Pub. 5 Issue 4

10 Issue 2 2020 I bel ieve that the dealers wi l l need to adapt and sel l cars in the way thei r customers want to buy cars. There wi l l be more cleaning, more distancing when we meet face to face, face masks for the foreseeable future, and possibly a continued use of appointments. But here’s the thing, i f a customer is going to make an appointment and they show up, I suspect they wi l l be interested in buying the vehicle. people. Salespeople needed to be able to talk and persuade — today, the skillset is different. Introverts can sell cars, if they can communicate well online. So, I think the industry has opened up. For the better! What are your thoughts about recovery? How long will it take and what will it look like? Well, if I had a crystal ball, I think that recovery will happen sooner than later. I suspect that we will be living with this virus for a while, but people are resilient. I think the demand for housing is strong. People have been stuck inside in smaller apartments in metropolitan areas, and I suspect at least some of themwill be rethinking their lives and move back to the suburbs. People will buy cars. I’ve seen the reports that the recession bell rang in February, but I also think that the economic pause has created a desire for consumers to buy change: houses, new cars, RVs … I think we’re going to see an uptick. We’ll see a vaccine and therapies, which will give people much more confidence. But before that, we’ll be working through the process of managing the flow of dealerships so businesses can be open. So yes, I believe that COVID-19 has changed us, how could it not? But I don’t see gloom and doom as a result. That’s not to say this hasn’t been nerve-wracking. There have been and continue to be so many unknowns. How has G LANCDA mobilized to help dealers with COVID-19? Our industrywas viewed as essential. I sawGLANCDAfocusedon communication — lots of it. They hosted webinars, disseminated information, pulled in legal opinions, and advocated tirelessly on our behalf, here locally and state-wide. Our board is very well- connectedwith local leaders and I truly believe that their swift and decisive action saved many of our dealers. To go through something like this on your own would be un- imaginable. It was — and continues to be — that big. I don’t think we’re through this by any means, and we will be seeing the repercussions for many years. If you could give your colleagues any good news, what would it be? Again, I would say that this is a change, albeit a big one, but it’s also a learning opportunity. I really believe we will come back strong. I think any event that forces us to rethink and take stock is not necessarily bad. What have you appreciated most through this? Family, my employees and tireless efforts of our associa- tion, GLANCDA. There’s been a lot of comfort in working with family — we’re a family business — so I’ve been able to have family with me, navigating, stepping up and leaning in during this whole thing. I’ve seen employees step up and take the leadership reigns in ways that made me very proud. I have been a member of GLANDA for decades. I have served in leadership positions and I have helped this organization grow over the years, but to see the “all hands on deck,” when we needed to come together was incredible. 