The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the industry's e-commerce evolution last year and altered dealers' everyday operations, but Michael Alford, incoming NADA vice chairman, says changes are here to stay.
"We're process-oriented, and I think it's impacted us in so many ways," Alford said of his store, Marine Chevrolet-Cadillac in Jacksonville, N.C. "First, just our culture. I think we had to lean harder into each other, culturally, and trust each other on establishing new protocols to protect our customers and to protect ourselves and to stay in business every day.
"And then we really, really changed how we do transactions in the virtual world, and I think that will stay with us going forward. I think we've been resilient. I think we've been really thankful at how our industry came together, how we worked with our OEMs and the outcomes. Especially, gosh, the fourth quarter was phenomenal."
Alford, president of Marine Chevrolet-Cadillac, is a former banker who entered the family automotive business in 1992 and became owner in 1997. He also represents new-vehicle dealers in North Carolina on the NADA board of directors. He was elected to his 2021 post in October, indicating he will likely be chairman in 2022.
Alford, speaking briefly Thursday during an NADA Show live stage chat, said adaptability is one of the aspects he loves about the automotive industry and being a dealer.
Adaptability was a major focus of 2020. In spring, dealers began relying more on digital retailing platforms and had to figure out new ways to not only sell vehicles online, but deliver them and make similar arrangements for service, among a multitude of other changes.
"We've been deemed to be dinosaurs," Alford said. "I've been a dealer since [1997]. And we've overcome one hurdle after the other. And I think it's because we stick together. I think also that the franchise system is the most efficient and, frankly, the most customer-friendly way to deliver automobiles.
"And I think technology is, frankly, making us more responsive and better. I think the outcome to our customers is better. And I think we're better."
Alford has an upbeat view on 2021.
"It's certainly going to be a fascinating year," he said. "But I think the post-pandemic dealer body is going to be stronger and more customer-oriented and prepared to deliver an amazing experience."
