Adapting to an unprecedented new reality

“Life itself is a race, marked by a start, and a finish. It is what we learn during the race, and how we apply it, that determines whether our participation has had particular value. If we learn from each success, and each failure, and improve ourselves through this process, then at the end, we have fulfilled our potential and performed well.” - Ferdinand Porsche

This unprecedented new reality forces everyone to adapt quickly and to rethink how to conduct business now and in the future. At Porsche Cars Canada, our first priority is to keep our employees, our dealer partners, and our customers, safe. In March we took immediate action enabling all of our headquarter staff to work remotely. Our dealer network took similar protection measures and reshaped their business processes to protect both their employees and customers.

Alongside this, safeguarding our business and continuing to support the dealer network remains our priority. We established a cross-functional COVID-19 response team at the beginning of March and defined six work packages. From supply to profitability to network support to employee health and safety, we defined three potential outcome scenarios that could impact our business. Our team expeditiously worked on a comprehensive relief package that included a wide array of measures from warranty extensions and lease payment deferrals to support our customers to guidelines for our Porsche Centres, including safe mobility solutions, touchless delivery and service processes.

We also recognize the importance of community support. Many of our Porsche Centres have set up local initiatives, from contributing to various charities to volunteering to run essential errands for those in need. On April 15 we announced one of the initiatives the team at Porsche Cars Canada have been working on: the extension of free roadside assistance for Ontario hospital front line workers – regardless of the brand of vehicle they drive. This is a small gesture in recognition of the tremendous contributions towards the safety and well-being of Ontarians and the dedication they are making on the front line for us each and every day. To qualify, individuals phoning 1-800-PORSCHE are simply required to identify themselves by presenting their Ontario hospital-issued identification between April 15 and May 31, 2020. The services rendered under the Porsche Roadside Assistance Program are tow, battery boost, tire change, and fuel delivery. 

Now, our focus is the road to getting back to business. Using the lessons we have learned from adapting to change, we are planning for a “new normal” and how that will surely affect our future. In this new environment, the health of our employees and customers remain the utmost priority. Working hand-in-hand together with our retail partners at one side and our headquarters on the other will be pivotal for our long-term success. Many topics we were already working on are now on an extremely accelerated timeline – be it virtual classroom sessions for Porsche Centre staff or online shopping options and virtual showroom experiences for our customers. For other business fields, we need to reimagine how we conduct ourselves under the new circumstances in future. This includes the hosting of events surrounding the launch of new models as well as our Porsche Experience portfolio.

I am confident that we are on the right track and we will get to the other side of this successfully. Porsche has always been innovative, long before the unprecedented challenge we are faced with today and our path will continue to steer us towards electrification and sustainability. This drive for innovation and efficiency, a sense of community, and the passion for the driving experience continues to be part of us.

 For now, we need to continue to dream from our homes, but I am very much looking forward to being back on the road.