‘Be bold and think to the future'

When times are tough, resilient dealers rely on fixed operations to get them through. It's a fundamental precept of our business, and one we all know well. Through war, terrorist attack and market collapse, fixed ops has kept the lights on and the automotive industry thriving.

But this is different. With the outbreak of COVID-19, we're facing an invisible enemy that's causing the world and the automotive industry tremendous uncertainty. Ask any dealer, manager or employee what their biggest worry is (next to health and safety), and you likely will hear them reflect on the anxiety of the unknown.

Many are asking, "What am I going to do to prepare myself, my co-workers and my dealership to survive this crisis? How should I prepare for the days, weeks and months ahead?"

Right now, it's not about success but rather, survival. Dealers want to stay open; service and parts personnel want to protect their health and their jobs; customers are concerned with their safety and being able to provide for their families.

Some dealers have implemented steps to continue operating. For others, things may be very different. Now is the time to pivot from survival to success by putting plans into place to move forward in a smart way that leverages fixed ops as the center of resurgence. Transportation services are more essential than ever; supply chain, emergency, delivery and personal vehicles will continue to be vital and will need to be maintained and repaired.

Taking care of the doctors, nurses, health care workers, first responders, medical, food and critical-service employees is crucial to our recovery. We have to think differently.

Be first to implement new thinking and develop a game plan to minimize the risk of exposure to the virus. Be first to make adjustments in the way you handle customers, your workflow and processes.

Be bold and think to the future. It's not about how we overcome; it's about when and what it looks like when customers get back to work and their kids go back to school. What will be different? Where will you find your opportunities? Let's be creative and more committed and determined than ever to support our employees, our customers and our communities.

Now is our time to lead. We will come out of this stronger than ever!