Dealerships in the Greater Montreal area are now preparing to reopen their showroom doors on May 19 — a week later than previously announced by the provincial government.
Elsewhere in the province of Quebec dealerships have already started their progressive reopening as of May 4, according to Robert Poëti, President and CEO of the CCAQ (La Corporation des concessionnaires automobiles du Québec). In an interview with Canadian auto dealer, he said this includes about 50 per cent of the dealerships in the province, with the rest located in the Greater Montreal area.
“When talking about Montreal, we are talking about the Montreal Metropolitan Community (MMC). It brings together 82 municipalities. In fact, it’s 82 municipalities with 4 million residents, so Quebec with 8 million,” said Poëti. “So (the decision to push the date back) is sure to have a big impact, on both sides.”
For dealerships in the province that are already open, he said they are happy to be able to take things slowly — to reopen progressively. But for dealerships located in the Greater Montreal area, they will have to wait a couple of weeks before reopening.
“We are happy that dealerships in Quebec are able to reopen and start selling again, but half of the dealerships in the province are still closed,” said Poëti. “So, from there, there is still a two-week wait for the other dealerships.”
And for the dealerships that are open, they will no longer work the same way in their sales department — no more so than the service area. This is because they had to implement a strict protocol provided by the CCAQ and approved by the provincial government, to be able to reopen for service and sales.
Poëti said the sales protocol is meant to “allow as much for the employees as for the customers, to be able to make a purchase or bring the vehicle in for service at the dealership in a secure way, and to ensure all the dealers are equipped and ready to reassure and protect their customers and their employees.”
The CCAQ’s protocol for the showroom is somewhat similar to the protocol for the service department in terms of how it is setup, with references and measures for everything from new equipment needed to disinfecting objects and areas in the showroom, what employees must do during breaks and lunchtime, social distancing measures, appointments, and welcoming customers.
It also covers areas such as the rules for vehicles in the showroom and outside the dealership, measures for test drive, evaluating (and taking back) vehicles to be exchanged, vehicle delivery, and signing documents — the last of which includes ensuring social distancing rules, the use of a protective (plexiglass) screen, and providing the customer with a single-use pen, among other things.
Canadian auto dealer will continue to provide updates on this matter as new information becomes available.
