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Our guide for Canadian car dealers to support, services and help from government and industry partners during COVID‑19 pandemic.

As dealers navigate COVID‑19 governments and the industry partners that support them are responding in an unprecedented way.

Canadian auto dealer is compiling links to resources to help dealers. Return regularly as we will be adding more information when it is available.

Please let us know what your organization is doing.

Email: carinao@universusmedia.com

 

 

Jump to a section:

 

 

Government Support & Information

Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) COVID-19 page: The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association has created an in-depth resource page for dealer members. It’s the go to resource for dealers to find access to the latest government resources and information, helpful tips for dealers navigating through the pandemic, and a host of other useful resources.

Visit: www.cada.ca and click on the COVID-19 tab in the menu bar to access the section.

 

Discounts & Savings

 

CADA 360

CADA has announced a plan to provide relief to dealerships participating in its CADA 360 Employee Benefits program. They have implemented an immediate two-month premium relief, waiving premium coverage for April and May, and there will be no renewal rate changes until the 2021-22 policy year. Furthermore, CADA 360 is expanding its standard provisions for extending benefits during a layoff throughout this crisis.

 

 

 

TRADER

TRADER Corporation is offering a significant revision to its autoTRADER.ca marketplace products to help dealers. Furthermore, the company has launched a new Remote Selling Suite to facilitate customer interactions, digitally, amid the COVID-19 crisis.

 

 

 

Cox Automotive Canada

Cox Automotive Canada has announced a series of discounts and savings for dealers during the COVID-19 crisis. They have also set up a special COVID-19 page on the company’s website.

Special COVID-19 page:

Cox Automotive releases report:

 

 

 

RouteOne

RouteOne has announced several discounts and savings that will remain in effect through May 31.

 

 

 

Kijiji Autos

Kijiji Autos is waiving its listing and feature subscription fees for dealers in April.

 

 

 

AutoVerify

AutoVerify, powered by Mobials, has launched a Dealer Support Program and is waiving monthly software fees on its suite of digital retailing tools.

 

 

 

Quorum

The company is offering its customers a 50 per cent discount from its monthly support fees for all Quorum products, for the month of April and May. The company also developed several new reports, tools, instructions and services across its products, allowing dealers to leverage Quorum technology and services to a) help them capture business during the crisis, and b) help them rebound more quickly as the crisis wanes. These will be provided to Quorum customers at no cost. And finally, they have a Dealership Assistance Program that dealers can check out.

 

 

 

CARFAX Canada

The automotive marketplace company will extend its existing 50 per cent discount on all marketplace subscriptions for U.S. and Canadian dealers through the month of May. The move follows an earlier announcement about rate reductions on March 18.

 

 

DealerSocket

The company has announced several reductions to its billing for the month of April to help dealers economically and operationally during the crisis.

 


RAPID RTC

The company is offering savings to dealers affected by COVID-19. As of April 1 through June 30, for all retail dealers, RAPID RTC will reduce monthly service costs of its digital product suite, and increase staff/service levels in its eConcierge team.

 

Strathcom Media

For the month of April, all of the company’s dealership website customers will receive a 50 per cent price reduction on their primary website package fees.

 

PBS Systems

The company has announced a “comprehensive discount action plan” for its customers in response to the novel coronavirus situation. The plan includes discounts that are automatic and are on the total monthly maintenance (includes fees and licensing). Other important information can be found here:

 

SERTI

The company remains in operation as it is considered an essential service, although business premises are closed and employees are working remotely. In terms of savings, SERTI is offering a 25 per cent discount on the entire monthly payment of its customers for the month of April.

Updates:

 

Car Media 2.0

The company has announced a 60 day no-charge license for its New Car 2.0 library for select OEM brands, effective April 1.

 

CarGurus

The automotive marketplace company will extend its existing 50 per cent discount on all marketplace subscriptions for U.S. and Canadian dealers through the month of May. The move follows an earlier announcement about rate reductions on March 18.

