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Usually when I construct posts here on AIS, I usually like to include several statistics regarding the topic. Not this time. While there are several studies (I'm sure) on the subject of reputation management and responding to criticism on social media, I would rather this be more of a logical post. Once more, I'd also like everyone's feedback as well. So, here goes....

In 2012, when a customer's displeased with your dealership, chances are he/she will head straight to the social media-sphere. They want to share their anger with others. We've all seen it before. They'll not only post it on your dealership's Google Place page, but they'll also wander over to your Facebook and Twitter pages to voice their opinion. How exactly do you respond to their criticism? 

Some like to respond by, essentially, not responding. They like to bury the customer's post. This simply means instead of addressing the concern, the dealership posts content on top of the complaint. Some may even go so far as to delete it the complaint, altogether. The customer catches on and then, you have to block the customer.

I believe if the customer is sharing a logical complaint: "Manager rubbed me wrong way" or "Service dept didn't address my concerns." Then, you should definitely engage. There's no use ignoring a situation that can be resolved with just a few sentences. "I'd love to take care of this for you. Would mind if we called you?" Chances are that the customer won't forget you and your dealership if you just hear them out and try to address their concerns.

I'm not naive, however. I realize some customers aren't so civil. Some turn out to be social media abusers. They'll go on your dealership's page and post profane comments over and over. Some (I know firsthand) create fake accounts just to post more profanity. I believe this is the only time it's acceptable to hit that block button. That person is only there to complain. They're not posting for help. They're posting to drag your name out in the mud. Block and move on. 

*After perusing this post, I'd recommend checking out Seth Godin's Blog Post on this matter: Engaging with Criticism

So, what do you think? Immediately delete the complaint or engage and learn?

The trend for the last 3 or 4 years has been for businesses to try to tap into social media as a broadcasting tool. It's not universal, but many (most) see social media as a place to post their messages to prospective clients in hopes of switching on the social media faucet that touches a billion people worldwide.

The promise of social media for businesses, particularly local ones, has only been seen by a small percentage. Most believe there's something there, but they aren't certain that their efforts are going anywhere. In many cases, they're not. It's not that social media is so challenging that only the select few can get in, nor is it that there's no value in it.

It's about intention. Those with the intention of sheer marketing with social media will likely be met with limited rewards. People don't go to Facebook or Twitter to see what they want to buy or which services to select. They go to engage, to have fun, and to experience the virtual filter on the real world that social media has to offer them.

In other words, they don't want to see marketing. If and when they're ready to interact with a business through social media, it's because they have questions or needs that can be fulfilled through easy-access communication. This is the part that most businesses are missing.

The real promise of social media is not just to business, but lies an the center between business and consumer. More internet time is spent on social media than any other category; in fact, it's equal to the next three on the list (games, email, and portals) combined.

Businesses want to take advantage of this fact and many are trying, but customer service management is still 3rd on the list of initiatives they perform on social media with brand reputation management and driving promotions above it. This is backwards. Most businesses can achieve their top two goals by focusing on the customers themselves.

It comes down to a lack of understanding. Those who are able to focus their attention on their customers through social media will gain a better reputation and find it easier to broadcast their promotions as a result. It's counter-intuitive to all other forms of interactions with customers, but it makes sense once one realizes the true capacity of the medium.

 (Click Link for InfoGraph) http://www.tkcarsites.com/support-gets-social-pid21494

But, how can auto dealers be specific, personal and build trust in a timely manner?

Understandably, auto dealers hate to email out a price without first talking to someone. Dealers should simply focus on continuing to build the relationship with the prospective customer that was initiated by the live chat conversation while providing information that move the customer forward in the sales process.

In this blog, we analyze a real-life situation in which a dealer failed to follow-up appropriately with a chat lead. Then, we discuss appropriate and effective ways to follow-up with chat leads (and all Internet leads) so that they convert into sales and move forward in the sales process.

Below is an example of a failed follow-up process, straight from the chatter’s mouth…er, their fingers.

“Hello. Not too sure if you can answer my question. But how long does it usually take to get the bottom line price on a car? I originally inquired on 1.26.12 and then again yesterday. I have received the same auto reply/generic email thanking me for my interest.

Its okay. I just wanted to know if the manager would take the time to reply or if I should just forget about it and move on.”

Nothing is worse than spamming your leads with robotic, impersonal auto-replies. Something we stress to our auto dealer clients is to always be personal in your follow-up responses. As you can see from the last sentence of the chat, this ready-to-buy prospective customer has lost all trust is on the verge of giving up on the dealership.

So dealers, how would you salvage this situation and prevent it from happening in the future? Here are a few tips:

Send a personal email

A personal touch is all your prospects are looking for. It doesn’t have to be long – both you and the customer live busy lives – 3 to 5 sentences addressing the situation will salvage the sales process. Using the phrase, “My online sales assistant let me know you were interested in ______,” can be very effective. Fill in the blank and take it from there. Also, don’t forget to include a call to action. Never end an email with a statement! Conclude your email with a question to prompt a response.

