Volkswagen among first to fund deals in 24 hours or less with Sign Anywhere

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – June 8, 2020 – CDK Global, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDK), a leading retail automotive technology company, today announced the launch of Sign Anywhere, its new remote electronic signing solution. Through the innovative remote signing capabilities of Sign Anywhere, dealers can offer customers a secure, quick, and convenient way to electronically sign the majority of finance and insurance (F&I) forms needed to purchase a vehicle without having to be present at the dealership. With Sign Anywhere, deals can receive funding in hours following a vehicle purchase. The tool is a free addition to customers who have CDK eSign.

"CDK continues to invest in products that will help our customers accelerate their digital transformation as we prepare for a new automotive retail landscape," said Mahesh Shah, executive vice president and chief product and technology officer, CDK Global. "Dealers can count on Sign Anywhere to enhance customer experience and expand their digital capabilities beyond the showroom floor without sacrificing time or security."

Sign Anywhere houses a portfolio of F&I forms in one secure digital location for dealerships and customers. As part of the solution, dealers can load forms into a Digital Deal Jacket (DDJ). Customers access the forms via multi-factor authentication and can electronically sign those documents at their convenience. Once customers sign, the dealership can securely proceed with the completion of the sale.  

In addition to offering more convenience to customers, Sign Anywhere also shortens the time it takes compatible lenders to fund completed vehicle purchases for dealers. What typically could take four to six days for lenders, now can be processed in 24 hours or less.

"At CDK, the success of our customers is what drives us, and we feel it is our responsibility to provide tools that will sustain their continued growth today and in the future," said Michael Seeman, vice president, Customer Success, CDK Global. "With Sign Anywhere, dealerships stand out from the competition with a new omnichannel approach that gives customers convenient options to experience the car-buying process as they choose."

Volkswagen (VW) Group of America does it first
Volkswagen is among the first to offer Sign Anywhere at VW dealerships through its financial services arm VW Credit, Inc. (VCI). VCI immediately recognized Sign Anywhere as a differentiator and called on CDK to provide its dealers with the solution.

"VCI and VW not only want to provide world-class vehicles but also world-class car-buying experiences that match the evolving expectations of our customers," said Anthony Bandmann, president and chief executive officer, VW Credit, Inc. "Through a collaborative approach that focused first and foremost on the consumer, VCI and CDK worked together on equipping VW with a game-changing solution that is speeding up transactions for customers and providing a new avenue of cash flow for dealerships."

To date, Sign Anywhere is active in over 400 VW dealerships and more than 3,600 dealerships across multiple OEMs. Sign Anywhere has also helped complete over 8,000 vehicle purchases.

In the next six to 12 months, CDK intends to add additional captive and national financial institutions to the list of Sign Anywhere compatible lenders.  

Dealers can learn more about the remote signing capabilities of Sign Anywhere, the full eSign solution, and the CDK Digital Contracting product portfolio by visiting cdkglobal.com. 

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About CDK Global, Inc.
With $2 billion in revenues, CDK Global (Nasdaq: CDK) is a leading global provider of integrated information technology solutions to the automotive retail and adjacent industries. Focused on enabling end-to-end automotive commerce, CDK Global provides solutions to dealers in more than 100 countries around the world, serving approximately 30,000 retail locations and most automotive manufacturers. CDK solutions automate and integrate all parts of the dealership and buying process, including the acquisition, sale, financing, insuring, parts supply, repair, and maintenance of vehicles. Visit cdkglobal.com.

For those of you in a Master Class,

You’ve just learned about creating a Human Capital Management business plan and how it can systematically help your organization implement the five key processes to improve engagement, performance, and retention of your people. 

To recap:

 - We went through the maturity model of process-driven dealerships and what makes them successful

•  - We discussed the people-process-technology framework to help with new-process implementation.

•  - We discussed the HCM business plan and how it can systematically aid in the HCM integration, one bite a time.  

“The great aim of education is not knowledge but action” - Herbert Spencer.  You’ve done a great job in the Master Class, however, the learning is not over. As a reminder, adults don’t learn best by watching others, they learn best by doing and experimenting. 