 

CarGurus also announced new digital safety and convenience features in its effort to support dealerships and consumers during COVID-19.

 

Podium

Local businesses are facing unprecedented challenges and an uncertain future, which is why we’re offering a starter version of Podium for free to those who qualify. You’ll be able to connect remotely with website visitors, communicate with customers, and collect payments*—all without face-to-face interactions.

 

Reynolds and Reynolds

Reynolds and Reynolds will reduce monthly recurring billing for all hardware and software for all dealerships by 20 per cent for the month of April, and billing for ReverseRisk will be reduced by 50 per cent for the same month, exclusive of the data retrieval fee.

 

Dealer Solutions

Dealer Solutions — Mergers and Acquisitions (DSMA) has added new information to the Government Support & Information and Discounts & Savings sections of its website to help dealers unravel some of the more complicated details of the federal government programs.

 

A&R Solutions

IT solutions provider A&R Solutions is offering dealers a remote workforce package to them and their employees amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

 

Dealer-FX

The company launched several resources, a mobile check-in, and is offering savings for dealers.

 

 

Digital Air Strike

Digital Air Strike launched Power Text on April 27, providing dealers with the ability to offer timely updates to customers through SMS messages.

 

 

Webinars / training sessions

 

 

 

RouteOne training sessions:

RouteOne is offering bi-weekly web training sessions on remote tools along with our general eContracting training sessions.

 

 

 

Digital Air Strike webinars

Digital Air Strike is hosting webinars to help dealers survive and thrive during the COVID-19 crisis.

 

TransUnion

The company is offering a webinar on Monday, April 6 at 2:00 p.m. EST. The topic is: Understanding the Consumer Lending Market Amid Disruption. Key areas of focus include:

  • How do personal loans perform in unfavourable economic environments?
  • Do negative economic events increase or decrease volumes of personal loans?
  • How can we package these learnings to apply to all lenders in the current environment?

 

Ridecell / Vision Mobility

Canadian auto dealer columnist James Carter, of Vision Mobility, and Mark Thomas, VP of Alliances and Marketing at Ridecell, will offer a webinar on April 16 at 8:30 a.m. PDT on Dealership Success with Shared Mobility. Registration and additional information can be found here: http://info.ridecell.com/li_dealer-webinar

 

Roadster

Weekly at 10am PT/1pm ET every Thursday. Dealers can sign up here. We also post all of the recordings from previous weeks, so if you want to showcase those past webinars, include this link.

 

Reynolds and Reynolds

PODCAST SERIES: Best practices and ideas to help navigate the automotive retailing industry during COVID-19.

 

Quorum

 

 

Updates on cancelled events

 

Due to the quick spread of COVID-19, many events, including those geared towards dealers and suppliers, have been canceled or postponed. Here is an update on which events have been cancelled or pushed back until later this year.

Latest updates:

 

 

Updates on supplier services

 

ADESA

The spread of COVID-19 has impacted how businesses can physically operate — including companies like ADESA, which offer support, tools and services to buy and sell used vehicles through physical auctions across North America. But they also host online auctions, which is the workaround for many companies these days.

Latest updates:

 

TD Auto Finance

On April 6, TD Auto Finance announced that the company remains open, and offered some information on how it plans to support dealers and customers impacted by the novel coronavirus situation in Canada.

 

BMO

BMO’s Bank of Montreal Automotive Finance department released temporary new processes meant to help dealers reduce the number of physical touch-points with their customers.

 

Sym-Tech

 

 

Additional resources

 

Tips and advice for dealers

 

 


Virtual Resource Centre:
automotiveMastermind created a virtual resource centre loaded with resources to help dealers during COVID-19.

36-Point Checklist for Closed Dealerships:
This 36-point checklist for closed dealerships covers every detail of every department through this difficult transition. It can be viewed online or downloaded as a PDF.

