The Online Advantage
Slater Shroyer // General Manager, Shroyer’s Auto Parts, Lansing, MI
AR: How did COVID impair your business? Slater Shroyer: Initially there was uncertainty regarding what to do, whether we should or even could remain open. Everything slowed down to a crawl as people quarantined in their homes. In my state, there were curfews and all non-essential businesses were closed. We fell under the defi- nition of essential, but the lack of demand caused us to cut back shifts and send home the workers at highest risk.
AR: How did the pandemic improve your business? Customers have really moved to contact-free shopping. Companies that have invested in online sales and mar- keting really saw the positive side of this shift in buying behavior. In the same way that Amazon and Shipt have benefited from people avoiding physical stores, auto recyclers with a strong internet presence, online list- ings, and contact-free e-commerce solutions have seen increased sales. I’m not sure companies who rely on more traditional shopping practices are experiencing this. Thankfully, we had already invested a fair amount of time and practice into listing our inventory on searchable platforms.
AR: How did you get more creative with running your business? We just learned to be more flexible. Work schedules have been constantly evolving as there is now more pressure on people and fewer resources available for families. In our state, many parents struggled to work around school schedules and some had difficulty managing daycare. Quarantining often happens with little or no advance notice.
This need for flexibility is compounded by the approach the government has taken regarding unemployment bene- fits. When people can bring in a decent income by staying home and not working, it can be difficult to convince them to get back into the workforce even if they’re potentially making more money by doing so. There has been a risk/ benefit analysis going on in every home since March 2020. Unemployment numbers would indicate that a number of people determined that the risk of infection outweighed the income from available employment opportunities, so they’re staying home. This has resulted in the unusual combination of high unemployment numbers with a very small pool of potential workers. The net effect is that losing a team member is a much bigger issue than prior to COVID-19 as there isn’t a line of motivated replacements.
AR: In what ways did the pandemic change your business? We stopped being open on Saturdays. We still have plastic shields up in front of each counter station. Team members don’t share phones, work stations or other equip- ment. We clean and sanitize public areas more regularly. There is still a very transmissible virus going around. It gave us an advantage over competitors who have been resistant to e-commerce.
AR: What practices resulted from COVID have you kept? We have found that to keep our staff from being stressed out, we still take orders and then call customers when their parts are ready. That’s about it. And we clean.
AR: In what way did the pandemic help your business? It gave the body shops and garages time to catch
up. As far as down time at our place – there really wasn’t downtime. If anything, it was busier. I think that people had time on their hands and did a lot of DIY jobs. Remember in a down economy our business does better. Fix and replace what you have because you never know what tomorrow will bring.
AR: Have your employees benefited from new processes? Good question. You know we have always been leery of digging or taking units apart due to body fluids or other substances or matter that might be in vehicles that we handled. I really don’t think we are out of this pan- demic, so caution is still needed as always. And we are still looking for ways to protect and go forward and are still very supportive of each other.
Automotive Recycling Everyone Benefits
Donna Thompson // Ole South Auto Salvage, Lake Placid, FL
AR: How did the pandemic improve your business? Donna Thompson: Our business has increased perhaps because people have kept their vehicles longer. As new vehicles become more available that may change. We are located in a very remote area and our walk-in business even increased a lot. As for our employees, they’ve received bonus and pay increases to incentivize them.
Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Maura Keller is a seasoned writer, editor, and published author, with more than 20 years of experience. She frequently writes for various regional and national publications.
September-October 2021 // 57
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