We can all remember back in March how uncertain things looked for businesses of all kinds as a new and potentially dangerous pandemic made its way across the world. Abundantly cautious politicians feared the worst and decided to shut the country down for several weeks in an effort to slow the spread of the disease. We didn’t know much about what we were dealing with then but thankfully, we do now, and we’re moving on in spite of continued cautions still in place.
Things looked bleak during the last half of March and going into April as local and national leaders doubled down on extending shutdowns. The government enacted programs that pay folks to stay home such as the Paycheck Protection Program and other strings-attached bailout measures. At that time, so many cars came off the road that our business was profoundly affected, as you might imagine, from both the supply and demand side.
Weathering the Storm
Being a transportation support business, Bow Auto Parts is considered an “essential service” so we remained open and operating even as business slowed down to a crawl those first few weeks of the shutdown. Then things turned around quickly as auto dealers and mechanic shops became remarkably busy again by April. It turns out, people took the time to make needed repairs and improvements to their cars and trucks while others sold their used vehicles for parts. Slowly but surely more people started driving again (some were a little heavy-footed while there was still less traffic on the road).
Strengthened Commitment
Now, people are back on the road in nearly the same numbers as pre-COVID, not just to the grocery store for necessities but also for leisure and commercial activities. Businesses other than what the government deems “essential” have reopened to serve eager customers and recreation seekers.
We realize some of our customers, suppliers, and friends have experienced a rough patch this year and we feel fortunate to have kept our whole team working through the pandemic. As our state and most of the country are now into recovery mode, we’re seeing the business grow and now we’re refreshing our commitment to investing in our people and facilities to take the absolute best care of our customers.
We made a few changes which have made a positive difference. For example, starting in March we…
- Instituted our convenient curbside pickup option.
- Upgraded our website to make finding parts easier.
- Made improvements to our online and telephone ordering services.
- Added direct text messaging to our individual salespeople and it’s working great!
- Kept our prices as low as possible with a renewed quality commitment company-wide.
It’s pretty hard to ignore the news about COVID and all the chaos that media like to show you on screens but we know from experience that reality in most places is quite different. Just get out on the road, travel to the countryside and you’ll see. Visit some favorite places and strike up some conversations from whatever distance you feel safe & comfortable.
Yes, it’s a great time to be on the road again!
