When the Lights Go Out

0:00 – 2:00 | Introductions & Backgrounds

• Host Shasta Haddock welcomes a panel of automotive experts.
• Chris Campbell jokes about starting in the industry in 1993, earning laughter about being a “dinosaur.”
• They establish the theme: how to handle massive software outages and whether teams choose to be “pissed or productive.”

2:00 – 5:00 | Early Career Stories & Expertise

• Shannon Everhart explains her BDC training background, social media focus, and passion for the business.
• Jenna Smith shares her multi-generational automotive roots and how she helps professionals market themselves and embrace video.
• Bobbie Herron references her dealer leadership roles and preference for collaboration over ego.

5:00 – 10:00 | Car Guy Coffee Joins

• Lou Ramirez and Fred Lennartz from Car Guy Coffee jump on from NIADA, bringing high energy.
• They discuss pen-and-paper deals, “old-school” fundamentals, and the willingness to keep selling through adversity.

10:00 – 15:00 | Realities of Downtime

• A consensus emerges: tech outages happen; how you respond is what matters.
• Panelists emphasize honest communication with customers, “clip out” safety strategies (like backing up data and using manual processes if necessary).

15:00 – 20:00 | Minimizing Risk & Protecting Customer Data

• Tim Hayden stresses data security and best practices like separate passwords, daily backups, and adopting strong Master Data Management solutions.
• Encourages dealers to regularly ask vendors about their disaster-recovery protocols.

20:00 – 25:00 | Old-School Skills & Workarounds

• Panelists recall calculating leases on paper and using manual finance tools.
• Encouragement to train newer staff on these fundamentals so sales don’t stop when the system does.

25:00 – 35:00 | Managing Team Morale & Practical Tips

• Use transparency with customers and staff; don’t hide the outage but don’t overshare details you don’t have.
• Proactive steps: get a backup Gmail address for leads, create a Google Voice line, or reroute phone calls through your website host so business can continue.

35:00 – 45:00 | Payroll & Back-Office Concerns

• Bobbie highlights the need for controllers to pull recent payroll data to avoid missing paychecks if systems go down.
• Order extra checks and maintain a manual process for taxes and hours as a short-term fix.

45:00 – 55:00 | Positive Mindset & Turning Crisis to Opportunity

• Panelists urge everyone to see downtime as a moment to deepen customer relationships, market creatively, and stand out from competitors who may be stuck.
• Encourages sharing leads with a dedicated backup team or BDC if direct CRM access is unavailable.

55:00 – 1:05:00 | Wrapping Up & Takeaways

• “Choose to be pissed or productive”: The group reinforces that negativity doesn’t solve problems—resourcefulness does.
• They emphasize kindness toward vendors and empathy for office teams under pressure.

1:05:00 – End | Final Words & Contact Info

• Contributors share ways to reach them for solutions or quick advice.
• Shasta closes by reminding viewers to “light it up” with a positive attitude, stay transparent, and transform any crisis into a chance for collaboration and growth.