PDF: Virtual Dealership Best Practices
https://resources.automotivemastermind.com/auto-dealership-covid19-resources/virtual-dealership-best-practices

Video: 3 Tips to Maximize Your Service Drive During COVID-19 Disruptions
https://resources.automotivemastermind.com/auto-dealership-covid19-resources/3-tips-to-maximize-your-service-drive-during-covid-19-disruptions

Video: 5 tips for dealership management business continuity
https://resources.automotivemastermind.com/auto-dealership-covid19-resources/5-tips-for-dealership-management-on-business-continuity

35-Point Checklist for For Reopening Your Dealership

https://canadianautodealer.ca/2020/05/a-35-point-checklist-for-reopening-your-dealership/

 

 

 

Hireology

Dealers interested in reviewing hiring strategies amid COVID-19 and focusing on critical priorities can browse the following links:

Hireology blog posts:

Dealing with the human side of COVID-19 is also important. Hireology is providing regular blog posts with insights and advice for dealers.

 

COVID-19 and Your Workplace: An Employer’s Guide To EI Programs

Information from a law firm with vital information for employers about how to navigate EI programs.

 

Sherrard Kuzz LLP

 

MNP Business Advice Centre

 

PureCars

The company has published a COVID-19 page with comments, tips, insights and resources for dealers during the crisis.

 

PBS Systems

Have posted personal letter from PBS President David Bradley. Have also highlighted steps PBS Systems is taking to support their clients

 

Thomson Reuters

A resource page that includes a wide-range of insights, resources for legal customers, and other free resources. The page can be found here.

 

Roadster

The company created a landing page for best practices, free digital marketing tools and templates, regional demos, and webinars. The page is found here

 

Podium

The company launched a new product for qualifying businesses who want to adapt to the current environment. Podium is offering a free, limited version of Podium. For more information, click here.

 

Dealer Security

Due to an increase in the number of incidents of criminal activity at dealerships, Dealer Security, the sister company of A&R Solutions, has released a document with a number of safety recommendations for dealerships to consider.

 

Six important steps that dealers can take:

 

Pitcher & Doyle

The company has provided a checklist for dealership test drives:

 

 

Updates on COVID‑19 impact

Industry experts are offering insights, predictions and outlooks so dealers understand what to expect over the next several months and for 2020.

 

 

Canadian Black Book (CBB)

CBB is providing regular, weekly updates on the impact of COVID‑19, the novel coronavirus, on the automotive sector. These updates touch on topics such as auctions, new and used vehicles, recession scenarios, digital retailing and more.

Latest updates:

 

 

 

DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC)

DAC is publishing a series of updates in which the company will keep track of the impact of COVID‑19 on the automotive market. They will be providing an outlook/ predictions on new vehicles, the aftermarket, and the used vehicle market.

Latest updates:

 

 

 

Updates from Canadian auto dealer

Canadian auto dealer continues to follow the news and updates from provinces and the federal government, such as what is considered essential and non-essential services, the invoking of the Quarantine Act and what that means for consumers — and dealers, and more.

Latest updates:

 

News: Canadian auto dealer News Alerts

We have also introduced a News Alert summary service with a dedicated web page to track COVID‑19 stories, headlines and coverage.

OEM response

General Motors partners with Ventec to build ventilators for U.S.

FCA will produce face masks for first responders, health care workers in North America

Ford of Canada launched its “Built to Lend a Hand” program to help its customers receive payment relief through Ford Credit.

Spotlight on GM: OEMs react to the pandemic

Honda starts producing ventilators for Dynaflo

Porsche to restart production on May 4

Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) and Porsche Financial Services said they are supporting its customers and dealers during the COVID-19 pandemic by expanding online retail, offering temporary customer payment relief, incentivizing home delivery (home pick-up and drop-off), and by reducing operational costs for dealer partners.

