BMSA Dealers Respond -
COVID-19 Survey Results
Thanks to the BMSA Dealers who responded to our recent COVID-19 Survey. Twenty percent of BMSA Dealer members participated and responses were divided fairly evenly between the states. We appreciate all who took the time to complete it. The responses helped the BMSA staff understand the pandemic’s impact on members.
The unknown effects of the pandemic are definitely on dealers’ minds. The survey showed that BMSA dealers are more concerned with Covid-19’s future impact on business than the present impact. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 meaning not affected at all, the majority of respondents rated the present impact of COVID-19 on their business as 5. Yet, dealers rated their level of concern with the potential impact to COVID-19 on their business for the remainder of 2020 as 7.
Supply issues as a result of Covid-19 are real with nearly 80 percent of respondents saying they have experienced supply issues. Comments regarding supply issues ranged from “not yet, but we are anticipating issues” to “loads are taking longer to get” to “drastic effect on lumber and panel prices”.
At the time the survey was conducted, members were responding to the pandemic by making a variety of changes to their businesses. Respondents replied as follows (checking as many answers as applied):
- 62.5% were requiring social distancing at the sales counter with visible, 6 ft. markings
- 53.1% were providing employees information on how to practice safe social distancing but had
- not made any changes to operation
- 37.5% were limiting the number of customers in the business at one time
- 37.5% were making personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks and gloves, available
- to staff, but not mandatory
- 37.5% had made changes to their hours of operation
- 34.3% had installed plastic shields at registers
A number of members offered additional comments regarding changes to their operation that have
proven helpful. Some of the comments were:
- More advertising of delivery service and curbside pickup.
- We have closed showrooms in our locations; All sales, HR, accounting and admin staff working
- from home.
- Only one driver in a truck; no passengers. If driver needs help with delivery, we send a helper in
- a pickup truck.
- Gone the extra mile to stay in touch with our customers and the community.
In response to the question "what large regional and national builders are saying", the majority of respondents said they do not do business with these types of builders. Of the few respondents who have large regional and national builders as customers, their responses were:
- Regional builders are doing well, but concerned about traffic to models and sales
- Continuing with presales; holding or limiting specs depending on the neighborhood.
Because all six states in BMSA’s territory deemed building supply dealers as essential businesses and allowed construction to continue, most respondents to our COVID-19 survey said their customers with commercial and multi-family projects were proceeding with current projects -- business as usual. Dealers’ repair and remodel contractors, on the other hand, seemed to be more impacted by the coronavirus, according to survey results. Half of the survey respondents said remodel jobs had slowed
due to customers cancelling or delaying contracts and homeowners not wanting workers in their homes.
Questions 15-18 of the survey explored the impact of the coronavirus on dealer’s personnel, such as an employee testing positive and staff leave situations. Only one respondent had a member of his staff test positive for COVID-19, yet 16% said a member of their staff had taken leave due to experiencing
symptoms of COVID-19, even though there was no positive test. A staff member taking leave to care for a family who either tested positive or was presumptive positive for COVID-19 was indicated by two companies.
Congress passes several pieces of legislation to help small businesses weather the impact of COVID-19 and retain employees. The survey found that 87% of respondents had applied for a loan via the Paycheck Protection Program and 13% applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan.
The survey also asked if there are resources dealers needed to better care for their employees and customers due to COVID-19 that they have not been able to obtain. Most common responses to this question were hand sanitizer and face masks. I f you are looking for a protective mask option, click here,
BMSA member LJS Solutions may be able to help you.
Thank you to all BMSA Dealers who completed this COVID-19 survey. You provided us with valuable information and greater understanding of the challenges you're facing in this pandemic. We are able to help you and advocate better on your behalf because of this information. Thank you!
