About one week ago the outages at CDK Global began, impacting dealerships nationwide. So in times like this, what are some of the best practices? Joining us now is Brooke Furniss, Founder of B-Z Consultants Group.
Takeaways
- Furniss emphasizes the necessity for dealerships to not rely solely on technology. She highlights the need for backup systems and maintaining human operational skills, underscoring that technology, while invaluable, is fallible. She illustrates this with a personal anecdote from Starbucks, emphasizing that businesses must be prepared for system failures.
- Security is paramount, and Brooke stresses the need for rigorous security measures in dealership operations. She points out that dealers should scrutinize their vendors’ security protocols. She also highlights the need for a secondary DMS (Dealer Management System) as a backup, which some dealers have already implemented to ensure continuity in the event of a primary system failure.
- Transparency and consistent communication with customers and staff are crucial during such crises. Brooke advises dealers to develop a unified message to reassure customers and maintain trust. This includes acknowledging the issue, explaining the steps, and providing regular updates to customers and employees to manage concerns and prevent misinformation.
Check out our full coverage of the CDK cyberattack here.
"I was on-site with a dealer and had no idea my phone was blowing up. I was like, what the heck is going on? And I looked down after I left my client. I just went, oh my God, like this is insane—what is happening right now?" - Brooke Furniss.