Our whole team is dedicated to your success and we’ll still be here after the Master Class, should you need us. Please complete your homework assignment and one of our team members will schedule a one-on-one strategy session where you will collaborate and put together an HCM business plan for your organization. 

There are 3 things we need you to complete:

 - Complete the People-Processes-Technology Framework Worksheet for one of the processes and email it to your Employee Management Expert . For extra credit, complete and submit all five processes. This will help us build a business plan for your organization. 

•  - Email your Employee Management Expert your contact and shipping information so we can send your certification. 

•  - Set up an appointment with your Account Manager to build your Business Plan. Click on your Account Manager Name to see their calendar. 

Christian Burleson

Jay Trotter

Here are some additional resource downloads to help you complete your HCM Business Plan homework.

People-Process-Technology Framework Worksheet

People-Process-Technology Framework Worksheet Example 

Create Change with the People-Process-Technology Framework

NORTHBROOK, Ill., May 28, 2020 – Hilco Global has engaged with leaders from across the automotive aftermarket industry to issue a detailed perspective on the evolution and current course of ecommerce sales, and the impact of the present pandemic period will shape both buying behavior and the competitive landscape moving forward.

Online Sales Momentum Foretells Further Challenges for Automotive Aftermarket Industry in Post-Pandemic Environment, authored by Keith Spacapan, Vice President of Hilco’s Automotive Practice, examines the ecommerce transformation that has been taking hold in the automotive aftermarket industry, driven in large part by players including Amazon.  

In response to the entry of these third-party fulfillment companies, traditional aftermarket retailers have stepped-up efforts to develop their own robust online presence complete with product catalogues, streamlined ordering, and integrated customer service. The efforts have been substantial and ecommerce is now one of their fastest growing segments, yet it still accounts for only a relatively small percentage of these retailers’ total sales.

“Based on the significant investment that traditional aftermarket retailers have made to-date, and the momentum we’re seeing as a result, the pandemic may be the catalyst needed to drive their ecommerce sales to the next level,” says Spacapan. “It should be noted, however, that while there are numerous barriers to entry in this space for third-parties, companies such as Amazon have proven quite adept at overcoming those obstacles and disrupting a host of other consumer categories in recent years.”

To obtain a copy of the report or schedule an interview with Keith Spacapan, contact Gary Epstein- Chief Marketing Officer, Hilco Global at gepstein@hilcoglobal.com.

About Hilco Global:  Hilco Global (www.hilcoglobal.com) is a privately held diversified financial services company and the world's preeminent authority on maximizing the value of assets for both healthy and distressed companies.  Hilco Global operates as a holding company comprised of over twenty specialized business units that work to help companies understand the value of their assets and then monetize that value.  Hilco Global has a 30-year track record of acting as an advisor, agent, investor and/or principal in any transaction.  Hilco Global works to deliver the best possible result by aligning interests with clients and providing them strategic insight, advice, and, in many instances, the capital required to complete the deal.  Hilco Global is based in Northbrook, Illinois and has 600 professionals operating on five continents.

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Vehicle Intelligence Company Takes Home Silver in Two Award Categories After Notable Achievements in 2019

IRVINE, Calif., May 28, 2020—Spireon, the vehicle intelligence company, today announced it is recognized in the 18th annual American Business Awards with Silver Stevie Awards for Customer Service Department of the Year and Achievement in Product Innovation. The American Business Awards recognize outstanding public, private, for-profit and non-profit companies and organizations. Tested by disruptions in the automotive and transportation industries caused by COVID-19, Spireon continues to deliver uninterrupted services and offer innovative solutions to address the biggest challenges facing its more than 20,000 customers.

"We are thrilled to see the hard work of our customer service and product development teams recognized by this prestigious award program," said Kevin Weiss, CEO of Spireon. "In light of COVID-19's effect on business, responding to customer needs through customer service and innovative technology has become an even bigger focal point, as our clients are relying on Spireon's solutions to ensure the survival of their businesses."

As the leading provider of aftermarket telematics solutions in North America, Spireon's business approach combines a commitment to white-glove service with consistent technological innovation to ensure customer satisfaction and success. As a result, Spireon earned an impressive Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 72+ in 2019, far exceeding the industry average of 26.8 for business-to-business technology companies. Spireon credits its high NPS score to comprehensive customer onboarding, timely interaction with customers by multiple company teams and quick response phone support from three U.S. call centers.

