Amherst Car Dealers Navigate Industry Changes
Amherst is awash in automotive upheaval as local dealerships endure the industry headwinds and emergent technologies. At the forefront of dealers’ minds, cryptocurrency cybersecurity concerns and changing consumer preferences have increased the focus on the complex environment of today’s modern automotive retail space.
Amherst dealerships are dealing with the ongoing fallout from a massive cyberattack that took CDK Global, a leading dealer management system (DMS) software provider, and the results will reverberate for some time. The attack, which has disrupted operations at UK dealerships nationwide, has hit local businesses especially hard, with many on the brink of the end of month and the start of these typically bumper months.
In the absence of their usual digital tools, interactions at Amherst dealerships have had to become manual with dealerships forced to adapt quickly by implementing manual processes and workarounds to keep operations going. It’s underscored just how important technology is to modern automotive retail and how digitalization creates vulnerabilities.
But despite all this, local dealerships have proved to be remarkably resilient. Staff has put in hours to keep customer service a top priority, as their systems still haven’t fully opened after a holiday shutdown. Customers haven’t gone unnoticed, with many of the customers appreciating the efforts the dealerships have taken to still bring in business and keep the operation going in very difficult circumstances.
The Amherst automative community is also now having a broader conversation about the need for more digital security and disaster recovery protocols as a result of the cybersecurity incident. Nowadays many dealers are reevaluating their technology infrastructure and planning ways to make their operations more resilient.
But among the immediate concerns of the cyberattack, Amherst dealerships are also dealing with more long term shifts in the automotive sales business. And solar and wind have started to make its presence here as the popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) grows and more customers are interested in buying electric and hybrid models.
Local dealers agree this trend is making them invest new inventory and train their sales and service staff to better serve EV curious customers. In some cases dealerships are assessing partners with charging station providers to provide additional value to EV buyers and put themselves on the forefront of this expanding section of the advertising.
Not all is roses on the path to EVs. But some dealers are worried that the electric vehicles will not need as much maintenance as their ice-run alternative. As more cars get electrified, this has prompted conversations regarding how to continue to evolve product offerings to remain meaningful and profitable in this increasingly electrified automotive landscape.
A major trend affecting Amherst dealership is the ongoing adjustment in the buying habits of consumers. Today, more and more of the new car buying process is happening online, with many customers coming prepared with vehicles in mind when they arrive at the dealership. Since then, it has spurred local dealers to invest in their online presence and find better ways to connect with customers online.
Amherst dealerships are trying out new virtual showrooms and more advanced online inventory systems that give customers the chance to journey through prospective vehicles from the safety of their homes. Some other sellers are concentrating on bettering their social media presence as a means of engaging with younger buyers to promote the marketing of their inventory and services.
While these things are happening and subject to what is happening, many within the Amherst automotive community seem opportunistic about these things and sense some cautious optimism about these things. The recent cybersecurity hardships faced by the industry have shown how local dealerships are adaptable and obsessed with their clientele. Additionally, in these ongoing changes in the automotive landscape, there are opportunities for innovative dealers to stand out by not only building a stronger relationship with their customers but also differentiating themselves with the ones they already have.
Amherst’s automotive sector is continuing to sail into unfamiliar waters, and it’s more important than ever for local car dealerships to be collaborating and sharing knowledge. A lot of common problems and best practises are being discussed in industry events and forums, making dealers feel like they are part of the local automotive ecosystem.
The Amherst automotive landscape is set to move quickly forward. Dealerships that can adapt to changing technologies, consumer preferences, and conditions of the auto retailing industry, will be the winning dealerships in this new age of the new auto retail. But local dealerships have shown themselves to be resilient and innovative, and that bodes well for Amherst’s future automotive sector.