AMVOQ, SYNONYMOUS WITH TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST

(Article published in L’AUTOMOBILE Collision magazine, February 2024)

By Raynald Bouchard

Today, these two terms are commonly used, sometimes misrepresented, by many organizations of all origins seeking to win the favour of their customers and business partners. However, certain strict conditions must be met in order to use them.

The Association of Used Vehicle Dealers of Québec (AMVOQ) deserves them in every respect. In 1989, the year of its foundation, the used-vehicle industry was perceived by some as a viper’s nest, because consumers were often taken advantage of, without any external help to assert their rights. The big change came with the decree regarding the application of rules of conduct for used car dealers, passed in 2007 and to which the Association contributed greatly. Since then, AMVOQ has set itself a number of key founding objectives:

• Defend the rights and interests of members in dealings with public and government organizations;
• Enhance the collective image and professionalism of its members;
• Contribute to the development of regulations governing the automotive sector;
• Customized products and services at unbeatable rates.

Support from Key Partners

A sign that this vision was well received, major partners joined AMVOQ, including Intact, NAPA and CAA-Québec, to name but a few. Among the services offered to its members, AMVOQ boasts a province-wide advertising campaign, the creation of an effective website and the posting of inventory on autousagee.ca.

The Association brings together around 1,300 of the 3,500 or so licensed road vehicle dealers, making it a leader in its field. Its General Manager, Steeve De Marchi, talks about the challenges facing AMVOQ in the context of technological and digital evolution. “It wasn’t long ago that consumers looking for a used car had to turn to dealerships, sometimes several, before making a purchase. The advent of digital technology has changed the situation for these buyers, faced with the proliferation of online used car sales sites.”

Added-Value Services

The first service available to the members, says De Marchi, is to provide tools for sourcing and marketing. “We want them to stand out in this saturated environment. We also want them to do well despite the economic turbulence, marked by interest rates often in excess of 10%, and inventories struggling to return to pre-pandemic volumes. As for new distribution technologies, no vendor can escape them otherwise they risk perishing. In conclusion, the most important thing is consumer confidence, which is revealed by the seller’s transparency.”