Top Tips to Keep Your Auto Dealership Clean and Safe for Employees and Customers

The unexpected COVID-19 pandemic has completely upended businesses across all manners of industries, and the automotive industry hasn’t been an exception. Nationwide, business owners are learning how they can stay open in this new environment, operate as normally as possible to maintain their revenue streams, while also figuring out how to keep their employees and customers safe in the process. It’s no small task, but it is an important one and we’re all learning how to do our part for our communities and our businesses. The safety precautions that need to be put into place will be different for every business, so here are the key takeaways you can apply when it comes to running your auto dealership and keeping it clean and safe for employees and customers.

Scheduling

Cleaning and sanitizing may seem like the most important thing to do, and we’ll get there, but completely re-working your schedule is an essential first step, and can seem a little complex. Social distancing measures are in place for most cities, which limits the amount of appointments you can handle at a given time, and allowing walk-ins would just be an added risk. Something to consider doing is spacing out – and requiring – service appointment times. Additionally, try implementing specific time slots during the slower part of the day for customers that are part of the higher risk populations. This is both an effective strategy, and it also shows your clients that the safety of their health is a priority for you – making it more likely they’ll choose to work with you over your competition. Along with this, you could create two different groups of employees – a group who are okay with working during busier shifts, and a group that prefers working in a less populated environment.

Sanitization

Putting together a detailed list, along with a schedule, of all the items and areas that need to be sanitized will ensure this transition is both smooth and effective. A great way to demonstrate to customers that you’re serious about their health is sanitizing their car, in front of them, at both drop off and pick up. One technique being used is a defogger with an antimicrobial disinfectant to fumigate the vehicles. Another possible course of action is to spray and wipe down the seat belt, steering wheel, and the door handles with sanitation products. When it comes to taking similar precautions on the building, door knobs, phones, tables and chairs, and self-serve coffee stations should all be getting sanitized on an hourly basis. At the end of the day, instructing employees and customers to regularly wash hands and use hand sanitizer will go a long way in helping mitigate the spread of the virus. Placing hand sanitizer stations throughout your dealership can help reinforce this practice.

Desk operations

When sending out your confirmation email to customers, we recommend also sending a letter detailing all of the precautions your business is taking to ensure their safety. This practice will not only reassure them that you’re taking things seriously, but it’ll prepare them for what to expect upon arrival. Something that may be new to your operation is going completely paperless. This transition may have a few kinks to work out in the beginning, but it’s a worthwhile investment – especially with the added cost savings. If you work with any third-party businesses, you’ll want to reach out and make sure that they understand your new practices so everyone is on the same page.

It’s clear that life isn’t “business as usual” right now, but finding normalcy in creating a safe routine will help your employees and customers feel at ease when they come to your dealership, so you can keep spirits high – as well as your bottom line.