Guest Blogger: Erika Blankenship, Texas Auto Center

As the director of compliance at our dealership, I have asked our team this question many times. I have found our biggest challenge is adapting to the changing climate due to the pandemic. Many of these questions are related to HR, taxes, keeping employees and customers safe, and staying compliant. Fortunately, there are a number of education sessions scheduled at this year's TIADA Conference & Expo to help us address COVID-19 related issues and help us plan for the future.

 

Take the Paycheck Protection Program as an example. Our business received a loan, which is great, but now we have a number of tax-related questions. For this part, I've got Dave Wiggins' “Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)” flagged as a must-see on my TIADA Conference agenda. I'm looking forward to getting some clarification to help guide our business operations.

 

Another issue we have been talking about at our dealership is online sales and collections during the pandemic. With that said, our team is looking forward to hearing Eric Johnson and Andrea Cottrell's discussion on “Remote Sales, Internet Sales, Appointment Only and Curbside Delivery.” I'm also planning to sit in on the dealer roundtable, “Collections and Communications During a Pandemic and Beyond ” to hear what other dealers are doing.  

 

I know here at our dealership, these kinds of questions come up regularly, and this pandemic has and continues to generate even more COVID-19 related questions. I look forward to getting these questions answered and visiting with other dealers about what they are doing to address the unknown.  

 

Related COVID-19 Conference Education Breakout Sessions:
 

• Ad Copy Cures: Set a Positive Tone in Advertising Post-Pandemic

Lindsay Shearon – Dealer Consultant/Lead Strategist, Dealer OMG

 

• Exams: During and After COVID

Huffman Lewis, Director of Consumer Protection, Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner

 

• HR Considerations During a Pandemic

Joe Rivera – Attorney, Naman Howell Smith & Lee

 

• Finding the Right Financial Partner for BHPH -The Post-Pandemic Sequel

Ken Shilson – President, Subprime Analytics & NABD

 

• Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Other CARES Act Tax Planning

David Wiggins – Principal, CLA

 

• Remote Sales, Internet Sales, Appointment Only and Curbside Delivery – Know the Legal Minefields 

Eric Johnson - Partner & Andrea Cottrell, Associate, Hudson Cook, LLP

 

• Stay Legal and Compliant – Repos, Bankruptcies, Disclosures

Michael W. Dunagan – TIADA General Counsel, Jameson & Dunagan, P.C.

 

• The Accelerated Future of Car Shopping and Buying

Jessica Stafford – Sr. Vice President Consumer Solutions, Autotrader & Kelley Blue Book

 

• When a Pandemic Forces Us to Revisit the Basics 

Brent Carmichael – Consultant, NCM Associates