Congratulations, if you’re reading this you made it through 2022, a year that started off on very shaky ground, with new virus strains, continuing economic disruption, and a new war to top it off.
But over the last six months, we’ve come to know what to expect on the COVID front, because of our high vaccination rates (and the fact that most people have had it by now); and we’re starting to see positive projections on the supply chain front, though most experts are forecasting a a return to pre-pandemic levels is still some months, or perhaps a year, away.
Acceptance, and even enthusiasm for electric vehicles by consumers is creating an environment where OEMs are innovating frantically to have a competitive advantage, making it an exciting time to follow the latest product offerings and technical inventions.
While doing interviews and research for the 2023 forecasting story, one view that was prevalent was a generally optimistic outlook for the automotive industry in the next year.
Despite all the challenges, 2022 for many dealers was one of their most profitable ever, and a healthy bottom line is leading into confidence going forward. The industry once again benefitted from a culture of resilience and creativity in a way that many of the experts I spoke with commented upon.
These positive traits were in abundance at the two conferences I attended in the last two months, where I got the chance to meet dealers from all over the country, as well as see the latest and greatest new offerings by suppliers aiming to make running an auto retailing business maximally efficient and profitable.
Trillium Automobile Dealers Association’s ACE conference in Niagara Falls featured inspiring content and a whole day featuring speakers and panels that spoke about increasing and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the automotive realm.
At CADEX in November, The Nova Scotia Automobile Dealers Association put on a wonderful day of learning in Halifax that was topped off by the President’s Dinner in the evening. For a more thorough look at these events, read the “Impactful events” section of the magazine on page 14, where you can also get geared up and make plans for a couple of exciting conferences coming up in the new year.
Lastly, I’d like to make a correction from the October issue. The column on page 34 “Practicing what I preach” was incorrectly attributed to Dr. Gordon Shields, when it was, in fact, written by our esteemed regular columnist Darren Slind. Many apologies for the error.
So moving forward, we at Canadian auto dealer would like to wish all our readers a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. Whatever challenges and opportunities lie ahead for the auto retail industry, we will be with you every step of the way, with information, insights, and expert opinions. Cheers!
