Providing consumers with more options that offer greater efficiency, support and ease-of-mind during and after the pandemic will be important for dealer businesses.
In British Columbia, we continue the process of navigating our way through the Province’s phase three plan for restarting our economy; other provinces across the country are doing likewise.
In the midst of what is typically the peak auto sales season, we are starting the slow return to some level of normalcy and recovery — and a common question is what is the new normal going to look like for our industry? The fact is that no one knows for certain, but for the foreseeable future we will clearly need to adjust and be flexible.
It is no secret that the past few months have been extremely difficult for virtually all business sectors, including the automotive industry. While the majority of dealers kept their service and parts departments open to continue essential repairs and maintenance work, revenue from those crucial departments has been nowhere close to what is typical. That being said, we can see that business is moving in the right direction. As we slowly begin to reopen, business is picking back up — a trend we hope to see continue over the coming months.
Now, as we move forward, consumers have made it abundantly clear that they want service providers they can trust, that can make them feel safe, and that can offer support during a period that can seem overwhelming. As a result, we need to remain vigilant and continue to provide a safe, welcoming environment.
During this time we are seeing many businesses and corporations reaching out — not in marketing or overt attempts to gain a competitive edge, but to offer genuine support. Initiatives that include payment relief and credit support may be critical for customers in the short term, and the impact will build positive relationships that are bound to last long after the crisis has ended.
In times of crisis, caring for customers often starts with thinking first about employees. After all, these talented and skilled people are those who you trust to engage customers directly and interface in the ever-expanding digital age.
Customers’ normal patterns of life have shifted remarkably in the last few months. Simple activities like a trip to the grocery store or dining out with friends have been impacted. As a result, digital delivery has become a necessity for many customers, even among the most “digitally resistant” of them.
In our world, companies that can make a positive impact by picking up and dropping off vehicles for repair and maintenance will have a positive impact. The same applies to dealers that can increasingly offer customers a choice of how much or little of the car-searching, car-appraising, and car-buying process they want to conduct online. Customers have even more options than ever before in their vehicle purchasing experience.
The COVID-19 crisis will end at some point and while consumer preferences and business models will likely outlast the immediate crisis, it’s important to recognize that, as they become acclimatized to new digital and remote models of service, it will accelerate behaviour shifts that were already underway before the crisis.
At this time we are all focused on immediate concerns, but the steps you take now to adjust to our current situation may pave the road forward.