Kia offers new cars, $200K donation for food banks

Porsche launches carbon-offsetting program in Canada

Hyundai Canada launches dealer invoice pricing for front-line workers

 

 

Video interviews:

Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips interviews Steve Clelland, VP, iA Dealer Services, about what his company is doing to help provide free hand sanitizer to Canadian car dealers during the pandemic, and how his organization is operating.

Calgary dealer Perry Itzcovitch discusses how he has been managing the novel coronavirus situation for his dealerships in Alberta, and offers a few words of advice and support to fellow dealers across Canada.

Michael Carmichael, President & CEO at UpAuto, discusses how his dealership is operating through the pandemic and shares his idea of creating a Canadian National Job Loss Insurance Fund to help restore consumer confidence after the pandemic. Carmichael shared details of the idea in a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and has created an infographic to show how the program would work.

David Adams, President, Global Automakers of Canada discusses how OEMs and their dealer partners are adapting to COVID‑19 and what might be in the works down the road as the pandemic eases and the recovery begins, including a vehicle scrappage program to boost sales.

Michael Cirillo, host of the popular Dealer Playbook podcasts talks about how he is staying connected to dealers and sharing ideas, tips and tricks during the pandemic. Cirillo says it’s a time to reflect, innovate and collaborate with others and your own dealership staff to emerge stronger. Watch the interview and visit his podcast at: ‎The Dealer Playbook on Apple Podcasts.

Derek Sloan, President of Sym-Tech Dealer Services talks about how the F&I industry and dealers are being impacted by the pandemic and how this crisis is accelerating the move to a more digital experience.

Guljeet Nagpaul, Chief Product Officer at accelQ, explores why digital transformation is so important now, what that means, and that it is not too late during this crisis to start making changes to dealer processes. accelQ offers a codeless test automation and agile test management platform. The company is based in the U.S., with a division in Canada. Nagpaul is based in B.C.

John Yiokaris, Partner, Commercial Group, SOTOS, discusses some of the things that dealerships can do to better manage the impact of the COVID-19 situation — including reviewing dealership agreements about operations and closures, connecting with OEMs to ensure communications are clear and flowing, and to assess whether current contracts contain force majeure provisions, among other things. Click here to read the blog on SOTOS.

David Adams, President Global Automakers of Canada, comments on the Trump administration’s decision to ease back on emission standards for new vehicles. Adams said the industry needs one federal standard for the North American market, and that global OEMs are committed to lowering emissions and are already investing heavily to do it.

Tim Reuss, President & CEO, Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), updates dealers on the association’s COVID‑19 response, resources for dealers and what the association is doing behind the scenes to ensure dealer interests are being served. Reuss talks about five key areas: health & safety, liquidity for dealerships, impact on employment and dealership teams, the economic recovery and communications with dealers, including the CADA’s COVID-19 resource page on the association’s website.

Susan Gubasta, President & CEO of Mississauga Toyota talks to us from her office inside her closed dealership. She shares how she communicates with her team to keep them engaged, and how her team is adapting the dealership to be prepared once they fully re-open, and new protocols for sanitizing vehicles. She also discusses how to talk about the crisis with younger team members who have never been through an economic downturn before.

Jason Dale, Exec. Director of the Automotive Business School of Canada (ABSC) talks about how the college is adapting to providing education during the pandemic, the impact on students and faculty, and what this means for dealer education programs like the Canadian Dealer Academy.

J.D. Ney, Director, J.D. Power Canada, discusses how dealers are adapting to the pandemic. He says an OEM and dealer’s digital presence is more important than ever before. His organization will be conducting new research on consumer buying trends.

Niel Hiscox, Publisher, Canadian auto dealer and Chuck Seguin, President of Seguin Advisory Services explore issues facing the auto retail sector in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alex Baum, Dealer Principal at Cochrane Toyota, discusses how he’s keeping his dealership operating during the pandemic, including doing some facility improvements and investing in training for his team. Dealers are resilient and will get through this, he says.

