Cultivating Success in Your Automotive Dealership

Before we can discuss success we have to define success.  Too often, I travel to businesses especially automotive dealerships and am disappointed that success eludes their dealership.  After spending a few hours talking with staff members from various departments the same element is usually missing from the formula of “success”.

These dealerships have poor employee retention.  The employees feel overworked, and underpaid.  Morale is at an all-time low, and loyalty to the company is non-existent.  Even worse, is that nobody seems to have the answer as to how to turn the organization around.

I also travel to great companies, and have been afforded the opportunity to learn from great business and political leaders.  A common trait that all great businesses and leaders have is that they are able to motivate teams to strive and accomplish goals which have been established.  For more information on Leaders and Leadership visit: Automotive Leadership at its Finest

Definition of Success

Success is reading a desired result or organizational desired end-point in some sort of assumed development.

Now that you have read the definition, why do we have successful dealerships, and failing dealerships?  Why do we have successful employees, and unsuccessful employees?  Utilizing the assumption that nobody wants to fail, I will discuss the missing ingredient failing dealerships all have in common.  In addition to providing the “secret sauce of success”, I will first dispel myths of achieving success in the dealership.  Once this is explained, we will then establish a plan to help you cultivate success in your automotive dealership.

Myths for Achieving Success

        I.            You must manage, develop, invent, or implement an entirely new concept to achieve success.  It is true that we read, hear, and use new concepts.  Yes, it is popular to sensationalize famous entrepreneurs because they were the first to practice their craft.  However, most successful organizations are successful because they utilize sound business practices and common sense.  Henry Ford did not invent the automobile.  He learned how to make it more affordable by using efficient production methods to create success for Ford Motor Company.

      II.            To achieve success, you must not deviate from your plan.  Challenges and obstacles are a fact of business, and ultimately organizational success.  Every great war the United States has participated in there were battles that were lost.  This adversity is great for success because without failure, mistakes, or checked egos learning would not be able to take place.  The proper statement would be to not to lose focus of your goal.

    III.            Success is the calculation of Risk/Reward.  Great leaders of successful organizations are very calculated.  They seem like they are the best or most lucky gamblers, but this is not entirely true.  A successful organization or successful leader stacks the deck in their favor.  They play with their own marked cards.  They identify the outcome before the action takes place.  That’s right, they have researched and methodically identified the desired result and understand how to overcome challenges before they happen.

    IV.            An organization is successful because of their leader.  A leader will receive many accolades when they have achieved the goals of the organization as well as criticism when results are missed.  Just pay attention to the CEO at the end of each quarter for publically traded companies.  Successful organizations require great leaders, but true successful organizations have countless number of supporters.  Have you ever heard that there is no “I” in “TEAM”?

      V.            Success is all work and no play.  Organizations that do not have team members who are having fun will fail.  Sure, there should be rules and procedures created to combat chaos.  However, an unmotivated employee will be a short sided employee.

    VI.            The definition of the organizations success is defined by leadership.  Unless you are not dependent on anyone’s responsibilities then you will be sadly mistaken to buy into this myth.  A successful organization depends on the weakest link in the company.

  VII.            If your organization looks successful then it will be successful.  We have all heard that if you “dress for success” you will achieve it.  However, there is another saying that “it is better to be considered a fool then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”  Would anybody think the Big Mac was any good without the secret sauce?  KFC’s chicken would be like everyone else’s if Colonel Sanders didn’t mix the right ingredients.  The same is true for your organization.  You can have a beautiful state-of-the-art dealership, and not be able to sell a vehicle.

VIII.            Successful organizations make everyone happy.  Success can never be satisfied; it always craves more.  Successful organizations are always striving for more success, and once they stop their competition will pass them.

Cultivating success in the dealership

If you have spent any time in the automotive industry you have probably been part of several organizations.  Many sales, service, and finance personnel tend to change organizations more often than they visit the dentist and some change at the same frequency as they get their haircut. By reading this piece, you are either validating yourself because you are running a successful dealership or you are looking for ways to improve.

 The “secret sauce” to cultivating success in the dealership is to identify the desired end result and proper motivation helping others reach those goals.

