Local dealerships have been impacted by global cyber attacks on software used by many in the auto industry.
Two weeks ago, thousands of auto dealerships in North America lost access to software provided by CDK Global.
"Out of an abundance of caution, they shut down all of their systems while they work to investigate the breach and how they could start the system securely," explained Christopher Walters, dealership partner with Jim Wilson Chevrolet Buick GMC.
Walters says the software outage has forced the Orillia dealership's service department to rewind the clock to business before computers.
"We're having the advisers hand-write estimates and have the customers sort of sign off on them," he said. "Before, you would just sort of punch it into the computer and print off a repair order. Now we're doing it by hand just like we would have 20 or 30 years ago."
The software outage has been an "organizational nightmare," he says. His staff has been manually keeping track of all repair orders, all the parts that have been required, and the hours the technicians have logged on the jobs.
When it comes to vehicle sales, Walters says, the west Orillia dealership is still receiving new and used vehicles, but they won't be put into the database system until the software is back online. However, they are still able to sell vehicles.
"We're a little bit slower and it's all handwritten, but you're still able to buy a car," he said. "We're still able to function, just not as efficiently as when we have all of our systems."
He is unsure if the security breach has compromised any personal customer information.
"When it happened, we got a notification that they were shutting down everything in full out of an abundance of precaution," he said, adding the software wouldn't be restarting until CDK Global was confident in its security of the system.
"They haven't indicated that there's any cause for concern outside of that," he said.
Walters has been tentatively told the restoration of the CDK Global software will be complete early this week.
The software hiccup comes at a time when the automotive industry is starting to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. While Walters says interest rates are still higher than pre-2020 levels, inventory is robust and people are returning to local dealerships to find their next set of wheels.
Mark Shivers, general manager of Subaru of Orillia, was unable to confirm if the West Street South dealership is being affected by the current CDK Global cyber attack.
Shivers says Plaza Auto Group, which also owns Orillia Kia and Orillia Volkswagen, uses a variety of third-party software to conduct day-to-day operations at its dealerships.
"There are a few main vendors available," he said. "There have been other cyber attacks in the past with some of these third-party vendors. It definitely hinders our operation when something like that happens."
He says the personal information of Plaza Auto Group clients is secure. During cyber attacks, staff work "added hours" to service customers with their vehicle needs.
"Our No. 1 priority is to protect our data and customer base," he said. "We carry on operations the best way we can. Often that refers to going old school with pen and paper, keeping a log and notebook here until we are back up and running."
In the past 90 days, Subaru of Orillia has replenished its inventory that had been affected by pandemic-related shortages.
"There is inventory for customers to test drive and a variety of different options for them to look at," Shivers said. "We've readjusted back to that style of selling again where we are doing proper vehicle presentations, which is definitely a plus for our customers."
While he says the economy has changed since the pandemic and interest rates are higher than anticipated, vehicles are getting better.
"People still need transportation," he said. "We are doing our best to put people into the right car for the right place or payment, and there are still plenty of options to meet people's comfort levels that way."
While the past few years have been challenging at times for the automotive industry, Shivers says the Plaza Auto Group team will continue to provide "above and beyond" service.
"We are aware of these things that are going on," he said. "We are addressing them as they come."
An official from Sunrise Toyota told OrilliaMatters that dealership was not affected by recent cyber attacks.
