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 Katie Gravelle, who is director of business process at Ally.

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

Katie Gravelle: The last two years have been unprecedented due to the pandemic. Companies have had to be agile and pivot as the circumstances continued to evolve. In 2022, as we begin to emerge from the pandemic, I believe there are many areas to watch including inventory levels due to continued shortages, consumer purchase habits, and strategic mergers and acquisitions within the auto and remarketing space. All these factors impact our business and are continually evolving. In addition, companies have learned a lot over the last two years.

Processes that were previously done in office/in person were changed so they could be completed remotely. For example, buying a car during the pandemic was a much different experience than pre-pandemic days. I purchased a vehicle last year and the entire shopping experience was handled through text message. The only visit I made to the dealership was to pick it up, I was there for about 15 minutes, it was simple. Companies and consumers were forced to make changes to the way they do business, it will be interesting to see which changes stick and how they change the industry going forward.

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

Gravelle: Technology continues to have a positive impact in my line of business every day. I am passionate about process streamlining and finding systematic solutions to replace manual processes. In today’s environment, the data is out there, it is just finding the solutions and integrations to get it to the right place at the right time. My team and I are always looking for ways to continuously improve and simplify our processes leveraging new technology and data integrations.

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

Gravelle: I was new to the auto remarketing industry when I joined Ally in June of 2020, but have worked within the automotive sector my entire career. My experience in automotive ranges from call center, facility management, customer experience, dealer programs and now auto remarketing. As a woman in this industry, I have been fortunate to work for and with strong leaders that inspired and mentored me, which has helped guide me down my career path. My advice for anyone who is coming in new, is to surround yourself with mentors that will help guide and challenge you. Remarketing is an exciting and unique industry that is different than any other part of the auto industry I have worked in previously. Leverage your network, ask questions, be okay with going outside of your comfort zone and you will continue to learn new aspects of the business every day.

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

Gravelle: I have launched many programs in my career, I love taking an idea and bringing it to life. I would have to say the one I am most proud of is the most recent one here at Ally. When I joined the team there was a program that was in the pilot phase, I was tasked with growing my team and refining the processes to support the national launch. I was new to the company, new to remarketing and working remotely. I believe that relationships are the key to success, I had a lot to learn about the business and find ways to network and build relationships virtually, which is something that I had not done in the past. I went to work and started meeting with my team and colleagues throughout the organization to ask questions and gain understanding of how things were done today and any pain points in the current process.

Through these conversations I was able to build strong relationships with the amazing team here at Ally and work together to identify ways to streamline processes and work more efficiently. This resulted in a successful launch of the program and a record year for the team in 2021.