In 2019, Spireon released a variety of new offerings to meet customer needs, including MyDealer for Kahu, a consumer mobile application designed to connect dealerships with clients; Intelligent Trailer Management (ITM), an enhanced trailer platform that makes it easy for carriers to gather and use data to reduce cost and increase utilization; and GoldStar Connect in Spanish, the language expansion of a mobile application that helps dealers and lenders recoup the cost of GPS, while also increasing value, convenience and safety for consumers. Building upon its best-in-class offerings, Spireon also launched partnerships with industry leaders Ford and Snowflake to expand attainability of Spireon innovation.

"Despite significant business challenges, the toughest business conditions in memory, American organizations continue to demonstrate their commitment to innovation, creativity, and bottom-line results," said Stevie Awards President Maggie Gallagher. "This year's Stevie-winning nominations are full of inspiring stories of persistence, ingenuity, resourcefulness and compassion. We celebrate all of their stories and look forward to showcasing them during our virtual awards ceremony on August 5."

More than 3,600 organizations submitted applications for the 2020 competition. Details about the American Business Awards and the full list of 2020 Stevie winners can be found at www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.

About Spireon

Spireon, the vehicle intelligence company, is the leading provider of aftermarket telematics solutions in North America. By equipping cars, trucks, trailers and other mobile assets with GPS devices and sensors, Spireon turns any vehicle into a connected vehicle. Award-winning products GoldStar, Kahu and FleetLocate deliver 24×7 asset visibility and actionable insights to auto dealers, lenders, transportation companies, service fleet managers, rental car companies and consumers to increase safety and productivity, boost profits and protect assets. Spireon's NSpire IoT platform powers all Spireon solutions, supporting nearly 4 million active subscribers and processing more than 1 billion data events each month. Learn more www.spireon.com.

About the Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

LAGUNA HILLS, CA (May 27, 2020) – Momentum CRM, a premier automotive CRM solution, has teamed up with automotiveMastermind (Mastermind), a leading provider of predictive analytics and marketing automation solutions for the automotive industry, to set the new standard in CRM integrations.

Momentum CRM recently elevated its user interface to include a dedicated section within its dashboard for Mastermind’s predictive analytics data through Market EyeQ, the company’s sales and marketing platform. This enhanced integration will provide the companies’ mutual clients with a strategic advantage and seamless end-user experience. The integration comes as an addition to already existing enhancements, such as two-way notes integration and more.

The Market EyeQ platform coupled with Momentum CRM allows dealers to easily access detailed customer information, including:

• Customers’ Behavior Prediction Score® (BPS) – a 0-100 ranking system generated by Mastermind’s proprietary algorithms that identifies consumers who are ready to purchase, enabling dealers to focus on high-potential customers
• Deal type
• Customers’ vehicle history, including vehicle mileage

The integration allows automotive retailers to maximize opportunities with current customers and leads, ultimately leading to more closed deals every month directly out of their CRM.

“At Mastermind, we pride ourselves on providing unrivaled data and intelligence that easily integrates into any CRM or DMS platform,” said Joe Kacala, Chief Product Officer at automotiveMastermind. “We applaud Momentum CRM for seeing the value in going beyond a standard integration and featuring actionable Mastermind data front and center in their interface to empower our mutual dealer partners to more easily identify, communicate with and close every potential buyer in their market through the combined power of Momentum CRM and Market EyeQ.”

“We wanted to elevate our user experience, and we decided it only made sense to partner with a market leader like automotiveMastermind,” said Jerman Velasquez, Chief Product Strategist for Momentum CRM. “With limited resources at the dealer level, we want to make sure our integrations empower our clients to do more, sell more and be more effective when working with their clients. We’re confident this enhanced integration of Market EyeQ into our platform will help our dealer partners do exactly that.”