It’s not business as usual for Jim Williamson, Dealer Principal, Williamson Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep Ram. He has a small staff in place to service customer vehicles as needed, but has otherwise suspended operations other than on a request basis. Williamson says it’s important to stay connected to your community, your team, and to support your local businesses during this crisis. Williamson also offers some personal thoughts on coping with stress and anxiety during these difficult times.

Andrew Tai, CEO of Motoinsight, says his team has been busy working with dealer clients on implementing digital retailing and adapting to the pandemic. Tai, a longtime advocate for digital retailing and improving the online experience for dealership guests, says the crisis will drive the industry forward more quickly, but on a path they were already on.

Steve Chipman, President & CEO at Birchwood Automotive Group discusses how his company’s group of 22 dealerships has adapted to the pandemic, including a Buy at Home program with rebates, payment deferrals and contact-less delivery. Chipman says he keeps in regular contact with dealers across the country as they share ideas and best practices.

Dealer Bob Verwey, President/Sheriff, Owasco, offers a fleet of RVs to help frontline health workers in his region, and discusses how hard it was for him to have to lay off members of his dealership family. Verwey has already adapted his approach to service during the pandemic to accommodate and protect customers and staff.

Can a dealership unilaterally close its doors during the novel coronavirus pandemic? John Yiokaris, Partner, Commercial Group, SOTOS, explores this topic — including laws, OEM agreements, and suggestions for dealers to consider.

Farid Ahmad, President and Founder at Dealer Solutions Mergers and Acquisitions, reviews the buy-sell situation in Canada amid COVID-19, and offers suggestions to dealers still looking to buy or sell their dealership this year or in 2021.

Christy Fines, GM, Barrie Chrysler/400 Chrysler discusses how her dealerships are adapting protocols for the pandemic and beyond, staying in contact with her team with social media and other technology, and trying to stay close to customers in a post-pandemic world.

Brian Murphy, VP, Research & Analytics at Canadian Black Book, explores recession scenarios and talks about the economy, short- and long-term projections, new and used vehicles, and residual values.

Todd Bourgon, Exec. Director, Trillium Automobile Dealers Association discusses the pain points dealers are facing, helping move governments to enable full e-commerce, and recognizing suppliers for supporting dealers. Bourgon says national and provincial dealer associations are working more closely than ever to support dealers and are working on a recovery plan for when the health crisis eases.

George Steinsky, VP Sales, iA-SAL Dealer Services, talks about adapting F&I services during the pandemic, pulling his teams off the roads early into the crisis and his confidence for a stronger industry post-pandemic.

Monte Weis, President of Weis Group, talks about how dealerships will be adapting their physical locations in the short-term to accommodate physical distancing and providing touchless services. Weis also looks at the impact the pandemic might have on factory image programs and how OEMs and dealerships might move to provide a more digital showroom experience. Note: The Weis interview portion is audio only.

Andy Moss, CEO of Roadster, has been watching the auto industry move quickly to adopt digital retailing — but now it’s in overdrive. Michelle Denogean, the company’s CMO, discusses how dealers are adapting, and the longer-term implications for digital commerce in automotive. Denogean also shares her observations about the broader changes that are now moving many businesses towards providing a more digital experience.

Canadian auto dealer publisher Niel Hiscox talks with Michael Stassen, President, and Sandra Conrad, HR Specialist and CSR with DealerPILOT about key HR issues dealers need to consider during the pandemic and afterwards. Dealerships need to carefully assess how they are handling layoffs, and develop a recall process for how employees will return to work. Many dealerships have quickly shut down, but getting things ramped back up, and maintaining employee communications requires careful navigation.

Niel Hiscox, publisher, Canadian auto dealer talks with industry expert Brent Wees, Strategist/Speaker, idea.meet.plan, about using the time when dealerships are closed to engage teams in strategic planning, and considerations to help ensure it provides a measurable impact on businesses as we emerge from this current environment.

