DealerKnows
Where Do I Start?
  • Services
    • Training
    • Consulting
    • Creative Video
    • Performance Monitoring
    • CRM Analysis
    • Professional Speaking
    • Bundles
  • Products
    • TaskTeacher
    • PriceMatrix
    • Dealer Forensics
  • Clients
    • Results
    • Reviews
  • About
    • Joe Webb
    • Bill Playford
    • DK Team
    • Ask the Experts
  • Blog
  • Videos
    • Funny Videos
    • Educational Videos
    • Dealership Videos
    • Conference Videos
    • Make Me A Star
  • Contact Us
  • DealerKnows Summer Camp
  • Services
    • Training
    • Consulting
    • Creative Video
    • Performance Monitoring
    • CRM Analysis
    • Professional Speaking
    • Bundles
  • Products
    • TaskTeacher
    • PriceMatrix
    • Dealer Forensics
  • Clients
    • Results
    • Reviews
  • About
    • Joe Webb
    • Bill Playford
    • DK Team
    • Ask the Experts
  • Blog
  • Videos
    • Funny Videos
    • Educational Videos
    • Dealership Videos
    • Conference Videos
    • Make Me A Star
  • Contact Us
  • DealerKnows Summer Camp
Where Do I Start?

Ask the Expert – with Joe Webb on Reputation Management

Share With:

Hello Dealer Knows:
I know I should have been paying attention to it before, but I recently stumbled upon a bunch of bad reviews of our dealership, both in our service department and sales. What are some action items we can do to start yielding positive reviews?
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Bob P – General Manager
_________________________________________
Joe Webb replies…

Hello Bob,
First things first, you need to develop a response and apology strategy for newly found negative reviews (and a grateful response for positive ones.)  Time is of the essence when responding to negative reviews and it is imperative to not be antagonistic.  However, that’s another Ask the Expert entirely. 🙂

If you want to garner positive reviews, it begins by just getting your sales and service teams to ASK customers for one.  It starts there.  Let me say that there is no “quick fix” for reputation management, but some things you can do to start enforcing its importance in the stores.  (All reviews/ratings should be directed to Google, Edmunds, Yelp, Cars.com, and DealerRater.  (There are several smear sites out there that you can respond to, but not worthy of directing any review traffic).  In the end, the best way to overcome negative reviews is by drowning them out with positive reviews. (DealerKnows looks for a 9:1 ratio).  And I cannot give any steps to garnering positive reviews without saying that the most important thing you can do is by actually taking care of customers the right way.

A few things that can be done in store to promote positive reviews:

1)  Postcards at the service cashier desk that are stapled to every single RO/Customer Receipt asking for feedback/review of the service they experienced.  (You need to ask everyone, even if it gives you some stinkers.  Maybe your service department will start treating people nicer if they know that every customer is being given a slip of paper asking for their feedback.)

2)  Label stickers (and eventually printed backs) on the back of every salesperson’s business card that states something to the effect of..

Reviews from our customers mean the world to us.
How did I do?  Tell me here –

https://tinyurl.com/iloveDEALERNAME

(It is simple to create a shortened url and direct it specifically to your Google Plus Places page)

3)  DealerKnows is known for their best-in-class automotive email templates and follow-up process.  One element of that is a post-sale email template going out to every sold customer 1-day after purchase that politely asks for a review at either your Google Plus Places page or Edmunds.

4)  (MORE ADVANCED) Create another website/landing page that you can direct customers to with multiple review sites listed for the customer to choose.  (One example of this is https://iloverairdon.com )

5)  (MORE ADVANCED) Give every Finance Manager a 3g wireless iPad (only connected to 3g), and before presenting menu options of warranties and protection plans, asking all customers to submit a review right there in store on the iPad.

There are countless additional ways to yield positive reviews, but some of these simple point-of-sale scenarios seem to bring the most impact.  Doing any of these should start to move the needle to more positive reviews, but executing all of them above would have you likely dominating your entire market within a year or two.

Hope this helps and thanks for the question.  Sorry if I got long-winded.
Joe Webb
847-456-5130

Joe Webb • June 21, 2012 • Ask the Expert,Social Media and Reputation Management

Tell Me About It

Click here to cancel reply.

Got A Question?
  • Best Of
  • Most Read
  • Three Questions That Need to Be Answered For 2023: Why Does It Matter Now?
    By Bill Playford
    December 29, 2022
  • 3 Important Questions That Need Answering for 2023
    By Bill Playford
    December 19, 2022
  • improv comedyHow Improv Comedy Builds Companies
    By Joe Webb
    July 2, 2019
  • NYE PartyWhat My Crazy NYE Party Can Teach Us About Marketing in 2019
    By Joe Webb
    January 3, 2019
  • 3 Important Questions That Need Answering for 2023
    By Bill Playford
    December 19, 2022
  • sales managementThe Manager Who Doesn’t: A Guide to Better Sales Management
    By Joe Webb
    June 2, 2016
  • sacred cowCan you Kill a Sacred Cow?
    By Joe Webb
    January 12, 2016
  • The LeftoversWhat Happens When They Disappear?
    By Bill Playford
    August 29, 2015

Categories

  • All About BDCs
  • Ask the Expert
  • Comic Strips
  • Competitive Edge
  • DealerKnows Data
  • DealerKnows Press
  • DealerKnows Testimonials
  • Digital Marketing
  • Digital Marketing Conferences
  • Gotta’ Share
  • Internet Strategy
  • Lead Management and Process
  • Leadership and Sales Management
  • Quotables
  • Sales Training
  • Small Business Consulting
  • Social Media and Reputation Management
  • Technology
  • Vendor Relations
  • Websites and Online Search

Search Posts

Sign Up for DealerKnews

There are craptastic newsletters, then there is DealerKnews. Get all of our posts without having to set up a RSS feed. Start getting a monthly megadose of geniusness. Its like steroids for your brain.

Latest from the Blog

3 Questions That Need to Be Answered For 2023: Who is Responsible for Success?by Bill PlayfordRead blog post

Contact us

We really, really, really want to talk to you.

Get In Touch with Us

Sign Up for DealerKnews

There are craptastic newsletters, then there is DealerKnews. Get all of our posts without having to set up a RSS feed. Start getting a monthly megadose of geniusness. It’s like steroids for your brain.

© 2023 DealerKnows | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

Powered by Launch Digital Marketing.

2023 DealerKnows Summer Camp

The Only Automotive Conference You’ll Regret Missing

Location: Camp Blue Ridge | Clayton, GA

May 23-25, 2023

Buy Tickets!         Book Rooms!

Rooms are filling up – book your hotel soon!