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About Momentum CRM

Momentum CRM was created with a true ear to the industry and a vision for the future, working with the top dealers in the country to achieve more sales while improving customer loyalty. Providing a single CRM solution for all departments, Momentum CRM's unparalleled implementation and integrations, combined with ongoing training and mentoring, has helped dealerships nationwide increase customer retention and brand loyalty. For more information, visit crmomentum.com. As one of the few privately held automotive CRMs in the automotive industry, Momentum CRM has the flexibility and agility to move with your business.

About automotiveMastermind

Founded in 2012, automotiveMastermind, part of IHS Markit (NYSE: INFO), is a leading provider of predictive analytics and marketing automation solutions for the automotive industry. Market EyeQ by Mastermind is the single sales platform to identify, communicate with and close every buyer in a local market. Mastermind is headquartered in New York City and San Francisco. For more information, visit automotivemastermind.com. Based in London, IHS Markit is a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions.

For those of you in a Master Class,

You’ve just learned about New-Hire Orientation and how it can systematically help you set your new hires on the right path. You also learned how to build a great orientation process to fit your organizational needs. 

To recap, you learned:

 - The pitfalls of the current orientation process

•  - The benefits of a proper new-hire orientation process

•  - Step-by-step instructions on how to build an orientation process to fit your needs

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” -Lao Tzu. As an organization, you must make sure that your employee’s career path begins with a step in the right direction. 

There are 3 things we need you to complete:

 - Complete a New-Hire Orientation Process and New-Hire Orientation Checklist and email it to your Employee Management Expert (our team will load it for you into the HCM platform.) 

•  - Comment and interact on 5 Steps to creating a dealership new-hire orientation process  blog in the community

•  - Participate in the New-hire Orientation forum

Do not hesitate to reach out to your Employee Management Expert, they would love to help. 

Here are some additional resource downloads to help you complete your New-Hire Orientation homework.

New-Hire Orientation Process 

New-Hire Orientation Process Example 

New-Hire Orientation Checklist 

New-Hire Orientation Checklist Example

5 Steps to creating a dealership new-hire orientation process

Facebook showcases Digital Air Strike’s impressive results leveraging Dynamic Click to Marketplace Advertising

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., – (May 20, 2020) Digital Air Strike, the leading consumer engagement technology company, is helping businesses leverage increased traffic on social media during COVID-19. The company’s social media marketing and advertising technology on Facebook during shelter-in-place mandates are delivering new customers, increased website traffic, and more sales to businesses across the country. 

Digital Air Strike was chosen by Facebook for a limited beta test to determine whether dynamic ad clicks to Facebook Marketplace, instead of to a dealer’s website, increased leads. The pilot business, Brown’s Toyota of Glen Burnie in Maryland, saw four times more impressions, 1.5 times more views and a 33% reduction in cost per view. The results are so compelling Facebook turned them into a case study for the Click to Marketplace ads.

“We’ve found that businesses that understand and leverage the power of social media are better able to reach their consumers during the pandemic,” said Alexi Venneri, co-founder and CEO of Digital Air Strike. “Even in states with the strictest pandemic-related restrictions, people are still shopping and buying online. Businesses that target consumers on Facebook to build their pipeline, explain new protocols, and advertise adjusted hours of operations, safety measures and delivery options, are getting excellent results.”

Digital Air Strike’s team is seeing great results across the country, including with DeLillo Chevrolet in Huntington Beach, California. The program included posting COVID-19 announcements on DeLillo Chevrolet’s Facebook page, responding and engaging with comments on the posts, and alerting the business to new comments and questions so they could quickly follow up and sell cars. The dealership saw a more than 100% increase in website traffic, more than doubled the number of new customers who visited the dealer’s Facebook page and website and sold several vehicles from the new Facebook traffic.  

“In Google Analytics, we have noticed a surge in Facebook visits to our website,” said Bill Demarest, marketing manager/customer relations for DeLillo Chevrolet. “This all came from the posts that Digital Air Strike has been doing for us. I highly recommend Digital Air Strike for social media marketing.” 

Along with consistent, creative and engaging social posts, Digital Air Strike provides targeted, double opt-in advertising options that help dealers reach interested car buyers on Facebook. Jacksonville CDJR in Jacksonville, Florida, sold the highest number of cars in the company’s history in March 2020. The dealer advertised using Digital Air Strike’s VDP Power Social Program which directs car buyers to vehicle detail pages (VDP) on the dealership’s website. The ads first focused on used cars and then on new cars since the first campaign was so successful. 

