Imperial Cars operations director Neil Smith has set-up social media discussion and support forums to allow car retailers to discuss business issues and advice via LinkedIn and WhatsApp.

Smith – a regular contributor to AM through monthly ‘guest opinion’ articles – is urging retail bosses to get involved by registering for his new ‘Help For Car Dealers & Automotive Businesses During #Covid-19’ LinkedIn group.

Visiting the online forum will also allow retailers to gain access to a more discreet WhatsApp Group, where Smith hopes that some retailers may feel more comfortable entering “sensitive discussions collaboratively to better understand the impacts”. 

  • AM is urging car retailers to share their experience of handling the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak with a quick-fire, three-minute, multiple choice survey. Please click here to take part.

Smith said that he has taken the lead taken the lead to rally leaders and business owners from across the industry having had a number of positive and enlightening discussions with both competitors and suppliers over recent days.

Car retail marketing specialist Armchair Marketing is supporting his efforts to help create the new platform.

Smith said: “I'm using Armchair Marketing's established automotive audience to urgently unite the automotive industry’s leaders to come together with a coordinated approach to navigating the effects of Coronavirus.”

Now Smith and Armchair Marketing are urging retailers to:

  • Join this LinkedIn Group to gain important information and updates from the UK and abroad, and critical business advice from the industry's most influential leaders.
  • Join Smith’s WhatsApp Group to share sensitive discussions and coordinate an approach to rally better support from key industry bodies, groups or organisations.
  • Website - visit the new website (via links found on the LinkedIn Group’s homepage) to keep up-to-date with what's happening, share your advice and learn from your peers.

Spelling out his response to the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis, Smith said: “The way we react now will shape the future of the industry.

“We all need to support each other to make this industry great again.”