Wesley Hamstreet

Review of Billion Automotive of Iowa Cit...

The service was fairly quick and my vehicle was re...

The service was fairly quick and my vehicle was returned clean and obviously well cared for. The selection of GM vehicles is large and diverse, which I appreciate. When I checked in my vehicle: the tech wasn't particularly rude, he was aloof toward me. I noticed that no employees were wearing masks, no employees were keeping a recommended 6 foot social distance from each other or the customers. Also, there were no signs requiring, asking, or even suggesting that customers wear masks and keep social distances. The waiting room furniture was not spaced out in a way to encourage social distancing. I wonder if the employee's aloof attitude toward me was because I was one of two people in the building who was "brave enough" to wear a mask in public.

My impression of Billion is that the production is high priority; the health and well being of customers and employees is not of priority in any sense. It is very unlikely that absolutely no employees prefer to wear a mask in these times of a pandemic. The fact that none are wearing masks indicates to me that they have either been ordered not to wear masks, chastised for wearing masks, or been subjected to peer pressure to not wear masks.

That is a culture that is pandering to a singular customer profile. The majority of those not wearing masks these days are doing so as a political statement. The majority of those wearing masks are doing so out of concern for their health, and/or the health of at home family members, and/or a general sense of responsibility for their potential impact on the health of community members whom they come in contact with. This tells me that Billions is operating under a management team that is being guided by political leanings and money, with no regard for corporate citizenship as a community member of Iowa City. That is to say; I see Billions as interested in taking profit out of the community while returning nothing back - not even common respect for the health and well being of the community members who work and do business with them. All employees and customers are going back into the community when they leave Billions property. When they do so - they carry the risk of not wearing masks, and not maintaining social distancing measures.

I was one of two customers I saw wearing a mask. I was exposed to approximately 10 different people who came within less than 6 feet of me, most of whom came within that boundary more than once. I saw those employees and customers come within that boundary with multiple others in the service bays and waiting area.

While unrelated, I will add that as a disabled veteran with 8 years service as a USAF Fire Fighter - I can tell you that wearing a mask is effective, and not political, and not in anyway unpatriotic. I use the VA for all of my healthcare. The VA staff and all veterans in any VA building are wearing masks when on VA campus grounds. Most veterans have empathy and
a sense of responsibility for how we impact the lives of those around us. We have this because many of us have suffered, held the suffering, and/or held a dying comrade before the age of 25 - those experiences drive home the value of everyone around us. In these times, veterans I know wear masks at all times in public. Not wearing a mask demonstrates ignorance, selfishness, disrespect, lack of empathy, and is the highest form of insult possible - as it tells everyone around you that you are the only person who matters, the rest of us are worthless in your eyes.

I imagine that even the loss of a loved one, or friend, or community acquaintance wouldn't push Billions management team to institute a policy requiring all employees and customers to wear a mask. I am relatively certain of this because I am certain that Billions has lost at least one client to COVID related death - they still can't find the "courage" to protect those they invite into their business.