BOOST OR BUST?


to ship most small parts which allowed us to deliver larger and more expensive parts. Also, we offered curb-side pickup of parts when requested.


Less in-person customer contact was a challenge. We added color-coded lines on our floor to direct people to the department they needed. We moved customers quickly through the showroom. Drivers were basically delivering only large or expensive parts. The staff that stayed were grateful we were an essential business and we modified their compensation packages. We communicated more with SMS and emails, and sent more images.


AR: What changes have you retained or eliminated? We kept our COVID hours of operations, which allows us more training time and the ability to fill our orders during business hours. We added plastic shields between our customers and counter staff. We have filled the elimi- nated positions with productive employees. We ship many smaller parts instead of using our delivery trucks. For most of them, we found the lessons learned made us more efficient. As time progressed we were able to fill orders faster by managing our delivery expectations. Changing our open hours for in-store allowed us time to review orders from the day and follow up on any issues that came up during the day. We also had more time to meet with our staff during these times to catch up on what they were thinking. We no longer find the need for curb- side pick up, but will provide at customer request.


Chairs are now back in the showroom, but appropriately spaced.


AR: In what ways did COVID help your business? At the onset of COVID and the initial slowdown we were able to focus on our business and review our current practices and policies. We had more time to communi- cate and educate our employees to reduce their fears of the pandemic. We learned that we did not need to keep expanding operations and hiring more staff and doing more for customers to make more money. We have been able to focus on process and efficiencies to better run our business. We found our staff that stayed was grateful they were essential workers and as we are filling staff positions we are becoming more selective.


AR: How have your employees been affected for the better? Our employees are so grateful that they are essential and were able to continue working. They realized our industry is valuable to the transportation sector of our country. Many have lost someone or know of a friend that has lost someone. We have spoken with customers and the next week they are gone. Our employees have become more sensitive and aware. We constantly train our staff to de-escalate any type of conflict and show our customers kindness as they may be experiencing trauma or frus- tration. Our staff is now working less hours overall and earning the same or more post-COVID.


seemed that there were no answers and the rules changed all the time. Talk to no one unless they were on the other side of a door, glass, phone line, etc. and not knowing who might have the “bug.”


AR: How did the crisis improve your business? Remember, auto recyclers are an adaptive bunch – we learn to change with little warning. We became more mindful very quickly. We learned to clean more. We learned to be patient with customers and each other.


Part of the Process


Fran Reitman // Owner, Reitman Auto Parts, Melbourne, KY


AR: How did the pandemic impede upon your business? Fran Reitman: Wow, it put us on our toes. I guess the “not knowing what was going to happen next” was the real impairment. And what it might look like if someone did get the worst case of COVID-19. It just


56// September-October 2021


AR: How did you get more creative with running your business? We closed off the front office and scheduled customers a time to pick up parts, mandated masks to be worn whether in the office or outside, and took credit cards for which the processing companies came to like us. We didn’t see the need to add more shifts, we just made sure everyone had their space. We really didn’t miss a beat, I only had one person who chose not to come to work because his wife had some underlining health issues. It was our delivery driver and we just stepped up our part- time drivers to cover and went forward.


Automotive Recycling


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