIDAY, 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
No matter how things change… no matter what you face in the future…
we will be here…
COVID-19 UPDATES
July 10, 2020 - Face Masks Required at Select Thompson Machinery Locations
In accordance with recent public health orders in select counties throughout our territory, face masks are REQUIRED upon entry at the following Thompson Machinery locations:
- Nashville, TN - Cat Rental Store (1333 Foster Ave , Nashville, TN 37210)
- Memphis, TN (1291 Corporate Ave , Memphis, TN 38132)
- Memphis, TN - Cat Rental Store (3324 Fontaine Rd , Memphis, TN 38116)
- Memphis, TN - Truck Center (1653 E Brooks Rd , Memphis, TN 38116)
- Jackson, TN (2000 Airways Blvd , Jackson, TN 38301)
All employees and visitors are required to wear a face mask or facial covering
in order to enter any of the above Thompson Machinery locations.
If you do not have a mask of your own upon arrival at one of the above locations, we will provide one for you.
We also ask that upon entry to any of our facilities, all visitors stay 6 feet apart to maintain
social distancing requirements by the CDC.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE!
June 23, 2020 - WELCOME BACK!
We are excited to announce that after extensive preparations to ensure employee and customer safety, our store lobbies are now open! However, for your safety and ours, it’s important that we all continue to comply with CDC guidelines. Please do not enter any of our lobbies if 1) You have come in close contact with someone who has had COVID-19 or COVID-19 symptoms, 2) You are currently experiencing a fever, cough, or shortness of breath.
Thank you for your continued patience and cooperation during these times.
May 29, 2020 - Thompson Machinery will be returning to normal business hours starting June 1st, 2020!
We are excited to announce that beginning Monday, June 1, 2020, Thompson Machinery will be returning to its normal operating hours (Monday – Friday from 7:00am to 5:00pm) to better serve our customers’ needs. While we are excited to return to a normal schedule, we are not ready to open our lobbies to the public.
Accommodations will be provided for all customers to continue receiving curbside service, as store lobbies will remain limited to Thompson employees only. Reopening plans for all lobbies are being developed, following local, state, and CDC health guidelines, and the details of those plans will be communicated in the coming weeks.
At Thompson, we are proceeding with caution and are continuing to follow CDC recommended guidelines across all locations, which includes:
- Social and physical distancing
- Wearing face masks
- Screening employees’ temperatures daily
- Encouraging sick employees to stay home
- Continued flexible remote work schedules, if possible
- Routinely cleaning and disinfecting all frequently touched surfaces, such as workstations, countertops, handrails, and doorknobs
- And consistent, regular handwashing, which is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU
While all of our stores are returning to our normal business hours, you can still reach us after-hours utilizing the phone number listed for your location
on our website: tmcat.com/contact-us/locations
We will also continue to have several options available to order and receive parts:
►Our Parts Counters will remain open until 5:00 PM weekdays at all Thompson locations and can be reached by contacting your nearest location.
►You may place parts orders online through www.tmcat.com/pcc.
►If you do not want to come to a Thompson facility to pick up your parts, you may elect to use one of our drop boxes located throughout our territory.
►Click HERE for a full list of our drop box locations.
►We can also ship parts directly to your location. Please indicate this preference when placing your parts orders on the phone or online.
We appreciate your patience and understanding throughout these uncertain times. Thank you for your continued trust in Thompson Machinery to be your partner.
For additional COVID-19 updates and information, please visit info.tmcat.com.
April 27, 2020 - FREE TRAINING
The events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic continue to evolve rapidly. Caterpillar and Thompson Machinery's dedication to the safety, health and well-being of the entire Cat family and the communities they serve remains strong. In this unprecedented and uncertain time around the world, our customers are continuing to do the work to keep our communities running, our hospitals functioning, and our lives impacted as minimally as possible. In an effort to support you in return, we are enabling a portion of the customer training curriculum online for FREE through the end of May.
This includes over 300 courses from our Service, Operator, and Safety Course Catalogs. Below is an overview of the Caterpillar University COVID-19 Program.
Program Overview:
• 300+ courses on Service, Operator, and Safety topics
• Available until May 31, 2020
• Register any time via CaterpillarUniversity.com
• Take courses multiple times if desired
• Courses available for any operating system or mobile platform
For more information or to register for the Caterpillar University Program, click HERE.
April 8, 2020
Yes, We're Open!
Adjusted business hours beginning Monday, April 13th, 2020
As the situation around COVID-19 continues to develop, our top concerns remain the health and safety of our customers and employees. Thompson Machinery is an essential business for the customers and communities we serve, and we are committed to keeping stores open during times of crisis. We’ve made several temporary changes to our business as we look out for your safety and the safety of our associates:
Business Hour Changes
We’re temporarily adjusting store hours to better serve customers and communities in response to COVID-19. All Thompson locations will now close at 3:00pm, while opening hours will remain unchanged. The adjusted hours give us the ability to provide additional time to perform cleaning and ensure minimum exposure to the COVID-19 virus.
