Cars.com Dealer Trainer Jack Simmons shares best practices independent dealers can use to build a great online reputation. NIADA presentation handouts.

1.
NIADA 2012 WORKSHOP:
Reviews and Raves: Making Customers’
Web Reviews Work for You
Jack Simmons, Dealer Training Manager
Cars.com
Chicago, IL
jasimmons@cars.com
312-420-7933

2.
4-Step Process to 5-Star Reviews
Independent dealers have built their businesses on their reputations. From being active
members of their community to building strong referral business based on providing excellent
customer service, many independent dealers have mastered the art of leveraging their
reputations to drive more business.
Much of the influence of word-of-mouth marketing has moved online, presenting a significant
opportunity for independent dealers to take their success to a new level by managing their
online reputations just as effectively.
Cars.com’s Jack Simmons shares insight into how some businesses have leveraged the power
of consumer-generated content, such as online reviews and social media, to drive customer
loyalty and grow their businesses – as well as some of the mishaps that provided valuable
learning experiences and even some opportunities to change course before it was too late.
Dealers attending this session will take back to their dealerships proven strategies for turning
satisfied customers into influential advocates in four steps:

3.
Do Reviews Really Impact My Business?

4.
My Customer Reviews Process:
Ideas for
Area of Contributor/
Owner Tools Compensation
Responsibility Support
& Recognition
Monitor (e.g. Google
Alerts) Sales:
(e.g. spiffs)
Respond (e.g. Cars.com’s Service:
My Dealer (e.g. RO bonus)
Center)
Ask (e.g. “How Did F&I:
We Do” cards) (e.g. contests)
Promote (e.g. website Administrative Staff:
banner) (i.e. gift cards)

5.
Free Monitoring Tools:
Paid Monitoring Tools:

6.
How To Set Up a Google Alert:
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1. Navigate your browser to http://www.google.com/alerts.
2. Enter your dealership’s name.
3. Choose what result types you would like to receive. Options include blogs, articles and
video, but selecting “Everything” ensures you receive the most information.
4. Choose how often you would like to receive alerts. Internet Sales Managers and others
with responsibility for responding to reviews quickly may benefit from receiving the
information “As-it-happens,” while Principals may choose to consolidate their monitoring
activity by choosing “Pnce a day.”
5. Choose how many results you would like to receive. “All results” is best.
6. Enter your e-mail address.
7. Create your Alert!

7.
Treating Negative Reviews as Opportunities
One of the misconceptions about online reviews is that shoppers only write reviews when
they’ve had a bad experience. Not true.
Since launching Dealer Reviews in March 2011, the average review score for dealers reviewed
on the site has remained steady at anywhere between 4.3 and 4.5 out of 5. Nearly 80 percent
of the reviews have a rating of 4 stars or higher.
Unfortunately, negative reviews happen. Addressed properly, however, they can present
opportunities that are just as valuable as positive reviews. In fact, a Cars.com customer in New
England shared that the way they dealt with their first negative review actually resulted in a
sale.
In his review, an unhappy customer related that he received an inappropriate response from a
sales manager to an online vehicle inquiry, and as a result, the customer gave the dealership a
rating of just 1 star. Rather than engaging in a public debate or simply ignoring the review, the
sales manager reached out to the customer, taking the conversation offline to address the
customer’s concerns and apologize. The sales manager ultimately earned a second chance
and won the customer’s business.
The following represent a few simple tips for responding to reviews – both positive and negative
– that can have a big impact on your online reputation:
1. Have a game plan to monitor and respond to reviews. Know where reviews about your
dealership are being posted, ensure that the responsibility of monitoring and responding to
those reviews is assigned to someone within your organization, and set guidelines for how
they should respond.
2. Respond to positive feedback. We are sometimes so focused on resolving less-than-
positive feedback that we forget to acknowledge the customers who advocate on our
behalf. Responding to positive feedback shows that you are listening and are pleased they
experienced the excellent service you strive to deliver.
3. Acknowledge negative feedback publicly, but resolve the issues privately. Acknowledge
negative feedback quickly by apologizing and indicating that you would like the opportunity
to make things right. Doing this shows the reviewer, as well as current and future
customers, that you’re listening and care about the service provided at
your dealership. Don’t, however, try to resolve the issue online – you won’t win in a public
debate. Take the issue offline by inviting the customer to call you to resolve the issue, or, if
you’re able to identify the customer and have their contact information, reach out
proactively, as our customer in the example above did.

8.
Remember these key takeaways:
• Monitor:
 Have a system for listening to feedback about your store across the
internet
 Implement a process for notifying key stakeholders within the dealership
• Respond:
 Respond to both positive and negative feedback in a way that shows your
commitment to providing great customer service.
 Avoid a public debate by taking problems offline
• Ask:
 Train everyone at the dealership to ask customers two write reviews
 Make it easy for customers to review your store by creating “How did we
do?” cards and including links in your e-mail follow-up
• Promote:
 Reward reviews success within your store with spiffs and recognition
 Share the great feedback your store receives from customers by posting
reviews on your website and social media pages
To download a copy of the slide presentation, visit
www.slideshare.net/dealeradvantage.