Niel Hiscox, publisher, Canadian auto dealer, talks with Blair Qualey, President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC, about government and industry association response in the face of the pandemic, and local impacts — including postponing the 100th anniversary of the Vancouver International Auto Show.

Alexi Venneri, Co-founder and CEO of Digital Air Strike, talks about the COVID-19 impact on dealerships in the U.S., what the company is doing to help both American and Canadian customers, and offers some advice on what dealers can do during the pandemic to stay connected to consumers.

Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips talks with Larry Hutchinson, President of Toyota Canada, about how the company is adapting to the pandemic and supporting dealers and customers. Hutchinson says the crisis has emphasized how important dealers are for the automotive ecosystem, and that they have been actively supporting their communities. Hutchinson also discusses a Toyota initiative to further support Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec during the COVID-19 crisis.

Tom Langton, President and CEO, Consolidated Dealers talks about how the supplier community has rallied around dealers, and how his organization is responding to the pandemic for dealers amid the COVID-19 crisis. Langton said the organization’s “Count On Us” efforts will include increased sanitization product offerings.

Michelle Miller, CPA, CA, Partner, National Leader — Dealerships at MNP, talks about the critical steps dealers may need to consider to navigate the novel coronavirus pandemic, and explores some of the government programs available to dealers both federally, and provincially.

Andrew Rains, Chief Commercial Officer at automotiveMastermind, discusses support for dealers during the pandemic including webinars, training, and providing resources. He said the company is adapting its operations to match what dealers need at the moment.

Niel Hiscox, publisher, Canadian auto dealer, chats with Barry Hillier, Founder and CEO, Catalytic Technology about how the pandemic will impact technology’s disruption of the automotive industry. Hillier argues that the crisis is rapidly accelerating the changes that were already taking place.

Chelsea O’Donoghue, Director, OEM Partnerships & Dealer Solutions at Cox Automotive Canada discusses supporting dealers with digital retailing tools during and after the pandemic and how the company is supporting dealers with discounts and providing information and resources.

Trevor Tamke, CPA, CA, Partner, Taxation Services, MNP, talks about the new Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and explains what dealers need to know — including how they can quality, and what the more recent additions to the program imply.

Ryan O’Connor, Founder, Managing Partner, EBlock & EDealer takes issue with the regulator in Ontario, OMVIC, for limiting dealership operations. O’Connor says OMVIC is interpreting government guidelines too narrowly and imposing their interpretations on dealers which is limiting not only test drives, but also the ability to talk to customers from within dealerships. OMVIC declined a video interview, but provided a written statement.

Niel Hiscox, Publisher of Canadian auto dealer, connects with Chuck Seguin, President, Seguin Advisory Services, about the current dealer situation and offers recommendations for dealers to consider during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mike Trotman, CEO, Trotman Auto Group discusses how his 11 dealerships are operating across B.C., looking after his team members, and how they are innovating and adapting on the fly to be stronger once the pandemic eases up.

John White, National Director of Business Development at First Canadian Financial Group, discusses how his organization is adapting to the pandemic and serving dealerships.

TRADER’s Nuno Loureiro, Director, Business Intelligence, and Ian MacDonald, VP, Strategic Marketing, talk about autoTRADER.ca’s March Price Index, what the data means for dealers, and what dealers may need to consider moving forward.

Jessi Kessel, Director of Operations, Auto Careers Group, discusses the current situation with job loss and recruitment in Canada, along with what the company is doing to help dealers amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Virginia Connell, Manager, Automotive Research, J.D. Power Canada discusses the 2020 Canada COVID‑19 Vehicle Owner Pulse findings testing the mood of the car buying public. Are they delaying purchases? Ready to service vehicles again? Ready to do more digital shopping?

