ships is simply done over the phone and online.“ Many people don’ t even come in,” he says. This digital-first approach might seem to threaten the personal relationships that local dealerships prize, but the dealers see it differently. Technology has become a tool for better service, not a replacement for human connections. Appointment-based shopping means sales staff can prepare, pulling specific vehicles and reviewing customer research in advance. Video calls allow for virtual walkarounds. Digital paperwork streamlines the tedious parts of the transaction, freeing time for the conversations that matter. The shift also helps local dealerships compete with online-only operations like Carvana that have disrupted traditional retail models. Salvie argues that local businesses offer better prices, personal accountability, and the ability to inspect vehicles in person— advantages digital disruptors can’ t match. When something goes wrong, customers can walk into the dealership and speak directly with someone who has both the authority and the incentive to make it right. In the Berkshires, the human element remains central.“ People here want more of the hometown feel,” says Haddad. When asked about the industry’ s evolution in the post-pandemic world, Bedard acknowledges that“ the industry obviously changed, not necessarily for better or for worse, but simply just changed.” What hasn’ t changed is the expectation of fair dealing and personal accountability that comes when the owner’ s name is on the building and their family’ s reputation is on the line.
An Electric Future Arrives( Slowly)
From top, George Haddad operates Toyota, Subaru, Hyundai, and GMC stores across the region. At McGee Auto Group’ s Berkshire BMW, Audi, and Volkswagen dealership, Mark Hoch, who runs the dealership, with two of his team members.
Perhaps nowhere is the tension between change and customer preference more evident than in the evolution toward electric vehicles. The data from AAI reveals a market in transition but hardly in revolution. Of the 661,800 vehicles currently registered in the district, just 0.7 percent are fully electric, a mere 4,616 vehicles. Plug-in hybrids add another 0.6 percent. The remaining 98.7 percent run on gasoline or conventional hybrid powertrains. In 2024, fully electric vehicles accounted for 4.9 percent of new car sales in the district, nearly seven times their representation in the overall fleet. Plug-in hybrids claimed 2.5 percent of new sales last year. Still small but growing. Incentives have driven the most EV interest. The dealers we spoke with mentioned the
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