Steps to Cultivating Success in the Dealership

1.       Identify, understand, respect, and explain the cross-functional dynamics of the dealership.  The reason this is the first step listed is because most individuals reading this are charged with changing the culture or outcome of the dealership.  The dealership is made up of Service, Sales, Finance, Operations, Marketing, Maintenance, Logistics, Advertising, Information Technology, Human Resource, Business Development, Vendor Relations, and Accounting.  Without the needs of each department being met the dealership will not maximize its fullest potential of success.  Most dealerships that perform poorly have management that fails to respect the functions of each of these departments.  This translates into poor management, and breeds a culture of distrust, apathy, and isolationist departmental attitudes.  For example, if a dealerships IT Department (In most cases the IT Guy) doesn’t understand the necessity of faster internet speed for the Finance Department then customer service can suffer ultimately hurting potential revenue for the dealership.  During any new hire, the goals of the organization and orientation of each department is essential for cultivating success in the dealership.  A sad fact is that most managers in the dealership completely understand the dynamics of each department, and why those departments are needed for the overall goal of the dealership.

2.       Establish, and communicate clear measurable goals, both short-term & long-term, for each department and the organization in its entirety.  A dealership that has established these goals early in its infancy is more likely to be successful than a dealership that has to change due to lack of results.  However, most dealerships have not realized their full potential and change management to move closer to the desired outcome.  Therefore this is the second step to cultivating success in the dealership.  If leadership accepts step number one then step number two is very easy to accomplish.  However, there are a few key points when trying to accomplish step number two.

First, establish a clear measurable short-term goal for each department.  A short-term goal can be managed and measured by a superior allowing the subordinate to plan accordingly to meeting these established goals.  Short-term for senior management (Owner/Operator, CEO, CFO, CMO, COO, GM, etc.) is quarterly and short-term for middle management (GSM, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Service Director, Marketing Director, Business Development, HR Director, etc.) is monthly while frontline managers (Sales Manager, Service Manager, Advertising Director, etc.) have weekly short-term goals.  Frontline Employees (Sales, Service, Maintenance, etc.) should have daily short-term goals.

In addition to short-term goals for each department, establish the measureable result of a short-term goal for the entire organization and communicate the effectiveness of each department’s importance in reaching the goal.

Second, identify clear measurable long-term goals.  These are goals that have been extrapolated from a combination of meeting short-term goals.  For example, a short-term goal for the CFO may be to find $30,000 a quarter in savings for a dealership.  The long-term goal would extrapolate into $ 120,000 measured at the end of the fiscal year.

Using the example of a long-term goal for the CFO is sure to communicate the effects and importance of reaching this goal throughout all departments.  Identify why saving $120,000 a year in current expenses will help each department.  Establish a cross-talking culture with all departments.

3.       Establish complete “buy-in” and clear reasonable expectations.  Teamwork is not always about building a consensus.  The success of the company does depend on building a great team, but a leader sets the direction and the team needs to be able to effectively work together to accomplish the objective.  If you have strong communication explaining the importance of the goal, and how everyone is needed to reach these goals then managing these expectations will be easier.  It will also be easier to “coach-up” or “coach-out” an employee that will not “buy-in” to the organizational goals.  Be sure to establish clear reasonable expectations.  If expectations are set too low, the company will never have the opportunity to reach complete success, and if they are too high failure will become the norm.

4.       Motivate, celebrate, and communicate reaching the goals.  I could write an entire blog about motivation.  Proper motivation is key or the “secret sauce” for cultivating success.  Some are motivated financially and others are motivated by more responsibility.  Really, it comes down to how the employee feels their contribution is valued within the organization.  This step requires managers to manage.  They must always inspect what they expect.  However, good coaching is vital to success.  When celebrating the successes the cake should fit the goal.  You do not reward a salesman the top parking spot for being the top salesman of the week.  However, this might be a great reward for the month.

5.       Create vendor partners.  You rely on vendors to provide you with particular service or products.  Educate the vendors about the goals of your organization, and expect them to adhere to step number three.  A good vendor truly cares about the success of your organization because without your organization winning they should not win either.  Therefore, they are your employees and have a responsibility to help your dealership reach their goals.

6.       Empower and hold accountable a culture of success.  Foster great ideas with your employees and vendors.  However, expect a plan of action and provide the support for the great ideas.  In the end, measure these results and hold the champion accountable for the innovative idea.

7.       Set customers’ expectations from the start.  The customer is not always right.  If they were, then every company would be out of business.  Running a dealership at the whim of the customer will never lead to profits.  However, the customer is always the customer and the goal is to win those Customers for Life!  It is important to understand, listen, and empathize to see things from their point of view.  If the expectations are firmly set from the start they will be satisfied at the end.  Build a strong customer loyalty & retention program.

