The novel coronavirus outbreak of COVID-19 is an unprecedented event in recent world history that is sure to have broad economic impacts. During this time, our first priority is the health and safety of dealership customers and personnel. We also would like to note that your employees will take their cues from you and your management team. It is imperative that everyone remain calm, as panic is sure to make any situation worse.
To help keep your protocols up-to-date and aligned with state and national government recommendations, we are building out an information database with helpful links to state and federal health authorities and personnel-management departments, plus additional legal and ethical guidance specific to Maryland and Virginia dealers.
You can access that page at this link.
While the situation is fluid and may change in the coming days or weeks, we are reviewing expert opinions and working with our fellow associations, legal counsel and others to establish some best practices. We have recounted basic preventative measures at the bottom, which are likely to be repeated in other notifications of this kind you've received, but some dealership specific facts and suggestions are as follows:
- As of now, you are not allowed to ask a current or prospective employee if they are infected. If a current or prospective employee is exhibiting symptoms, it is within your right to ask them to stay away from the dealership until their symptoms resolve.
- We advise that you accept an employee's request to voluntarily furlough without pay if they display symptoms or need to care for a symptomatic or quarantined family member.
- It is advisable to divide your staffs into teams that include both essential and non-essential employees and to explore which of these employees could work remotely if needed. It is particularly advised to have your management team capable of working from home if needed.
- If financial hardships arising from COVID-19 persist, WANADA recommends requesting relief from vendors to help with expenses.
- If hourly or commissioned employees that cannot come to work due to quarantine encounter financial hardship, it is worthwhile to consider extending small low- or zero-interest loans to them to help them make ends meet.
- In President Trump's March 11th address on this subject, he stated that all insurance companies would be waiving cost-sharing (copays, deductibles, etc.) associated with COVID-19 testing. Note that treatments for a positive test, however, would still fall under normal plan provisions. WANADA's insurance team is reviewing these provisions with our self-insured groups also. Please direct any questions on insurance related matters to Ed Mullaney, Vice President of Insurance Operations ([email protected]; 202-237-7200).
As far as communications to customers themselves, either via email or on-site at your dealership, we strongly recommend developing a communications toolkit that reflects the severity of this virus, and one that recognizes the fear and confusion that your patrons may be experiencing. The top priority should be to convey to your customers that your dealership is both open for business and safe for people to visit.
To that end, please detail to them that you are taking strong, proactive measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The steps you take to protect your employees will in turn help protect your customers. We recommend that your messaging includes the following steps below, and that you fully implement these within your dealership:
- You have installed hand-sanitizing stations throughout the dealership to allow visitors and personnel to clean their hands more frequently.
- You have increased the frequency in which high-volume, high-touch areas, including paper towel dispensers, vanity tops, counters, and door handles, are cleaned.
- Your staff is required to engage in good hygiene by frequently washing their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- You are in touch with pertinent state and local authorities to make sure you receive the latest updates and protocols.
- You have distributed critical information to key staff members and business partners to help prevent communicable sicknesses throughout this dealership.
- Your showroom offices and vehicles are disinfected and cleaned throughout the day at a high frequency.
Essentially, you need to give your customers the confidence that their health and safety are a top priority at your dealership, and that now, more than ever, you are committed to maintaining a safe environment for everyone who walks through your doors.
Basic sanitary precautions include the following:
- Frequently washing hands, using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and avoiding people who are sick are by far the best prevention tools.
- Refrain from shaking hands with customers and fellow employees.
- Require employees to remain home if they are sick.
- Take great care to disinfect all surfaces immediately after they have been touched, including customers' cars.
- Provide gloves for people working in or around customers' cars, though be sure to remind employees that gloves themselves do not prevent the spread of germs and viruses.
Please stay tuned, as we will be releasing additional information and/or best practices as they become available. As always, I and my team are happy to field direct questions via phone (202-237-7200) or email:
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