(WXYZ) — With Michigan's stay-at-home order extended, some changes have been made, including the way car buying or leasing can be conducted until the end of the month.
The showrooms remain closed but car dealerships can still do business, as long as it’s done remotely and electronically.
George Glassman of the Glassman Automotive Group is figuring out a plan on how to move forward for the rest of the month.
“These are uncharted territories and we want to do it right if we are going to do it at all.”
Governor Gretchen Whitmer extended the stay at home order until May 1, but is allowing car dealerships to operate with minimal customer interaction.
“No test drives, no coming into the dealership, it would be similar to ordering food, I would assume, where they drop it off at the front porch, you have no interaction with the individual.”
Glassman has talked with other car dealership owners who have expressed interest in this way of doing business.
But he is on the fence.
Since the shutdown, he’s closed down almost all operations, including the service repair shop, which is allowed to be open.
While they are getting hit financially, he remains optimistic.
“We’ve been fortunate, the dealership has been in business for an excess of 50 years, so we will weather this storm.”
If dealers can deliver cars to customers and make the transactions electronically, they can drive sales.
For Glassman Automotive Group, it has to make dollars and sense.
That’s why Glaassman will be talking with his team today about moving forward.
“If we were 100% remote, 100% electronic, I’d still think it would be a difficult situation given the current environment.”
If they decide to move forward, Glassman will start doing business electronically next week.
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