8.       Let the world know that you are a successful dealership.  Today, if you are not utilizing social media, you are missing over 75% of the market.  This is where all of the eyes are.  Online Reputation is important to your dealership because that is where everyone is talking about your industry.  Social Media Marketing is where you can reach your potential customers or employees.  If you are not established correctly on the internet through Search Engine Optimization then people will not be able to find you.

If cultivating success were easy, then all dealerships would be successful.  It is no different than raising a child or building a house.  You have to have a strong foundation, and continue to maintain it. 

DeliveryMaxx, the industry leader in Automotive Social Media Marketing (SMM) has perfected the science of maximizing the exposure for automotive dealers on the Internet. Utilizing our proprietary software and years of expertise, we can increase your market share and brand exposure through portals such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr and more. We have revolutionized Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Local Search Engine Optimization (LSEO) and Online Reputation Management (ORM).

 In today’s marketplace it is vital to have command over your public Brand Image while acquiring and retaining customers. DeliveryMaxx helps you dominate the World Wide Web utilizing your customers as Social Media Billboards which increases your brand share as well as turning a “one-time customer” into a "Customer For Life".

Automotive Service to Sales...Seamlessness...Really

From time to time, we will have members of the DeliveryMaxx family share their experiences from the automotive industry with you.  We hope you enjoyed this read from Craig Rodenmayer, DeliveryMaxx’s Customer Service Professional.

 In the 16 years I worked in the automotive industry as a service writer, consultant, and assistant service manager on the dealership level, I faced many opportunities and challenges. However, the greatest of those challenges and opportunities continually focused on how to retain my client base and represent the dealership well to my customers in order to achieve and maintain a high level of CSI and repeat business. That was the crux of what I learned in those 16 years. 

 During my tenure, car dealerships began to develop a focus on “seamlessness” between the front end of the store and the back end, or fixed operations of the service and parts departments. There were, in essence, two franchises under one roof operating out of step, often in competition with one another. The disjointed nature of these two competing entities worked to the detriment of the dealerships client base because the customers of that dealership were becoming lost to the schizophrenic nature of the messages they received either at the point of purchase or at the point of service. There was a lack of dialogue or familiarity between the sales staff and service staff which created a lack of trust or loyalty with the customers on both ends resulting in a loss of repeat sales and returning service customers. Worst of all, this lack of trust was being expressed through the customer’s word of mouth and CSI reviews to the dealership. Disaster! 

 What I learned in my time writing service, and what I began to understand of human nature, is that people want a friend they can trust when it comes to their automobile purchase or service. They want experts who will lead them down the path with integrity and sincerity. They don’t want to be “sold” on something they don’t want, don’t need, nor can they afford. So, my approach to the concept of seamlessness became communication and knowledge of what the other half of the dealership was doing. Likewise, I developed relationships within the sales staff so that I could better serve my customers and the dealership as a whole. The better I understood the sales end of the car business, then the better I could assist my service customers in making wise decisions about a car they own that may be, for a lack of a better term, a “money pit” if they continue to dump money into it to fix it. I and my customers needed friends in the sales department.

 I never cared much for the notion of a “bird dog” fee for flipping a service customer to a specific sales person; to me that seemed more like a scheme. Of course I wanted to be well compensated for my efforts, but more than that I wanted to make sure my customer was being treated with the same level of integrity and honesty that I provided in my relationship with them. After all, a car purchase usually takes place within the confines of a day; a service customer however, is won over months and years! Therefore, it was imperative that any customer of mine was treated with the highest level of care by the sales staff. What is more, I didn’t want to develop a “racket” with just one sales person who would pay me to flip my customer. No, keep your bird dog fees and spread the love. My desire was to work as a team, seamlessly taking care of our most valuable asset, the customer. If we won the trust of our customer, we earned a customer for life. 

 And so now, with the ubiquitous internet and social media, it is even more imperative to take the concept of seamlessness to task within the automotive dealership. There should be absolutely no gap or perception of a void to the customer between the point of sale and the point of service. Furthermore, the client base of the dealership, both young and old, have become more sophisticated and educated in the process of car buying and automotive service. Dealerships owe it to themselves to cross train and educate both the sales staff and service staff in an effort to better enhance the dealership’s customer retention, online reputation, brand reputation, and CSI reviews. It is in our nature to want to trust and that is the key to winning customers for life; loyalty is the point of becoming truly seamless. Really. 