Social Distancing
Thompson is promoting social and physical distancing in our stores and are happy to assist any customer outside of our buildings who wish to avoid additional exposure.
Health Checks
We’re also utilizing thermometers for employees to perform health checks when reporting to work. This measure is to further ensure the safety and health of all Thompson employees and customers.
Continuing to follow CDC Guidelines
As part of our normal practice, our stores and other facilities are cleaned and sanitized daily. Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we’ve increased the frequency of cleaning and general hygiene maintenance in stores and other locations. We’ve also stepped up our efforts to disinfect high-traffic and high-touch areas like parts counters, door handles, as well as posting signage about handwashing and other preventative actions.
While our stores may be closing a few hours early, you can still reach us after-hours utilizing the phone number listed for your nearest location below:
STORE Const.Service Truck/EPG Service
Manchester 931-461-5000 same
Cookeville 931-646-3200 same
LaVergne 615-256-2424 same
Clarksville 931-552-5496 same
Jackson 731-988-4240 same
Memphis 901-332-3051 same
Camden 731-584-2732 731-584-3631
Tupelo 662-844-1634 same
Columbus 662-327-3083 same
Greenwood 662-459-7204 662-459-7208
For parts orders, we have numerous options available for you to choose from. Pick the option that best suits your needs during this time:
•Our physical Parts Counters will remain open until 3:00pm weekdays at all Thompson locations.
•You may place parts orders online through www.tmcat.com/pcc.
• If you do not want to visit a Thompson facility to pick up your parts, you may elect to use one of our drop boxes located throughout our territory.
Click HERE for a full list of our drop box locations.
•We can also ship parts directly to your location. Please indicate this preference when placing your parts orders on the phone or online.
We appreciate your patience and understanding throughout these uncertain times. Thank you for your continued trust in Thompson Machinery to be your partner.
March 23, 2020
As the COVID-19 situation evolves, many communities have been placed under “Safer at Home” orders, excluding essential businesses. Thompson Machinery, and all Cat dealers throughout the U.S., are considered essential businesses, as are a large majority of our customers and their operations.
It is the duty of all Thompson employees to ensure our customers have the equipment, parts, and services to ensure our local communities continue to function with basic needs:
- Electricity, gas, water, and sewage services
- Power generation for healthcare facilities, banks, etc.
- Agriculture and livestock farms and services
- Internet and telecommunications systems
- Roads, highways, public transportation, and rail
- Flood control and watershed protection
- Manufacturing and distribution deemed essential to supply chains, i.e. food and medical
Thompson Machinery will continue to adhere to CDC guidance on social distancing and workplace hygiene, including encouraging work-from-home and allowing employees, when possible, to work on-site in shifts to optimize social distancing in the workplace. At this time, all Thompson locations will be open for business during normal operating hours.
Overall, we will continue to focus on three main goals: (1) doing our part to beat the virus, (2) keeping our customers up and running, and (3) keeping our entire team intact through the crisis.
Thanks to everyone for working as a team and making our communities stronger! Thompson truly is the best Cat dealer, period.
March 22, 2020
At Thompson Machinery, the health and safety of our employees, families, customers, and local communities remains our top priority. We are continually monitoring the rapidly evolving details of the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on our daily lives. Our goal is to continue to have a safe workplace, while supporting our customers through this crisis by keeping all of our Thompson locations open at this time. However, we are taking significant steps to help protect our employees and to reduce the spread of this virus:
- We are reminding employees about the importance of proper and frequent hand washing and proper health etiquette when coughing or sneezing.
- We are increasing the cleaning and disinfecting frequency at all of our locations.
- We are instructing employees to stay home from work if they feel sick.
- We are requiring all employees to report any exposure or travel plans that they have.
- We have some individuals working from home, while others will be working at our branch locations by practicing "social distancing" to ensure we have staff available to service our customers.
- We are also working with our suppliers to ensure parts and supplies are available when you need them.
SERVICE
We will continue to have technicians available to service your equipment. Please call your local Thompson branch or visit https://thompsonmachinery.com/contact-us/ for any shop or field service needs.
PARTS
We will continue to have several options available to order and receive parts:
- Our Parts Counters will remain open normal business hours at all Thompson locations and can be reached by contacting your nearest location.
- You may place parts orders online through www.tmcat.com/pcc.
- If you do not want to come to a Thompson facility to pick up your parts, you may elect to use one of our drop boxes located throughout our territory.
- Click HERE for a full list of our drop box locations.
- We can also ship parts directly to your location. Please indicate this preference when placing your parts orders on the phone or online.
MACHINE, RENTAL, & PRODUCT SUPPORT SALES REPRESENTATIVES
Our sales reps are dedicated to assisting you with any equipment needs and ensuring that all of your work stays on the right track through these unknown times. However, if you don't see your representative at your office or on your job site as frequently over the next few weeks, please remember that they are only a phone call away.
