Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2022 Women in Remarketing honorees in the May issue of the magazine, and will be posting Q&As with each of these outstanding leaders on the website.

Next up is Keeley Capriola, who is sales manager at Greater Rockford Auto Auction.

Auto Remarketing: What is the top trend you’re watching in remarketing/wholesale automotive this year?

Keeley Capriola: This could be the understatement of the decade, but these used-car prices are astounding! There’s so much happening in our industry right now, and you just never know what the next week will bring. Between the lack of parts out there to watching vehicle plants make adjustments to accommodate the production of electric vehicles, it’s just an exciting time to be in this business.

But for now, I am just staying focused on finding cars to sell. Every rock must be turned, held and polished. I don’t care if it’s a pebble — We’ll take them all!

AR: How has technology/innovation impacted your specific area of remarketing/wholesale the most?

Capriola: I think we can all agree that simulcast bidding has had the biggest impact over the last three years. With the pandemic and uncertainty going on in the world, if we didn’t have simulcast bidding available during all of that we wouldn’t have been able to conduct business. So much of our dealer base is and was in-lane. We were able to call our customers to help them with set up and get acclimated with simulcast buying as well as having our marketing coordinator make a step-by-step video on how to bid online. Social media was key, too!

Our customers are like family to us here and losing touch just wasn’t an option. Whether it was the shut down or customers weren’t ready to come back to the lanes, we made sure we were still very much present.

AR: What piece of career advice would you have for someone new to the industry?

Capriola: Don’t judge and never lose your heart! We have customers from all walks of life. Some attend the sales in suits and some look like they just rolled out from underneath a car. Some have $1,000 to spend that day and some have $100,000. At the end of the day, they are our customers and no matter how big or small they are the reason you get paid. Our customer service is the foundation of our company and I fi rmly believe that our auction has come this far because the Greater Rockford Auto Auction was started by a used car dealer himself. Swede Clark had heart and it never left. You can feel it still to this day when you walk through our doors.

AR: What is your proudest moment/accomplishment, career-wise?

Capriola: Without a doubt, it was 13 years ago when I walked through the doors of the Greater Rockford Auto Auction and accepted a title agent position in the fleet/lease office. Nothing else will ever come close. I had no idea what I was in for, and little did I know then that in that very moment my whole life was about to change. After almost two years, they soon realized that I talk way too much and was probably better suited for sales. I didn’t disagree or hesitate for a second. Over the years, I have met so many great people, have made many friends and I truly mean it when I say they are my family. GRAA has done so much for me and each day I come to work it feels like more of an honor than a job. I’m proud of where I work and who I work for. I have so many great memories but none of those would exist if it wasn’t for that first day