DeliveryMaxx was founded on the principles of creating a more efficient method for successfully completing the sale at the point of delivery.  We have developed a system that effectively increases the positive experience of buying a new vehicle, accurately tracks the process, and generates increased customer retention.  The net result to our dealer network is increased sales, residual profits, web domination through social media marketing, strong SEO value and Locals, Published Positive Reviews and a Customer Loyalty Program that assures “Keeping the Customer for Life.

Our founders have over 60 years of experience in Automotive Sales, Management, Fixed Operations, Corporate, Marketing, and Customer Support ensuring a complete understanding of the sales process and the knowledge to help you grow your customer base.  We understand how hard it is to win a customer, and DeliveryMaxx arms you with the tools necessary to build continuous, strong relationships with your customers and retain them for generations to come.

Opinion about Google+, Reviews, and Online Reputation Management

Everyone has an opinion about how to use Google+ and posting reviews.  We see the extreme from hoping your customers post a good review to allowing the “real experts to post your reviews”.

Those of you, who finish reading this blog, will receive information many companies don’t want to tell you or just don’t know how to do.  Furthermore, your sales both repeat and referrals will increase, your branding will dominate across the web through all of the social media sites, you will have published positive reviews that stick, and your search engine optimization (SEO) value will be stronger than ever.

As I travel across the country helping automotive dealerships improve sales and retaining their customers I am exposed to many theories about how to win the battle for market share.  The battle is usually lost by many because there is no strategy involved.  I will talk about this later in the article.

The facts are:

•66% of consumers use the internet to research an item online before their purchase
•89% of consumers research vehicle reviews online before they make their purchase
•62% of all consumers read consumer-written product reviews online (with the highest percentage coming from 22-35 year olds (82%) while 36+ at 45%)
•69% of consumers who read reviews share them with friend, family, or colleagues, thus amplifying their impact in consumer behavior
•82% of consumers say their purchase decisions have been directly influence by the user reviews, either influencing them to buy a different product other than the one they had originally been thinking about

Therefore it is necessary to pay attention to how you are managing your Online Reputation.  Before we discuss how to help your online reputation, we need to identify what Online Reputation is. 

Online Reputation is the individual, consumer, business or products perceived reputation identified on the World Wide Web recorded by reviews, blogs, websites, social media platforms, and the media.  Individuals over the age of 37 will understand this simply as reputation.  However, with the invention of the web, we have become more sophisticated and added online because all of the information is available at our fingertips.

Once businesses figured out their reputation can be researched by anyone online they either turn to a so called “online reputation expert or manager” or try themselves to assist with cleaning or keeping clean their reputation.  The problem is that because the knowledge is foreign to many dealership principles or general managers, the dealership is susceptible to malpractice.  A bad online reputation will cost you money!

Online Reputation Management (ORM) is the practice of understanding or influencing an individual or business brand. It was originally coined as a public relations term, but advancement in computing, the internet and social media made it primarily an issue of search results. Although it is often associated with ethical grey areas such as astro-turfing review sites, trying to censor negative complaints or using gamey SEO tactics to influence results, there are also ethical forms of reputation management, such as responding to customer complaints, asking sites to take down incorrect information and using online feedback to influence product development and other insights.

Let’s be very clear before you read on.  If you are looking for a company that is offering you a quick fix, if you refuse to offer great service and a good product, or want to deceive consumers than you WILL NOT want to read further.  I am not in the business to mislead our consumers.  I am in the business to help businesses share with the world how great their company and product is.  If that is you, then you will want to continue to read.

Online Reputation is NOT just about reviews although it is a major factor for businesses that rely on consumer opinion.  Online Reputation is built by having a presence throughout the World Wide Web.

The following is a list of web locations and Best Practices you must have in order to maximize your Online Reputation (I am assuming you care about your customers, want to be successful, and have a great product or service you believe in):

