Dealers Experience Losses Amid Riots

2020 has taken us by storm, and things continue to pick up speed for the automotive industry. Some dealers experienced inventory being stolen during the midst of the Coronavirus chaos and shutdowns. Things have segued into a more unfortunate situation, following the death of George Floyd a few weeks ago. If things were not already crazy enough, more fuel has been added to the fire of unrest in our country. The automotive industry has taken a beating this year, and the effects of the riots and protests are unfortunately, a continuation of those problems. 

As protests and riots ensue, dealerships that are located in the hearts of these cities have had to take special precautions. Many dealers have suffered losses already, either by damage to their property or losing more inventory to thieves and vandals. Just last week, more than 70 cars were stolen from a dealership in California. 

From the dealers’ perspective, it’s important to maintain a balance of protecting their businesses and remain open while also being mindful of current events. Many dealers in these areas are upping their security and camera equipment to prevent loss of property and protect their employees and customers from possible violence. Some are doing a better job of locking up keys and money. Others have had to go so far as moving inventory to safer places before sundown.

Even with these precautions, destruction has still taken place for many locations. Those with large showrooms have the opportunity to move all inventory inside, giving them an extra barrier, but, honestly, that hasn’t stopped many rioters thus far. In fact, there are videos online showing cars being driven through showroom windows and crowds of people cheering on the destruction. This is the kind of activity dealers cannot afford to happen in any way, shape, or form after everything they’ve already endured in 2020.

The loss of business has also been noticeable as dealers have had to adjust their hours to comply with curfews, and, just as we saw with Covid-19, consumers are less interested in buying during this unrest.

Some things you just don’t see coming, and I believe these events have made dealers more aware of their security measures and forced some to upgrade out-of-date systems. We cannot predict or control what has taken place lately, but we can learn how to better equip ourselves as business owners during crises. All over, businesses are trying to keep it together as these protests and riots continue to go on. The hope is that the damage caused is manageable and operations can continue as we climb this steep hill back to normalcy, whatever that is.