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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20

30

40

50

60

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

vgibbs@albrightdigital.com, @AlbrightDigital