•Strong Locals such as Google and Yahoo (there are over 150 you should be aware of) that are accurate and completed in their entirety to maximize local searches.  These local sites will also help consumers identify correct reviews.
•Blog Pages (There are many, and they all index differently) This is the same as a newsletter that you share with your customers, but now you are able to share with the world about your company and information about your product or service.
•Social Media Sites that focus on images.  Pinterest has become the 3rd most popular URL site in the world; however, nobody heard of this site 6 months ago.  (Again, there are hundreds of these types of sites)
•Social Media Sites that focus on videos.  Almost everyone has heard about YouTube, but what about other sites such as MetaCafe and others?  Videos index greater on places like Google and are an inexpensive way to share your message 24/7.
•Social Media Sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus and more (new popular sites are developed every day) which thrive on content.
•PR Blog that you can share with the world extraordinary events that you would love for mainstream media to pick up and share with the world.
•A well-built website that has basic stuff like a really good Title, Meta, Alt, and Text optimized for any of the search engines. There are more requirements in building a great website such as where to place the phone number, and others, but these are some of the basics.
•XML site map and HTML site map.  Google and Bing (Yahoo) only except XML.  You will want to have all of your sites easily found by all of the search engines.
•A Strategy, and the ability to have all of these tools working together to promote your business.  (I have heard of companies that say they can do this for $695 a month, and I can assure you that a company like this will not be able to provide you what you are looking for at this cost.  I am not saying you have to pay $10,000 a month for this type of service, but there is a lot involved when managing your e-commerce if you want it executed correctly.)

Strategy is often overlooked when building your Online Reputation.  There are several steps you will want to take to make it easy for you to manage your reputation.  A house will not stand if you do not have a strong foundation.  The same goes for your Online Reputation.

 
 •Make sure your dealership message is consistent across the interest. We have found in some markets Yahoo is more effect than Google. And don’t ever count Bill Gates out. Bing powers a lot of the Social Media Searches along with the Automotive Mobile Navigation Systems.
•Focus on a sound sales process. A positive customer experience not only helps with positive reviews, but it will increase your gross.
•Do not just focus on Google+. Google produced over 80 million yes million errors when they converted over. They are in a world of hurt over it and have heard that dealers are talking about a class action lawsuit. You must focus your efforts across the board. Ever heard of “don’t put all of your chickens in one basket?” 
•Keep everything the dealership does transparent. If you hide something that means you are up to no good and in this day and age you will get caught. And getting caught will do more damage than a bad review.  Do you remember the Dealers that made 20/20 in the early 2000s?  That was just ugly!
•DO NOT – again – DO NOT forget about Yelp. Yelp has had a few problems and there have been some allegations of extortion by both the company and yelpers themselves. But Yelp is a player and isn’t going away. It’s almost like a cult.  If it hasn’t hit your market yet it will.
•Provide an avenue for your customers to review your business the right way.  Read below for information on how to get reviews the right way.
•Develop strong Customer Loyalty.  I will talk more about this later in the article.
•Utilize Web 2.0 to allow all of your sites to communicate your story to the world. 

Acquiring Google+ Reviews and Having them Stick!

If you have knowledge of how Google works then that makes you the Billion Dollar Man or Women. The Google Secrets are guarded better than Fort Knox.  If you are not able to crack the Google Code then how could anyone offer advice to car dealers or any business on how to get all of the reviews to stick? The fact of the matter is only the chosen few know exactly how any of it works and I would bet not one person knows it all.

Let’s address the IP Myth. Think about this; take any given company for example Texas Instruments. Do you really thing Google will block or identify Texas Instrument’s internet gateway (the point where TI accesses the internet), please… that would impede 25000 plus users from using their products and services.

I believe that it is based on usage of the account. If the account is active and a Google+ has been created then the reviews will stick no matter the content. Why you might ask? Because it’s a real person, it doesn’t matter where the review is generated in my opinion; it matters on how Google+ is used.

There is nothing wrong with offering the client a choice to give an honest review while in the dealership. Again the keyword here is “OFFERING”.  However, don’t stop with just Google. Offer a whole host of sites for the client to post a review or even better allow the client an area to write the management/owner a personal note about their experience. A personal note a lot of the time has a bigger impact on store processes.  For example, we have a program that allows consumers to post good and bad reviews before they leave the dealership.  This allows dealers to address issues and identify the good and bad before the customer takes their business elsewhere.

Are Reviews about playing “Gotcha” or are they designed to INCREASE CONSUMER SATISFACTION?  I believe Google, Yahoo, Yelp, and other sites were created to ultimately provide the latter.  As with everything, there are businesses that practice unethical behavior which affect us all.  In most cases, if you are using a good vendor or doing all of these things yourself correctly, then your business will not be punished.  If you are not doing it right then you deserve what you get.