“Digital Air Strike’s VDP Power Social Program was the reason my used car sales went through the roof,” said Ken Kovacs, owner and General Manager of Jacksonville CDJR (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram). “That’s why I doubled my social advertising budget and decided to focus on attracting new car buyers even during these unusual times. Digital Air Strike is super responsive too.” 

Digital Air Strike’s Facebook ads campaign for Toyota Sunnyvale in Sunnyvale, California also saw great results. In just two weeks, they sold seven vehicles, had 600 website clicks, saw over 130,000 impressions, and reached almost 17,000 people. 

Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a March 18th call with journalists that people across the country had increased the time they spent using Facebook-owned apps by more than 70% since the lockdown began. That number has only risen as more people have been mandated to stay home across the U.S.

Social media marketing is part of Digital Air Strike’s Virtual Retailing Program which helps businesses adapt to the new requirement of consumers needing responsive new ways to be able to research, shop and transact from home. Along with social media, Virtual Retailing also includes the use of video lead response, AI, automation, text messaging, and training teams on new safety measures. Digital Air Strike is offering their Video Logix solution at no cost for 30 days to all businesses that need help during the pandemic.

About Digital Air Strike

Digital Air Strike is the leading social media, intelligent lead response, and consumer engagement technology company helping over 5,000 businesses increase consumer response and conversions in digital and social media environments while generating measurable ROI. A pioneer in digital response, social media marketing and online reputation management solutions, Digital Air Strike deploys industry specific mobile apps, software, intelligent messaging and managed service platforms to monitor, engage, improve and manage consumer interactions for thousands of businesses in the United States, Canada and 11 additional countries, including working with seven of the largest automotive manufacturers. More information is available at: www.digitalairstrike.com 

and www.facebook.com/digitalairstrike.

Source Digital, a leader in providing innovative video advertising, announces a partnership with Powerband Solutions

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – (May 20, 2020) – Source Digital announces a new partnership with Powerband Solutions. Source Digital will be providing the in-video advertising platform that will allow Powerband Solutions to provide car buying and financing through an enhanced viewer experience, while helping customers improve their return on investment. The revolutionary advertising platform is slated to offer a more engaging and enjoyable experience for users and customers alike.

“We are happy to announce our partnership with Powerband Solutions,” explains Hank Frecon, the chief executive officer of Source Digital. “We trust that we will bring value to their system and provide a better user experience at the same time.”

Source Digital’s platform is essentially revolutionizing video advertising. Based on the fact that viewers had become disengaged and impatient with video advertising, they set out to transform and make it a better experience. The company spent seven years working on creating a video advertising system that would engage viewers, without disrupting their experience.

For advertisers, the Source Digital platform provides a solid way to increase their return on investment, build brand recognition, and be able to engage consumers. The platform tackles the problems of stagnation and viewers drifting as the ads come on. Using thousands of data points about consumer behavior, the platform engages consumers at the most opportune moments, leading to an increase in sales and engagement.

Powerband Solutions is an online tool for vehicle sales. Source Digital will play an important role by enhancing the software and creating a more engaged experience for viewers. The advertising platform will deliver an entire car loan approval process into consumer videos, while they continue to watch.

“This partnership is going to be a good fit for both of our companies, as well as for consumers,” added Frecon. “We look forward to a long-lasting relationship with Powerband Solutions.”

Source Digital has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies to help create a more engaging and effective video advertising experience. The Source network is able to pull targeted content from a variety of sources, including NBC Universal, Golf, LiveNation, MotorTrend, and many influencers that are associated with professional sports. To learn more about Source Digital, visit: www.sourcedigital.net.

About Source Digital

Source Digital is an immersive commerce and advanced advertising platform, designed for the video content creator, brands, and product companies to monetize viewers through real-time engagement of anything in the video. Completely agnostic to any device or screen, Source allows the acquisition of anything in the video through clicking, talking, touching, and listening. Visit the site at: www.sourcedigital.net.

