Pub. 5 Issue 4

8 Issue 2 2020 A Check-In With David Ellis of David Ellis Chrysler Jeep D avid Ellis has been working in the auto industry since he was 16. He became a sales manager at 22, a general manager at 26, and by 36, he owned his dealership. To say that he has seen it all might be a slight overstatement, but decades in the auto industry gives the advantage of perspective and a steely reserve that lends itself well to steady leadership. GLANCDA had the opportunity to chat with David about these unprecedented times and his perspective concerning the chal- lenges and opportunities our industry faces as we move through the next several months. When you look back at the last few decades, what are your thoughts on the current economic times for the dealers? How do they compare to other “hard” times, like the Great Recession? The current situation is undoubtedly “unprecedented,” but I think as difficult as these times are, they are very different from past recessionary periods. During the Great Recession, people weren’t buying cars because they didn’t have the money. The government rolled out some programs to help — which helped some — but those years were very different. So, yes, I definitely think there are some profound differences between now and the Great Recession, and I believe there’s a silver lining in our current cloud. Right now, for the most part, people have money. They may not be working, but unemployment benefits are available for many, and I truly believe when we can safely resume full busi- ness operations, people will be ready to engage again and buy consumer goods — in fact, I think many of us are seeing that people are more interested in owning their own cars. It’s a safer way for people to get out of their homes. People are staying closer to home, obviously, and I think local “staycations” will fuel car sales to some extent. I think, for the most part, people need and want to buy cars. Inter- est rates are low. As dealers, we’ve been forced to think creatively about how to do business, so we can keep our employees and our customers safe. I think many of us have figured out that we The current situation is undoubtedly “unprecedented,” but I think as di f f icul t as these times are, they are very di f ferent from past recessionary periods.  DAVID ELLIS — continued on page 9