Making Online Reputation Part of Your Dealership’s DNA BY: Vickie Gibbs, Founder and GM of Albright Digital May 8, 2013
Jan 23, 2015
Making Online Reputation Part of Your Dealership’s
DNABY: Vickie Gibbs, Founder and GM of Albright
Digital
May 8, 2013
Results of a Positive Reputation
Google Organic Search ResultsPage 1“crossroads ford”
What Does it Take To Get a Positive Reputation?
1. 100% Customer Satisfaction (as close as you can get)
2. Happy Customers Talking About Your Dealership Online and Offline
Goal: 100% Customer Satisfaction
Everyone on the team needs to be on board
It’s more than just the sale or service, it’s the
entire experience
Goal: Getting Customers To Talk About Their Experiences
1. Volume of Customers 2. Make it Easy
Key To Success:Management Support
Starts at the top – GM
Sales/ Service/ Parts Managers must also be on board
Regularly discussed in weekly/ monthly meetings – top of mind
Structure incentive plans to drive desired behavior/ create new habits
Key To Success:Involve Entire Team
Delight your customers
Sales, Service, Parts but also technicians and support staff
Ask ALL customers (volume)
Key To Success:Consistent Process & Training Sales and Service/ Parts
processes, in store and post sale
Provide multiple ways for customers to access – make it easy
Train your staff so they are comfortable
Key To Success:Tracking of Metrics & Use Feedback
Regularly track metrics and report on them to staff
Publicly reward staff with incentives
Use positive and negative feedback to make positive changes in store
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What Is Right For Your Dealership? Online Reputation assessment
Set goals based on where you are in context with your competition
Examine internal capabilities and time of staff required
Establish processes, train staff
Utilize product or agency if additional expertise or bandwidth is needed
Case Studies
4/1/13 5/1/130
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
G+ Dealer Rater Yahoo!
Nu
mb
er
of
Revie
ws
Results: 30 days
+ 14 G+
+ 11 DR
+ 14 Y!
How? GM committed to focus on Online Reputation
Moved internal resource into Internet Marketing Manager position ◦ Focus on Online Reputation◦ Internet Lead Management
Structured incentive/ bonus plan to drive behavior from sales people◦ $10 for each 5* review◦ Minimum number required to get bonus
Process:During Sale
Sales Person asks
customer during sale in
showroom
Sales Person informs IMM who sends email to
customer
Sales Person follows up
with customer
(either TY or addl request)
Process:Post Sale
Sales Person makes list
and calls 20 customers
Sales Person sends list to
IMM who sends email to customers
Sales Person follows up
with customer
(either TY or addl request)
Keys To Success Commitment of GM and personnel to execute (Internet
Marketing Manager)
Sales Person’s personal ask and follow-up◦ Explains to customer importance of online reputation◦ Validates customer had a good experience◦ Asks customer to do them a favor◦ Asks for customer’s commitment to follow through◦ Sales person calls/ texts after email sent to thank you or
request again
Construction of email◦ Multiple sites offered
Results: 30 Days
11 New Reviews
How?
GM committed to focus on Online Reputation
Brought in MUDD Advertising to structure and implement a process
Structured incentive/ bonus plan to drive behavior from sales people◦ $50 for each review in which your name was mentioned◦ Announced at sales / service meetings in front of peers
Process Implemented with all employees
◦ Sales, Service, Admins, etc.
MUDD used best practices to set up spiff program and train employees
Results reviewed regularly with staff
Leveraged open, friendly culture inside dealership to encourage customer reviews
Keys To Success Recognition of importance of reviews across a
variety of sites by GM and everyone at dealership
Tangible results shared with staff◦ GM: We see the value in reviews when we
customers come in, who we have not spoken with before, who are asking for sales people by name because of reviews
◦ Direct correlation of website traffic increase with improvement in online reputation
Results: 60 Days
3/1/13 4/1/13 5/1/130
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Capital CJD Growth # of Reviews
G+ Cars.com Yahoo!
+ 12 G+, Cars.com, Yahoo reviews
+ 45 Internal reviews
Capital Ford• 58 Internal Reviews• 8 Negative Reviews
Addressed• 20 Different Sales
People• 4 Google+ Reviews• 4 Edmunds Reviews
How? GM, Sales and Service management committed to
focus on Online Reputation
Implemented Albright Digital Review Management solution
Structured incentive/ bonus plan to drive behavior from sales people◦ $10 for each review◦ Announced and awarded in weekly sales meeting
Process Implemented with all departments
◦ Sales and Service
Albright Digital conducted multiple training sessions with small groups
Various ways for customers to provide a review: website, QR code on business card, posters in dealership, CRM email template
Internal review process routes negative reviews immediately to management so issues can be addressed in a timely fashion
How? GM and Sales management committed to
focus on Online Reputation
Implemented Albright Digital Review Management solution
Currently no incentive plan for personnel for reviews
Process Implemented with Sales only
Albright Digital conducted training sessions with small groups
Review application integrated into Email template post-sale and available as link on dealership home page
Internal review process routes negative reviews immediately to management so issues can be addressed in a timely fashion
Keys to Success
GM and Management support◦ Review reports and examples conveyed in meetings◦ Seen as a way to get a preview of CSI and correct any
issues quickly
Training for staff
Multiple ways for customers to access review application
Ability to ask all customers for a review
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Keys To Success Management support Involve as many people in the dealership as
possible Establish a process and train your staff Setup an incentive plan and promote results in
meetings Look at your internal staff/ capabilities to determine
if you can do it internally or what help you need – not one size fits all
Vickie Gibbs, Founder and GM, Albright Digital, Booth 222
[email protected], @AlbrightDigital