Avoid using services that offer to create Google+ Local reviews based on customer survey data, online forms, or personal customer correspondence.  With all of the legislation that has been implemented opens the dealer up to a huge liability factor.  Check out the FTP site to see possible fines that can occur if caught. Many of the reviews will not stick especially in Google+, but there are a lot of vendors that still practice this. Many of these companies claim to have IP jumpers, MAC Address changers or even proxy server access. Believe me that’s 100% wrong.   It doesn’t work for long.  How do I know?   Because I had the opportunity to partner with several companies that would collect and post reviews this way.  It did not look, feel or smell right so my business partner and I developed a program to help dealerships and other companies to build their Online Reputation the Right Way.  “If it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck…it must be a duck.” in the … (BTW: a lot of posting are made at coffee houses by these types of companies).

Do not assist or encourage customers in creating a Google account to post a favorable review on your Google+ Local business page.  If you encourage or assist a client on any matter which can be considered an endorsement and not disclaim it is highly illegal and the fine can be in upwards of $250,000 for a first time offense.

There is nothing wrong with ask them to jot down a few words on how there car buying or service experience was. A lot can be learned from this action which can hugely benefit the dealership, client experience, and ultimately Consumer Satisfaction.

Carl Sewell once told me, “If you take what your clients have to say to heart guess what Profits will increase!”  Carl Sewell obviously wrote the best seller, Customers for Life.

Inspect your Google+ Local business page to monitor the reviews that are being posted.  Make sure that all of your business information is correct on a weekly basis.  Many dealerships either do not have time, or become very depressed when they do look at their pages.  Don’t be an ostrich and stick your head in the ground!  Your issues will not go away without doing something about them.  

 If you are Marketer provide this service for your clients coach them on how to address the client in a public forum.  Every business make mistakes, but taking the easy way out and ignoring the post is ludicrous. We are a forgiving society, and consumers are human.  We want to do business with “real companies that care”.

If you do not maintain your local pages (notice pages) you are loosing out on market share. There 100’s of local networks and you never know which one people will use. You must make sure your message is consistent on each site.

Marketers this is a new opportunity to provide a much needed service the automotive dealer. 

The only thing you can or should do is ask the client for a review good or bad with no strings attached.  You just might find a hole in the sales process that can be fix which will provide the client with a better experience. When you make small adjustments to the sales process improving the client experience profits increase!

Bottom line, Google+ is the new thing on the block and everyone is worried about how to use it.  Remember Google created millions of errors during the transformation and minimal Google users (people that use Google for Gmail only) will not convert over to Google+ to write a review. Most users have spent years developing their Facebook network and don’t really want to move over and start anew.

True, Google is the 800 pound gorilla, but don’t get caught up in all the hype.  Apply sound digital marketing practices and you’ll be fine, or as my grandmother told me “Watch your Ps and Qs”.  Google has huge issues right now and it is going to take them a very long time to sort them out.  If you were one of the Dealerships that feel Google removed legitimate reviews with out your consent email us and we can send you information on how to start legal actions in addressing this issue.  Email us at sales@DeliveryMaxx.com and put Need Help with Legitimate Reviews in the subject line.  We will have one of our technology specialists help navigate the proceedings.  If your Online Reputation Management needs help and this is a service that you would like us to give you a comprehensive overview then put Automotive Digital Marketing Done Right in the subject line.

Creating Customer Loyalty is the easiest way to get positive reviews and build your Online Reputation!

If you have read this far, then you are serious about your business.  I commend you, and you are probably a partner in the dealership or one day you will be.

Business really is simple.  A good product, fair price, and outstanding customer service separate your company from the competition.  The customer wants to spend their money where they feel valued.

If you are putting the customer in the vehicle that is right for them at the price that is right then you will have a satisfied customer.  However, if you thank them for their business, and welcome them into your family they will become your customer for life.

So how do you do this 100% of the time?  It starts with you.  Set an example throughout the dealership and identify your expectations.

•You have to have a Customer Friendly Culture. 
•Develop processes to communicate with your customers where they are.  We know that 80% of your customers are on the web, but what about the other 20%?  Combined an electronic follow-up as well as traditional follow-up system.
•Consistently follow-up with your customers during happy times such as birthdays, holidays, and annually after the delivery of the vehicle.  Let the customer know you still care about them long after they have left the dealership.
•If you have a Service Department, create ways of getting your customer back into your dealership to experience your customer service.
•Inspect what you expect.
•When you make a mistake (and you will), do your best to make it right.