About Powerband Solutions

PowerBand Solutions Inc., listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the OTCQB markets, is a fintech provider disrupting the automotive industry. PowerBand's integrated, cloud-based transaction platform facilitates transactions among consumers, dealers, funders and manufacturers (OEMs). It enables them to buy, sell, trade, finance, and lease new and used, electric- and non-electric vehicles, on smartphones or any other online digital devices, from any location. PowerBand's transaction platform - trademarked under DRIVRZ - is being made available across North American and global markets. To learn more, visit the site: www.powerbandsolutions.com.

For a long time, Joe Girard was the "World’s Greatest Car Salesman".  His record has since been broken, but when I was managing a dealership he was the king. What always fascinated me was that he didn’t sell cars in a bubble.  He worked with other salespeople in a dealership. How come that store didn’t have a stable full of Joe Girards? Didn’t anyone mimic what he did?

If you think about successful employees and analyze why they are so successful, you’ll come up with some traits. They work hard. They follow the process.  I would argue that they are successful because they have mastered the habits that lead to success.

The word habit seems to have a negative connotation. That person has a drug habit or a gambling habit. We don’t talk enough about the good habits people can develop. Think about the power of these positive habits. Better yet, think about how you can develop positive habits in your employees and yourself.

This may date me, but when I was in high school I took typing.  I also took history classes. Ask me to recite the Presidents of the United States and I could probably get 60%. But put me in front of a computer and ask me to type, I can do it without thinking. Why? Because I memorized the Presidents, took a test, and quit. But I typed every day, and I still do.  It’s second nature now. 

In previous posts, we discussed that processes solve all operational issues. Your goal is to make these successful, proven processes to be second nature. How can you do this?

Begin by making a list of the habits you feel makes someone successful in a specific job role. This could include CRM usage and daily follow up. Try to identify anything that you preach to your people will make them successful.

Once you have this list, determine if these are daily, weekly, or monthly habits. How frequently do successful employees complete an activity? The more you can make daily, the better. But you may find some are not feasible to do daily. Break your list of habits down by daily, weekly, and monthly.

You also need a way to hold them accountable for completing the activity you want to become a habit.  I guess you could say that you, as a leader, need to develop the habit of checking in on the habit development of your team.  The HCM platform can make this easy.  You can assign daily tasks (that will develop habits) to each of your employees.

At the end of the day, good management is about activities, not results.  Manage the activities that lead to success and you will achieve the results you want. For example, rather than managing monthly car sales, focus on the activities that lead to car sales. Setting appointments, daily follow up, process consistency, etc.

Success isn’t rocket science. It’s about consistency in the daily activities that separate your rock stars from everyone else. The more you can make those daily activities become habits, the more success your team will achieve. 

 - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) laser focused on protecting employees, families and communities

 - Best practices from FCA plants in China and Italy helping guide North American safety protocols

 - More than 57 million square feet of production floor cleaned and disinfected

 - Thorough daily cleaning schedules to be instituted to maintain enhanced levels of cleanliness and disinfection

 - Temperature checks and daily health self-screening required for all employees and visitors

 - Nearly 17,000 workstations analyzed for social distancing with more than 4,700 requiring redesign or modification

 - Staggered start times, increased break and lunch times implemented to increase social distancing

 - Installing thermal imaging cameras as added safety check

 - Masks and safety glasses to be required personal protection equipment

 - New safety protocols and procedures communicated in Return to Work package mailed to nearly 47,000 represented employees in the U.S. and Canada

May 12, 2020 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - As Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) prepares to resume its North American manufacturing operations, the Company has developed and is implementing a comprehensive program of enhanced safety measures to protect employees, their families and the surrounding communities from the spread and transmission of COVID-19 when the plants reopen.

“Above everything else, our top priority has always been to do what is right for our employees,” Mike Manley, FCA CEO, said. “We have worked closely with the unions to establish protocols that will ensure our employees feel safe at work and that every step possible has been taken to protect them.

“We have drawn on our collective global expertise and best practices to rethink our production processes to put in place comprehensive protocols to keep our workforce safe,” Manley said. “There is no question that coming to work will look and feel different. I have now visited several of our Detroit-area facilities, met with our teams and walked the floor. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank all of our colleagues who have done an incredible job putting in place safety protocols to protect our people. Thank you all.”

