Page 10 - GIADA july2020
P. 10

Continued from previous page         leave vehicles overnight for consumers to  Every few years on the way back from JFK
        along with the people selling and servicing  test drive to lessen the strain. However,  Airport, I take a short detour and pass by
        the product. Relationships matter. That  this will only add further risk, cost, and  the dealership that my father and uncle
        is not to say the process doesn’t need to  exposure to those dealers.     owned. I pause in front of the showroom,
        be materially streamlined. That is a topic                                unnoticed,  and observe salespeople and
        unto itself.                         It is up to dealers to maintain control of   customers transacting business largely
                                             their economic destinies. Unrestrained   the same way it was done when I worked
        Maybe it’s all as simple as customers not  legal liability and added insurance   there 40 years ago. My legal advice is to
        wanting to part with their money and sign  and payroll costs solely to accede to   stay the course, tweak where necessary,
        on the dotted line until they sit in their  the remote selling model beyond this   but don’t be so quick to fix what  isn’t
        new vehicle, test drive it, and on delivery,  pandemic will preclude any notion of   broken, despite what the disruptors
        smell it, feel it, and check for scratches. Or  sustained profitability. That is, unless   might urge. n
        perhaps it’s as wholesome as customers  consumers are willing to suddenly pay
        clinging  to  the  multi-generational  list price for such white-glove service. If   Legal Disclaimer: This article does not
        tradition of visiting the dealership to select  the COVID-19 crisis has taught dealers   constitute legal advice. You should consult
        the next family vehicle.             anything, it is that they have a fiduciary
                                             duty to their shareholders, employees   an attorney for any matters discussed
        Industry pundits, along with vendors  and customers, to always remain well   herein.
        seeking  relevance, blindly envision  a  capitalized in order to survive the next
        world where dealers will double or triple  crisis for the good of all constituencies. In   Bellavia Blatt, PC is a nationally recognized
        their workforce and hire “runners,” whose  my 35 years of representing dealers, the   authority in the field of automotive
        sole job is to drop off and pick up vehicles  clients that survived the longest were the   franchise law. Leonard Bellavia, the firm’s
        at consumers’ homes for test-drives,  ones that resisted the temptation to be all   founding  partner,  is  a  regular  speaker  at
        appraisals, deliveries, and service. Such an  things to all people. Besides, customers  national automotive trade events and has
        endeavor would require several hundred  have a newfound appreciation for getting  served as chairperson of the Litigation
        round trips a day. When pressed over the  out of the house. Staying home and  Section of the National Association of
        absurdity and impracticability  of such  buying online has worn out its welcome  Dealer Counsel and member of its board
        a model, they recommend that dealers  during COVID-19.                    of directors.
















































        8  |  GIADA Independent Auto Dealer  JUL/AUG 2020
   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15