Martin Jalbert, Director of Operations, Go-To Market, SERTI, discusses the current situation with dealers, and what the company is doing to help and stay connected to dealers amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips speaks with Drew Harden, Manager, Research & Insights, CARFAX Canada about insights and research findings on the type of service experience Canadians want from their dealerships right now. Dealerships that can provide guaranteed appointment times, personal service advisors, and full service records can lead to happy customers.

Canadian auto dealer publisher Niel Hiscox talks with James Carter, Principal Consultant with Vision Mobility, on what are often referred to as the CASE technologies (Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric) as well as macro trends from outside the industry, how these will be impacted by COVID-19, and where dealers may find some opportunity.

Glenn Pasch, CEO, PCG Digital, industry expert and speaker offers insights on how U.S. dealers are adapting, practical tips on how and what to market during the pandemic, and the steps involved to truly implement digital retailing.

Canadian auto dealer publisher Niel Hiscox speaks with Cliff Banks, President and Founder of The Banks Report. Cliff shares his views on the pandemic’s impact on the auto retail market in the United States, and what a recovery might potentially look like.

Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips speaks with Oumar Dicko, Chief Economist with the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) about what the association is doing to help dealers in four key areas: liquidity, employment, recovery and communications. Dicko also offers his predictions on new vehicle sales for 2020 in a volatile climate.

Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips, and Jason Harris, digital and auto industry expert, former car dealer and host of “Digital Strategy with Jason” talk about covering the pandemic, what they are hearing from dealers and suppliers, light at the end of the tunnel, and what changes the industry can expect.

Jordan Chezy, Executive Vice President, A&R Solutions, talks about the physical and cyber security recommendations for dealerships during the pandemic, offered by sister company Dealer Security.

Niel Hiscox, Publisher of Canadian auto dealer, talks with Chuck Seguin, President of Seguin Advisory, about what might come next. While much remains uncertain, Niel and Chuck discuss opportunities that dealers are well-positioned to take advantage of as we emerge from the pandemic.

President and CEO of Groupe Park Avenue Norman Hébert Jr. talks about his experience amid COVID-19, from March until now, and the new protocols from the CCAQ (La Corporation des concessionnaires automobiles du Québec) that allowed Quebec dealers to re-open service departments mid-April and now sales departments in May.

Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips interviews Todd Bourgon, Executive Director at TADA from inside an open Ontario car dealership, about how we got here and what’s next for dealers. Bourgon says it’s critical that dealerships strictly follow the government guidelines to ensure the industry can stay open. Bourgon discusses what it took to get dealerships opened, some optimism for the days ahead, and also the work dealerships are doing to support their communities in the midst of this crisis.

Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips visits an Ontario dealership and talks with Jim Baiden, Dealer Principal of a Chrysler dealership in Keswick, Ont. Baiden said his dealership, S&B Keswick Motors, has been struggling through the pandemic and might have to shelve plans to build a new facility.

Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips interviews Peter Hatges, Partner, National Sector Leader, Automotive KPMG in Canada about how the OEMs are handling the pandemic and the impact it will have on their operations — with a look to longer-term changes that we can expect in its wake.

Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips interviews Madison Gross, Dir. Consumer Insights, CarGurus about the findings of the company’s recent study on the mood of Canadian car buyers. Are buyers delaying purchases? For how long? Are there new categories of buyers entering the market for the first time? What do they expect from their car buying experience now? Gross shares the findings and her insights. Read our coverage of the study here: https://canadianautodealer.ca/2020/05/cargurus-study-offers-some-good-news-for-dealers/

Calgary dealer Perry Itzcovitch, of the Hyatt Group and Mercedes-Benz Downtown Calgary, talks about what’s changed in the past month, what is being done at his downtown Calgary dealership, the new protocols that have been put in place, and a perhaps common problem in the service department.

Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips interviews Maria Soklis, President of Cox Automotive Canada, on adapting her company to serve dealers during the pandemic, and steps taken to support them. Soklis offers her thoughts on leadership in the midst of a crisis and says there are some signs that business appears to be picking up.

