All of us were told once to pay no attention to what others say behind our backs. You should certainly stick to this rule in your personal life, but not in your business. Whether you want it or not, you can’t afford to be complacent about your online reputation in 21st century, especially if you’re car dealer.
Ask your friends or colleagues if they would make a thousand-dollar purchase without checking online reviews about the vendor. The most likely answer you’ll get is “God, no. I’m not stupid.” Buying a car is not a trifle, so every sane buyer will investigate every corner of your dealership reputation. Recent surveys prove it: more than 80% of buyers go online and seek for reviews before even contact the dealership.
Here are five rules for performing car dealer reputation management . They will help you remain successful and keep your good name.
1. Hire professional reputation manager I am acquainted with many car dealers, and when it comes to hiring reputation manager their views differ significantly. Some of them have years of fruitful cooperation with one or more managers, whose time and efforts are fully committed to his client’s perfect reputation assurance. Some of them are slightly doubtful but still consider this option for the nearest future. And the last and my “favorite” category - non-believers. “I don’t need any help. I can handle it by myself.” Well, my answer in this case is: “You’re a car dealer - serious businessman with A LOT of daily tasks. Do you REALLY have time to manage your online reputation?”
When your pipes are clogged you don’t try to fix it - you call plumber. When your reputation is being jeopardized - call reputation manager.
2. Constantly monitor your reputation If you don’t have the manager yet, you need to track all activity around your brand. It includes your website, social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), online car review sites (Dealer Rater, cars.com, edmunds.com, etc.), online reviews sites (Google Reviews, Yahoo, Yellow Pages, Insider Pages, Measured Up, Superpages, etc.), relevant blogs and forums.
3. Promptly respond to negative reviews Frustrated customer needs to speak out his resentment. If you respond to his negative review within an hour (and it’s doable with proper car dealer reputation management) or at least a day, he’ll know he is heard. And high chances you and unsatisfied client can find a compromise: you can offer a compensation or discount in exchange for comment removal. But if his comment has been left unnoticed for months(!), you can’t expect any collaboration. So, be very attentive and careful with bad online reviews.
4. Keep calm Dealing with the customer is an art, dealing with frustrated customer is a science. And it requires a lot of patience. You should never apply aggressive approach with your clients. Car dealership is one of the most competitive businesses. Your rivals can provoke you online by writing a blatant lie. Don’t ever lose your temper and answer with anger or insults. Answer injustice with justice and dignity to show you’re not easy to manipulate.
5. Encourage positive reviews Satisfied customers are less prone to leave a review than unsatisfied ones. Remember your own experience: after pleasant conversation and good service you’ll leave with smile and that’s it. Your clients should actually HAVE A REASON to let others know you are the best. There are many ways to do it. You can offer coupons or discounts in exchange for the review (believe me it’s worth it), create email follow-ups after purchase or pop-up surveys during the purchase process. Always try to engage customers into leaving a review not for your advantage only but also for theirs (e.g. “Help us to be better for you”). Сar dealer reputation management is not something you can do overnight, it is an ongoing process. With the “Price Match Guarantee” car dealers should pay a great deal of attention to reputation and service rather than to prices. But don’t try to shoulder everything, you’re not a Cinderella. Delegate this responsibility and focus on what you do best - selling cars.