Follow-up with relevant and specific information

Confirm special features/options on the vehicle ( something as simple as leather seats or advanced options like Bluetooth)
Confirm availability (and interior color and condition if it is pre/owned)
Send a pic of the actual vehicle and offer to send more
Give a bullet point of what the next steps are in the buying process
Explain advantage of buying from you
Remind the prospect of what is needed for the test drive( license, and whatever else they may want)
Provide info on what services or reconditioning on the pre-owned vehicle has been done

Read what is given to you

Read the chat transcript, form lead or any other consumer insights you have. Know what the customer wants and give it to them. It’s that easy! Remember that the chat conversation has already developed a relationship between your dealership and the prospective customer. An impersonal auto-response removes the customer entirely from the sales process and ruins your rapport.

By acting as an advocate in the follow-up process, auto dealers can provide consumers with information and then ask questions to assist them in moving forward through the sales process. Keep in mind that consumers don’t buy a car every day, week, month or year. Every “inside” tip you give prospects builds upon the trust already established by the live chat conversation.

Remember, the leads received through automotive live chat are a product of a two-way conversation. A template email saying thanks for your interest just stalls customers and erodes any trust built during a live chat conversation.

Remember, the leads received through automotive live chat are a product of a two-way conversation.

In addition to these tips, ActivEngage CEO Todd Smith offers additional advice that will not only help ensure auto dealers successfully transform chat conversations into leads, but will help them stand out in the marketplace during the critical follow-up process.

The Truth About CRMs…

Customer relationship management (CRM) software is always on a dealership’s agenda in our 20 Groups, and they almost always come up in every single workshop. And this is how it should be — it is one of the most important tools and resources that a dealership has in its arsenal for automotive Internet sales. Over the last 12 years, I’ve seen Internet lead management (ILM) and CRM technology companies evolve to have amazing offerings.

But over the years I still get the same question “What is the best CRM for dealerships?” The answer is complex, because there are different “flavors” of CRM, and what’s right for one dealership can be the wrong fit for another; we’ll get to that in a moment. The goal of a CRM package is to reduce redundancy by offering with multiple tools and consolidate to one centralized platform. That means if you have multiple tools / products that do the following:

• Digital or manual showroom control system (desk log)

• Service reminders

• Permission-based e-mail campaigns

• ILM tools

• Phone up tracking system

• Inventory management system

• Call tracking software

• Service appointment system

• Data mining

• BDC campaign management

• Special finance

• Reporting and analytics

With the right CRM, you don’t need a separate tool to perform all these functions. Theoretically, the right CRM lets you consolidate all of this with a single technology platform. The benefit here is multiple. It’s certainly cheaper to pay for one CRM tool than having to purchase numerous tools individually. While an individual tool will almost always be cheaper than a full CRM, if you add up all of individual tools out there, the total cost would be much more expensive than the average cost of a CRM.

One of the most powerful benefits of using a single CRM solution, however, is the fact that all information is on one centralized platform. For example, if you have a prospect that sends an Internet Purchase Request, the CRM will have that in its database. If that prospect decides to walk in the dealership and is “logged” into the dealership’s CRM as a showroom prospect, it will be recognized immediately that that prospect was originally an “Internet opportunity.” Furthermore, if that prospect was ever in the dealership’s service department or did any type of business with that dealership, it would show up in reports. Most CRMs will calculate the amount of profit made from each customer, and the dealership can see the whole picture of a customer or prospect. This is important because if the dealership has the full picture on a situation, it can make better business decisions.

Not all CRMs are perfect fits with all dealerships, though. CRMs can be designed to focus more on one area of sales than another. If your dealership also focuses on this area, it’s a good fit. If you don’t have a particularly strong Internet sales department, but your CRM specializes in Internet lead management, that can be a bad fit. You have to do your research before committing to a CRM solution.

The best advice I can give is to stop trying to shove a round peg into a square hole. Too many dealers out there buy one tool, and then try to make it do what it wasn’t designed to do. I’ll give you an example. I have a dealer client that purchased a tool that was 100-percent designed for special finance. It was designed for a “special finance” depart ment, and was designed by a “special finance” branded company. But the dealership uses this tool for its entire store, and they depend on it for their Internet sales department. The crazy thing about this situation is that the dealership doesn’t even have a “special finance” department. They bought this tool without researching the situation, and are now paying the price.

Here are some steps you can take before you buy a CRM:

• First, simply ask yourself “What do we want or need a CRM for —Internet, sales, service, BDC?” When you answer that question, find a CRM that specializes in that area of need.

• If, for example, you have an extreme need for Internet lead management, compair CRM tools that specialize in that area with each other. Find out why they feel they specialize in ILM, and find out what credentials they have for ILM.

• Get references, and then actually call other dealers using the tool. Ask for references who aren’t in their marketing, and speak to the actual department you are investigating. Don’t ask the dealer principle or GM about Internet lead management; ask the Internet or BDC director. Get their real opinion from a day-to-day operational level.

• Accept the fact that you might need to have more than one tool. For example, I have a lot of dealer clients who have multiple tools. They might have a full CRM and an ILM tool, as well. Yes, this goes against the myth that a CRM can do everything, you’ll be better off in the long run with the right tools for your dealership.