The Show That Would Have Been: Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips interviews Kristy Atkinson, Auto Show Manager, for the Georgian College Auto Show and 5 Student Directors: Christopher Jarrett, Director, Student Experience, Taylor Walker, Director, Marketing & Media Relations, Caleb Jolkowski, Director, Site Management & Logistics, Scott VanDorp, Director, Customer Experience, Madison Marple, Director, Sponsorship & Performance. The student directors talk about their plans for the show, and their career choices in the automotive industry.

Niel Hiscox, Publisher, Canadian auto dealer and Chuck Seguin, President of Seguin Advisory Services discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it won’t be evenly felt across the industry. The discussion considers the situations specifically faced by smaller and more rural dealerships in Canada.

Jeremy Anspach, Founder and CEO of PureCars, talks about the U.S. auto retail industry and offers insights into Google search terms and other tactics to boost prospects for both American and Canadian dealers.

John Kiser, Senior Vice President of Automotive & Mobility at Ipsos, talks about the company’s recent study on the impact of COVID-19 on consumers and their interest in buying vehicles. The findings reveal some good news for dealers, and a potential, larger shift to the digital realm for them.

Patrick Roosenberg, Director of Automotive Finance, J.D. Power discusses the findings of the J.D. Power 2020 Canada Dealer Financing Satisfaction Study that was just released. Why are some lenders more popular than others? It’s about personal relationships and trust, says Roosenberg.

Brian Murphy, VP, Research & Analytics at Canadian Black Book, explores the good, the bad and the ugly where the auto industry, and auto retail, is concerned, covering everything from new and used vehicles to residual values, auctions and recession scenarios.

Chris Schulthies, President of Wye Management and expert sales and management trainer, talks about the changes dealerships can expect to see post-pandemic in sales, online showrooms, F&I offices, and pre-owned sales. Many of the changes are taking place in real-time, he says.

Michael Carmichael, President & CEO of UpAuto, talks about the measures his dealerships have implemented due to COVID-19, and offers his take on the push to add more and more digital tools.

Ian MacDonald, Vice President of Strategic Marketing, autoTRADER.ca, talks about TRADER’s recent survey on what will prompt consumers to purchase a vehicle, and discusses the three areas dealers need to cover to help consumers on that path.

Karen O’Connell, Director of Governance & Plan Management, Benefits 360 Health & Welfare Trust, CADA, discusses the association’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic through CADA 360 and other innovations that were launched this year.

Robert Karbaum, Head of Business Development at Kijiji Autos, talks about the company’s latest Monthly Trend Report for April and the user increase in online car research and intent to buy, along with how the data is spread across provinces in Canada

Canadian auto dealer Publisher Niel Hiscox talks with Chuck Seguin, President of Seguin Advisory Services, about the factors that will impact vehicle sales in the coming months.

Digital Air Strike COO Erica Sietsma discusses what the company is doing to help dealers on the digital front, to boost sales, including leveraging social media platforms like Facebook. She also talks about the COVID-19 face scarf they created and are offering to dealer clients.

Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips interviews Richard Trevisan, Brand Director at Genesis Motors Canada, on how the company continues to innovate and improve its customer experience. Trevisan says the company continued to remain “open” during the pandemic since it was already selling vehicles fully online. Trevisan says the next step for the brand is opening physical brand experience centres in Canada.

Canadian auto dealer editor Todd Phillips talks with Glenn and Brian Pasch, PCG Digital, about their upcoming Digital Marketing Strategies Conference. The annual event will be hosted virtually for the first time from July 13-15, and attendees will learn the latest digital strategies, with a focus on digital retailing. The conference also includes a virtual wine tasting and networking event with suppliers.

Niel Hiscox, Publisher of Canadian auto dealer, interviews the magazine’s new Business Development Manager Trevor Davis and talks about his role and fit in the industry, along with what we can expect from him as he takes on his new role with the company.

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