Since closing its plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico on March 18, FCA has been working to put in place best practices that have enabled the restart of operations at its facilities in China and Italy. Aligned with World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommendations, these robust protocols, along with the actions employees will be required to take to safeguard themselves and others, were communicated as part of a Return to Work package mailed to nearly 47,000 U.S. and Canadian represented employees. Mexico will share the same information through in-person training.

FCA is implementing layers of protection to combat the spread and transmission of COVID-19. This includes cleaning, disinfecting and social distancing, but most importantly, ensuring the wellness of everyone entering an FCA facility. With that in mind, the Company will require its employees, as well as all visitors, to complete a Daily Health Risk Assessment, which consists of:

 - Taking their temperature less than two hours before reporting to work or visiting the site with either a Company-provided temperature strip or personal thermometer

 - Completing a self-screening questionnaire and turning it in upon entry

As an added measure of safety, the Company is installing thermal imaging cameras to verify what employees and visitors have self-reported.

Consistent with the direction of governmental agencies, employees will be required to wear Company-provided masks and safety glasses at all times when in the facility. Employees will also be asked to wear gloves and safety glasses when applying or cleaning with disinfectant spray. Visitors and contractors to any FCA facility will be required to provide their own personal protection equipment for entry.

During the production pause, FCA completed a significant number of cleaning and social distancing activities to prepare its facilities for when operations resume. These include:

Cleaning and Disinfecting:

 - More than 57 million square feet of manufacturing floor space cleaned and disinfected

 - Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting schedules developed for common and high traffic areas, including turnstiles, restrooms, cafeterias, locker rooms and conference rooms

 - 135 hand-held foggers distributed for more efficient cleaning of these areas

 - Provided cleaning supplies at all workstations so surfaces can be cleaned and disinfected

 - Installed more than 2,000 hand sanitizer stations across all facilities

 - Daily audits to be conducted to ensure new standards are followed

Social Distancing:

 - More than 17,000 workstations analyzed and evaluated for adherence to six-foot social distancing guidelines

 - More than 4,700 job areas and workstations redesigned or protective barriers installed to allow for more social distancing

 - Installed plexiglass partitions and created visual management guides for social distancing in break areas and cafeterias, as well as throughout all buildings

 - Staggered start times and added time to breaks and lunch to minimize large gatherings

 - Suspended meetings of more than eight employees at a time and transitioned to virtual meetings, wherever possible

Put new approval protocols in place for facility visitors

Upon the restart of production, FCA is adopting a new level of daily cleaning and disinfecting, in accordance with WHO, CDC and OSHA recommendations, at all manufacturing locations in order to maintain the enhanced levels of cleanliness and sanitation. In addition to increasing the number of times per shift that high-traffic, high-use areas, as well as common touchpoints, are cleaned and disinfected, 10 minutes per shift will be dedicated to cleaning and disinfecting employee workstations.

Signage promoting the themes of health and safety have been posted throughout all facilities to remind employees and visitors of proper protocols related to cleaning, social distancing, required personal protection equipment and handwashing or sanitizing. Employees also will participate in small-group training sessions on the new policies and procedures as part of their first-day activities.

“We have taken a ‘belt and suspenders’ approach to mitigating the spread of this virus by implementing lots of layers of protection,” Scott Garberding, FCA's Global Chief Manufacturing Officer, said. “You are a key part of successfully resuming operations. In this new environment, we all need to take responsibility for our own safety and that of the people around us. An effective start-up will require detailed understanding, teaching, coaching and patience from all of us.”

FCA will continue to monitor and audit conditions at all facilities, as well as the latest information on COVID-19 from federal and state agencies, to implement new safeguards and procedures as needed.
 
FCA
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is a global automaker that designs, engineers, manufactures and sells vehicles in a portfolio of exciting brands, including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep®, Lancia, Ram and Maserati. It also sells parts and services under the Mopar name and operates in the components and production systems sectors under the Comau and Teksid brands. FCA employs nearly 200,000 people around the globe. For more details regarding FCA (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA), please visit www.fcagroup.com.