Doing all of these things is not as easy as turning on a light switch.  If it were, then we would not have competition.  Since it takes a strong strategy, hard work, and great ethics you have the opportunity to stand tall above the rest of the world.  By doing all of these things our network of dealerships have experienced key results:

•Published Online Reviews
•Web Domination through all of the Social Media Sites
•Increase in Sales both Repeat and Referral Business
•Additional Revenue in Fixed Operations
•Strong CSI Scores
•Greater Employee Retention
•Customer Loyalty and Retention

Good luck selling and we look forward to seeing you at the top! 

Online Reputation Management: The Basics

All professionals, especially those who conduct business online, can be subject to bad publicity. All it takes is one negative comment on a blog or website with the right (or wrong) mix of traffic to drive a company’s reputation into the ditch. If your company has not heard of or are not doing Online Reputation Management (ORM), here are the basics and why this is something every business needs to start doing now.

What is Online Reputation Management (ORM)

ORM is the process of following online references to a brand, company, person or service while having a plan in place to deal with any negative feedback. It is a three-step process, although they may not always occur in this order:

• Monitor – Maintain an ongoing system for researching and keeping track of public perception.

• Evaluate – Consider individual feedback, as well as the source, outlet, reach and timing, to come to a decision about the risk.

• Act – Comment, rebut, draft a formal response or simply ignore what has been said, based on your company’s evaluation.

ORM is typically considered to be a mix of marketing (including SEO) and public relations. There are numerous firms offering ORM services, although it’s something companies can do on their own for free.

Why Companies must have an Online Reputation Management Program

Let’s say your company has years of experience, a solid client base, and great relationships with your clients and colleagues. Your company recently bid on a huge design project with a well-known company and won. One of the other candidates, who was not awarded the job, is resentful. Not only did he put hours into the process, but a friend within the company essentially guaranteed him the job.

Upon discovering that your company was awarded the work, the other candidate publicly attacks your company’s character, work ethic and values in his very popular design blog with over 5,000 readers. Unbeknownst to your comapny, one of the top Google results for your name is now this scathing post, which at this point has 35 comments from people who don’t even know your company, agreeing with the author. Anyone who Googles your company will now see this negative response -- potentially before they reach the business’s website.

It takes two weeks until the company is aware that there is a drop off in normally steady inquiries, and a call from a long-term client asking for details on the situation further highlights the situation. At this point, your company has no way to know how much business has been lost, but senior members are quickly scrambling to find all references to this post, and trying to do damage control.

If your company had been monitoring its online reputation, senior management would have immediately known about the negatively. Now the business’s executive team would not have been able to avoid this situation, but they could have done a few things immediately to defray some of the damage. The most important part of online reputation management is being aware of what’s being said about your company, to whom and why. It also requires that the proper methods be implemented to be quickly advised of negative comments on the Internet and that that there is a plan in place when action can be taken.

How to Handle Negative Publicity

Ideally, with every project taken on and every relationship formed, companies need to work toward building a professional reputation. Your company can enhance the effectiveness of a positive reputation by:

• Doing great work

• Being customer service oriented

• Making yourself approachable

• Collaborating with others in your industry

• Forming personal relationships

But even if your company does everything right, there may come a time when negative publicity raises its ugly head. Harmful feedback can happen for many reasons – a misunderstanding, a wrong-doing on by a company employee, varying points of view, a disgruntled former employee, a competitor, or any number of other reasons.

How your company reacts to negative feedback is dependent on the type of comment, who said it, what forum it was said in, and the potential it has to damage your company’s reputation. However, there are some ways to gauge the risk of negative publicity and determine how best to handle it.

Think It Through

We’re human, so our initial reaction to negative comments is usually anger, belligerence, and/or defensiveness. The worst thing a company can do is react quickly without thinking the situation through because your company may only make the situation worse. Put yourself in the other person’s position, and be honest with yourself. Take a deep breath and ask yourself these questions:

•  Is the comment true?

• Can I see how this person could view my company’s actions this way?

• Did an employee do something that was misunderstood or misconstrued?

• Is my company in the wrong?

By being rational and at the same time pragmatic about the situation, the senior management can avoid doing further damage. Senior management may want to get a focus group of company employees together to further analyze the situation and get a new perspective.

The saying, “All publicity is good publicity,” may not be entirely accurate, but your company can certainly turn some negative situations into positive events. Negative publicity can give your company the opportunity to right a wrong; it can provide a platform for your company to address an issue; and it can make your company better at what it does.

Respond or Not?