Look at it this way: You wouldn’t go to the ophthalmologist if you had trouble breathing. The ophthalmologist is a doctor, but that’s not his specialty. Use this same mindset when selecting your CRM.

Please e-mail or call me if you have any questions about CRM or if you would like a free strategy session/assessment on your current CRM solution.

Sean V. Bradley is the founder and CEO of Dealer Synergy, a nationally recognized training and consulting company in the automotive industry. He can be contacted at 866.648.7400, or by e-mail at sbradley@autosuccessonline.com.

Paul Long on Customer Loyalty Programs - Digital Dealer 10 Conference from Paul N Long

http://www.internetsales20group.com

Discover what frequent flier programs already prove: loyalty programs will give you the best ROI in your digital marketing strategy

Increase your repurchase loyalty, service loyalty and overall profitability. Learn what the airline industry, hospitality industry and the top auto dealers already know: loyalty programs increase bottom line up to 85%. Paul Long defines what customer loyalty programs are and dispels five major myths about them. From his experience in building national loyalty programs in multiple verticals, Long will share what makes a loyal customer and why you want them in your dealership. He will also provide valuable tips to help your business build a loyalty program that will create and keep customers for life. Loyalty allows you to reap the benefits from customers' ongoing relationship to your dealership: increased car sales and fixed operations gross profit.

Learn how to build a loyalty program that motivates action. This seminar will give your dealership the tools and know-how to develop a loyalty strategy that will increase car sales and fixed operations gross profit.

Customer loyalty is a big buzz-word in the automotive world today—in fact most automakers are moving away from CSI scores and focusing on CRS—or customer retention. After all, what good is customer satisfaction if they still don't buy their next vehicle from you? Customer loyalty and retention has a huge impact on profitability, and it's right to focus on it.In fact, as little as a five-percent increase in customer retention can improve a company's bottom-line profitability between 25 percent and 85 percent.

Long will give you an overview of what loyalty marking is and dispel five major myths about it. Then attendees will be shown practical ways to implement a loyalty program in your dealership, and how to track its success. By the end of our session, you'll walk away with both the knowledge and the excitement for building a loyalty program for your business that helps you create and keep customers for life.

After completing this workshop, the attendee will know how to unify sales and fixed operations marketing with a loyalty program

The attendee will be able to calculate the effect which customer loyalty has on bottom-line profitability. • The learner will be able to identify and track three main benefits of successful loyalty programs and loyalty marketing initiatives.

The attendee will be able to develop a loyalty marketing strategy that works for all levels of the organization.

Paul Long, president of re:member group, has been increasing customer loyalty for 15 years. He was integral to the development of the Northwest Airlines WorldPerks Program and has since used his extensive knowledge of and experience with loyalty programs to help businesses worldwide. Long particularly enjoys working with auto dealerships, and he has employed new technologies and cutting-edge strategies to create a state-of-the-art infrastructure for effective communications, member tracking, and rewards distribution

A great question was asked just over 24 hours ago, and I would like some of our "phone ninjas" to give opinions on how they address the issue of "price" without giving a price...? As we know, we can create value in ourselves, and our dealership value package to make price not the most important thing in the whole mix if we have other things to offer to ensure it's the BEST DEAL! 

We also know that most customer won't be leaving the dealership with the exact vehicle that they originally inquired about, so chances are details about pricing, options, color, etc...are going to change a few times before our customer's buying process is over.  Having said that...

http://automotiveinternetsales.com/group/customerloyaltyownerretention

Please join the group and post any feedback/comments in the Group Discussion, and be sure to look at which other groups listed interest you!  Happy Selling!! (and New Year!)

Andy Fedo

VP of Training

andy@dealersynergy.com

www.dealersynergy.com

www.internetsales20group.com

http://www.internetsales20group.com

Automotive Internet Sales is GIVING AWAY FREE CASH MONEY... $300 (Out of our own pockets...) I have a CONTEST That I put together for you all!!

Contest Details -

We are looking for the BEST Customer Testimoniasl from your Dealership(s)!

Contest Rules -

You NEED to upload Customer Testimonials to www.automotiveinternetsales.com (This Site :) AIS is looking for The Best Video... that doesn't simply mean the most expensive... It means we are looking for POWERFUL Testimonial videos that will actually influence people into wanting to vist / purchase from your particular dealership versus the competition.

AIS wants to see the diffferent types of Video Testimonials that you get... Are they for New Cars? Used Cars? Finance / Special Finance? Service / Body Shop etc... Female Buyers... etc...

AIS is looking for creativity and CONTENT!!

Contest Reason / Goals -

Here at AIS, we believe that VIDEO is SOOOO Important & We also believe that having AWESOME Prospect / Client testimonials that you can use in your marketing initiatives, your website(s), your email teamplates, your online reputation management strategy as well as SOCIAL MEDIA... Can seriously give you a competitive edge in your market. We decided to offer a $300 CASH contest to whoever uploads the "Best" Dealership Testimonial video to AIS. This is a GREAT way for us to teach & learn from each other in this community.

Contest Time (Start / End) -

Contest has officially started and it will officially END November 23rd 2010