Company introduces Stay At Home service to fight COVID-19

Business Bureau, Gulf Today

Al Ghandi Auto, the sole retailer for Cadillac in United Arab Emirates and GMC and Chevrolet dealer for Dubai and the Northern Emirates, has launched its Stay At Home courtesy service in a bid to curb social interaction and limit the spread of COVID-19.

The move comes in line with the nation-wide call from authorities to stay at home as Al Ghandi Auto seeks to guarantee their customers continue to have a well-maintained vehicle and ensure their mobility for essential tasks. The service will be completely contactless to provide maximum social distancing, including pick-up and drop-off.

The process for the service begins when Al Ghandi Auto support team contacts eligible customers to have their service booked. Customers can also call in advance and proactively schedule their bookings. The car will then be picked up via flat-bed truck and taken to the nearest Al Ghandi Auto service center where the service will be carried out. After coordinating the time of delivery with the customer, the car is dropped off after being thoroughly sanitized as a precautionary measure.

Commenting on the new service, Mark Jenkins, CEO of Al Ghandi Auto Group, said: “It is in everyone’s best interest to stay at home in the current global situation. However, people still need to move around their towns and cities for grocery shopping, pharmacy visits and essential work so we continue to owe our customers a reliable and well-maintained car to carry out these vital journeys. This is why we decided to launch this service. Timely service of a vehicle and preventative maintenance is the key to owning a car that runs well for a long time.”

The service is being rolled out across the UAE by Al Ghandi and is available to all customers that hold a service contract with them.

Al Ghandi Auto, part of the Al Ghandi Auto Group, one of the largest automotive retailer groups in the region is the leading General Motors Automotive Dealership in the UAE. Al Ghandi Auto aims to build on tradition, diligence and values, and is proud of its solid reputation for reliability and integrity. With 6 state of the art showrooms, the company offers a selected range of new and used automotive innovations, as well as comprehensive world-class after-sales and parts support providing a wealth of knowledge and expertise in sales, service and geniune parts for world-renowned brands Chevrolet and GMC in Dubai and the North Emirates and Cadillac in the whole of the UAE.

Meanwhile, Dubai Future Foundation has launched the third in a series of reports that outline the best ways to tackle diverse challenges that organizations in the Arab world and globally will face once the COVID-19 pandemic finally abates. The series comes at a crucial time when public and private sector organizations are seeking to prepare for future opportunities and challenges.

Titled ‘Life After COVID-19: Commerce’, the report recounts that trade is a major sector in the global economy and a key driver of its growth. In 2018, the value of global merchandise traded reached US$19.67 trillion, and was growing at 3.0 percent. Declining from a high of 3.9 percent in 2017, the drop to 3.3 percent by end-2019 contributed to the weakening of global economic growth, and the slowdown of China’s economy growth.

At the same time, global trade witnessed a decline of about 0.8 percent until February 2019, compared to the same period in 2018.  The continued global trade slump through the year raised red flags of a possible worldwide recession, similar to the global financial crisis of 2008. The world looked at 2020 with hope to help turn the tide and lead to a resurgence of trade in various sectors, but the scene has completely changed.

The report underlines that commerce, which includes supply chains, retail, trade, banking, manufacturing and transport, is dependent on a global network to flourish. While this was an advantage, politically and economically, prior to the pandemic, the weakening of this global network now means that the economy is headed directly into a recession with little hope of any short-term turnaround.

Furthermore, the report cites experts who claim that much of the world’s retail sector will become digitalized. Although this may not make up for short-term losses of the bricks-and-mortar retailers, with many online outlets already linked directly to physical stores, it is likely that the retail sector will be hurt both digitally and physically by an economic downturn and declining demand. The global maritime supply chain, which plays a significant role in supporting the world’s trade and goods imports, has been disrupted in several countries due to fears of transmitting the virus across regions. Borders have been closed and more countries, including the Arab world are looking inwards to maintain business continuity.