Not every negative comment deserves a response. In fact, your company may decide not to respond because they feel the situation is best simply ignored. If the impact is minimal, don’t fuel the fire by pleading your case when it’s not necessary.

In some cases, your company may want to go to the source and try to work it out offline. A personal conversation may uncover information that would not have been otherwise known. If your company was in the wrong, your company can rectify the situation, and ask the author to publicly retract their comment or provide further information to defray the impact.

Your company can also respond by posting a public comment or publishing an acknowledgment letter on your company’s website or blog addressing the situation and providing your own perspective. However, be sure not to be overly defensive or personally attack the other party as that will only make your company look unprofessional.

Use It to Your Advantage

Keep in mind that whatever method your company chooses to handle the situation, your company cannot change the actions of others. Handle the situation as your company thinks is best, but don’t be pulled off-track by the negativity of others.

The Bureau

Can Facebook & Social Media Help GM Sell More Vehicles

On May 22, 2012 I wrote a blog asking the public if GM made a wise choice dropping its 10 million dollar advertising spend from Facebook.  (For the entire blog visit: http://deliverymaxx.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/did-gm-make-a-wise-decision-dropping-facebook-as-an-advertising-medium/ )  My position then as it is now is that GM and many automotive dealerships are not utilizing Social Media Marketing correctly in particular Facebook.

In my youth, I lived in a small country town in Texas for a few years.  Often, I would hear the expression, “you can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig…”Decisions regarding advertising by GM look like they are changing, but marketing strategy looks to be the same when you wipe away the “lipstick”.

Often, I quote Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity which is “doing the same action continuously and expecting different results.”

Companies have two schools of thought as to whether it’s worth the investment for paid advertising on Facebook or bypass it and continue using their business fan page which doesn’t cost anything to use instead.  This blog is not entertaining this debate; it is stating that to take part in this particular debate would be the wrong battle to fight altogether.

Advertising 101 says that the more eyes that view your product will give you the exposure to help you sell your product.  It is a law of numbers.  Marketing 101 tells us that the best message that resonates with your audience will help you sell more of your product.  When GM spends hundreds of thousands of dollars in their next advertising & marketing retreat developing the direction of their message, I can’t help to think about how the answer is right in front of their nose.

Advertising 101

Let’s discuss Advertising 101 first.  The more eyes that view your product will give you the exposure to help you sell your product.  Taking this principle to the core- Facebook has over 900 million active users.  Facebook is the world’s largest URL.  Facebook has captured over 75% of Social Media Users.  Your read this correctly.  FACEBOOK is NOT the ONLY GAME in TOWN!  Business must utilize Social Networking sites to market to their potential consumers.  GM needs to develop a strategy that encompasses all of the market.  Most companies try a shot gun approach without truly diving into the analytics of consumer behavior within the confines of Social Networking Sites.  Web 2.0 will allow companies to create a strategy that will weave throughout the web to reach your desired audience.  The key is to create a net large enough that will reach all of your potential consumers.

Marketing 101

Now for the Marketing 101 discussion, I am not going to pretend to have all of the answers for every company’s needed message that they should deliver to the audience.  However, I will stick to the basics.  If a company has a good product or service, a fair price, and exceptional customer care then their brand and reputation will fly through the air like a Michigan cold front in October. The consumer will be the companies best (or worst if one of the three business principles are not met) marketer.

Business 101

Assuming a company has a good product or service, fair price, and exceptional customer care it is necessary to combined Advertising and Marketing like peanut butter and jelly into a strategy that will create the unique taste the consumer is looking for.  Companies need to look at creating a forum (see advertising 101) for their consumer (see marketing 101) to share the benefits and advantages of their product or service.

Results

Key results for automotive dealerships (but you can replace automotive dealerships with any type of company) include strong CSI scores, increased sales, repeat business, more referrals, additional fixed operation revenue, domination of the web or Search Engine Optimization (SEO) value, published positive online reviews or strong Online Reputation Management (ORM), and overall exceptional Customer Loyalty and Retention.  It is about the emotion of the sale isn’t it?  Why not take advantage of what you do the best, and have your customers work to help you sell more vehicles (or product).

About DeliveryMaxx

DeliveryMaxx understands the needs of Automotive Dealerships.  They create real customized solutions that utilize both traditional media and innovative technology that helps dealerships realize tremendous results in turning “one-time customers” into “LIFE-TIME CUSTOMERS”.

For more information, visit http://deliverymaxx.com