To find your sales representative's contact information, click HERE
We appreciate all your business and look forward to servicing you through these difficult times and during the better days ahead.
March 20, 2020
WE REMAIN OPEN FOR BUSINESS TO SUPPORT OUR CUSTOMERS AND WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT NOT ONLY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES BUT ALSO FOR OUR CUSTOMERS DURING THIS COVID-19 OUTBREAK
By now, everyone appreciates the seriousness of this COVID-19 virus that is sweeping through the country and is beginning to migrate into Tennessee and Mississippi. No one is immune. We will be following the recommended hygiene procedures prescribed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The recommendations are common sense and just require the discipline to follow them.
As a reminder:
- “Social distancing” policy: While this seems extreme, it is a good practice to increase the physical distance between yourself and others and to avoid large crowds
- “No handshake” policy: We understand this is a common form of greeting, but we have implemented a “no handshake” policy in an effort to stop this common means of spreading the virus
- Continue washing your hands frequently with soap and water
- Keep your nose and mouths covered when coughing or sneezing (but don’t use your hands!)
- Keep your hands away from your face (nose, eyes, mouth)
- Build up your immune system through the best practices for sleep and diet
- Drink as much water as you can, in hopes of flushing the virus into your stomach which will then kill any virus
In consideration of the above mentioned “social distancing” policy, we are going to close our company break areas to employees. This action will eliminate the use of those spaces as seating and gathering places so there is one less opportunity for the virus to spread within our facilities and among our employees. Vending machines for snacks and soft drinks will continue to be serviced and available for use, but we are asking employees to eat at their work areas or away from the break rooms.
The executive leadership team continuously monitors the Economic Health of the company, and while we hope for only a temporary slowdown caused by the virus, it is the responsibility of all of us to prepare for the worst.
Our goals are simple:
- Do our part to beat this virus
- Keep our customers satisfied
- Keep our entire team intact through this crisis
Finally, there will be days when our values will be tested on a frequent basis, and therefore we must hold firmest on Honesty, Integrity, Respect, Safety, Quality, and Positive attitude.
Thank you for all your efforts and determination.
March 17, 2020
As COVID-19 continues to spread across the United States, we want to let you know what we are doing to safeguard the health and safety of our employees, our customers, and our communities. Ensuring the well-being of employees and providing the highest levels of care and service to our customers are two primary considerations in our planning and decision making around COVID-19. We are following the situation closely and will continue monitoring, to make the best decisions as needed, and will communicate as changes develop.
With these goals in mind, the following guidelines will be implemented immediately:
Travel
Travel outside our territory or normal place of business is cancelled until further notice. Travel within our territory should be limited when possible and will be authorized only if deemed essential to the business and approved in advance by a member of the Executive Staff. We are asking employees to make use of telephones or video conferencing for regularly scheduled meetings and to limit gathering in groups as much as possible.
Remote Work
Certain jobs may be designated as having the ability to work remotely or from home. The essential job duties of each position will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis at each location, and those employees in positions suitable for remote work will be notified by their manager. Working from home is one easy way to avoid close contact with others and help limit the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, not all positions will qualify for the remote work option.
Cleanliness and Prevention
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides regular updates and recommended guidelines to the public to aid in reducing exposure to the virus. This is expert information and advice from the medical community, and we recommend all employees continue following these updates and practice all appropriate recommendations.
Suggestions from some medical research indicates people might build up their immune systems through a combination of proper rest, diet, and by drinking an ample amount of water. These reports indicate the virus might be flushed into the digestive system where the stomach may have an ability to kill it.
Practice good hygiene:
- Stop handshaking – use other non-contact methods of greeting
- Clean and wash hands regularly using soap and hot water (20 seconds minimum) or by using alcohol-based hand sanitizers
- Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, or mouth
- Stay clear of anyone who is coughing or sneezing
- Disinfect surfaces like doorknobs, tables, desks, and handrails
- Increase ventilation where possible
- Use video conferencing for meetings when possible
- Limit food sharing
- Practice “Social Distancing” – avoid crowds and give others as much space as possible (6+ feet)
- Stay at home if feeling sick or displaying flu-like symptoms
- Consult with your doctor about underlying medical conditions that may increase your risks
The company is working to ensure enough sanitizing supplies and gloves are available at all locations for cleaning and we encourage employees in all work areas to practice cleanliness and good housekeeping.
We are continuing to explore ways to reduce the amount of vendor or visitor traffic into our facilities and are avoiding in-person meetings when possible. For associates in customer-facing roles, including salesmen and PSSRs, one-on-one meetings may continue, however we want to be mindful of customer policies regarding social distancing. Our preference is to conduct customer meetings remotely whenever possible or consider using Microsoft Teams or other virtual meeting resources.