We’ve written many blogs here about the impact COVID-19 has had on the automotive business including advertising and inventory. However, there’s one big change that many dealerships were not prepared for and that’s working from home. When the initial shutdown happened almost a year ago (how is THAT possible?), many BDC reps and managers were sent to work from home (WFH) for the first time ever.

If your BDC team spent at least part of the past year working from home for the first time, you probably know what I’m talking about. Dealership sales has historically been a very hands-on, very tangible job. COVID-19 forced most of the workforce home and that meant dealership staff as well.

Here are some ways we have seen lasting effects of the new work from home mentality of car dealerships.

Longer hours – Just when you thought it wasn’t possible, your workday has gotten even longer. This is true of so many working from home right now. You sign on earlier, you don’t take lunch because there’s really nowhere to go, and you stay on later. The same is true for those in dealerships. You’re working deals non-stop because there is no “punching in” or “punching out.” It’s just a non-stop workflow!

Longer weeks – Typically dealership staff has off on Sundays and one day during the week, but the never ending WFH job has many dealership staff working on their days off as well. The interesting thing is that a lot of people don’t seem to mind the extra work because at least they can “be home” within seconds of finishing.

It’s not so bad – While a lot of dealerships and employers in general have struggled with letting employees WFH the past, a lot of managers saw that the work can actually be done from home. As long as you have good employees who are dedicated to the company and their positions, there is minimal disruption, if any, to the work that needs to be done.

WFH could stick around – As we mentioned, and you might have experienced, this has forced some management to permit WFH for sales and other management personnel. Another thing we are seeing is that as dealerships see what can be accomplished from home, many are becoming more open to it when staff need to be home for a family event/emergency or issue.

While so many have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and all that it has brought to us whether it be our health, our distance, or economically, there have been positive outcomes as well. The ability to work from home has given many people more time at home with loved ones (even when they don’t want it!), less time in stressful traffic, and more schedule flexibility to tend to home life. Employees are working more hours and proving that it all can be done.

At D2D, we started our WFH schedules back in March, and we have now been cranking at home for almost a year! While we miss our clients so much, it’s been pretty common that automotive advertising agencies perform virtual meetings and reviews, so it’s been a smooth transition.

If this is something your dealership has experienced, let us know! Don’t forget to show your appreciation for those employees putting in extra hours and extra days for your company. This is when we come together most and many employees have shown their dedication, and now is the time to also make sure they know how much you appreciate it. Try giving an extra PTO day to employees, sending out a little bonus if possible, or sending a gift as a token of your appreciation.

We are here to help virtually! If you need to ramp up your digital advertising efforts, contact us today. We are on top of the industry every step of the way throughout this process, and we know what you’re going through!