Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 38

M A R K E T ING & ADVERT ISING: Cu sto m e r Experi ence

By Joel Gordon
Business Development Director,
Expressway Toyota

A Dealership
on the Road to
10,000 Online
Reviews: What
I've Learned...
I remember when it
finally hit me, and I saw
the value of a well-managed
online reputation. I saw the
value, not only to the store
but to the consumer. By
gathering hundreds (and
then thousands) of reviews,
we could offer our prospects
a preview of doing business
with us before they ever

38

J U LY 2 0 1 9

stepped foot through our
foyer. We could create that
rapport and familiarity in the
form of shared experiences,
and in turn differentiate
ourselves and create value
to the consumer.
Today, people come in
and know our sales agents
by name, because they
scrolled through thirty or for-

D I G I TA L D E A L E R . C O M

ty of their reviews online last
night. We recently passed
6,000 combined online
reviews, more than 4,000 by
way of Google; 7,000 is next
and then it's on to 10,000.
That's a lot of customer
feedback, and I make sure
to respond to every single
one.
Over the last 5 years,

I've learned a lot about
managing reputation. But if
you asked me the top three
lessons, I'd tell you this...

BAD REPUTATION
OR JUST LAZY

A poor online reputation
doesn't necessarily mean
you have a poor dealership, but unfortunately it
does mean you have a lazy
dealership. I'm sure we
can all agree that the vast
majority of our customers in
both sales and service, are
happy at best and satisfied at worst. While these
people aren't the problem,
they are the opportunity- I'll
explain soon. But first, it is a
very small group of fuming
patrons that negatively
affect your online scores by
smearing your name with 1
star reviews. In many cases,
these unsolicited online
assassins have a valid
gripe. Whether a poor sales
encounter, a service misdiagnosis, or just an employee who drops the ball, these
experiences are the reality
of retail. Mistakes happen,
and you just can't please
everyone all of the time.
The fact remains the
satisfied customer is much
less likely to leave feedback
than the scorned and irate
one, correct? So you can't
just sit back and absorb
those 1-star shots from your
haters. You need to engage
those previously mentioned
happy and satisfied customers, ask them for feedback,
and make it easy for them
to do so. We started the old
fashioned way, asking faceto-face at new car delivery
and in the service waiting
room. Today, there are



http://www.DIGITALDEALER.COM

Digital Dealer - July 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Dealer - July 2019

Digital Dealer - July 2019
A Message from the Show Director
Are You a Critic or a Coach?
Implementing an Effective Spend Management Function
Leading with Purpose – Part II
Technical Knowledge Is Essential, Get Some, & Then Close the Purchase!
Is the Sky Falling for the Buy/Sell Market? We Don’t Think So.
How to Ensure a Well-Rounded, Healthy Dealership
Interview with DCH Paramus Honda
Social Selling Tip: 5 Steps to Making Powerful Video Testimonials
Dealerships Tapping into the Power of VIN-Specific Marketing
Future of Luxury Market in the Automotive Industry
A Dealership on the Road to 10,000 Online Reviews: What I’ve Learned…
Creative is King!
4 Sad Ways a Dealer's Digital Marketing Money Gets Wasted
An Open Letter to Service Directors: Selling Your Way to Success
How Digital Retail Solutions Can Enhance Your Expertise
The Real Cost Per Lead, Wasted Spend, & How to Boost ROI with CRM
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Digital Dealer - July 2019
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Cover2
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 1
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - A Message from the Show Director
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 3
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Are You a Critic or a Coach?
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 5
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Implementing an Effective Spend Management Function
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 7
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 8
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Leading with Purpose – Part II
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 10
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 11
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Technical Knowledge Is Essential, Get Some, & Then Close the Purchase!
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 13
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Is the Sky Falling for the Buy/Sell Market? We Don’t Think So.
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 15
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 16
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 17
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - How to Ensure a Well-Rounded, Healthy Dealership
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 19
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 20
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 21
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Interview with DCH Paramus Honda
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 23
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 24
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 25
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 26
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 27
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 28
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 29
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 30
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 31
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Social Selling Tip: 5 Steps to Making Powerful Video Testimonials
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 33
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 34
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 35
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Dealerships Tapping into the Power of VIN-Specific Marketing
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 37
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - A Dealership on the Road to 10,000 Online Reviews: What I’ve Learned…
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 39
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Creative is King!
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 4 Sad Ways a Dealer's Digital Marketing Money Gets Wasted
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 42
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - An Open Letter to Service Directors: Selling Your Way to Success
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 44
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - How Digital Retail Solutions Can Enhance Your Expertise
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 46
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - The Real Cost Per Lead, Wasted Spend, & How to Boost ROI with CRM
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - 48
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Cover3
Digital Dealer - July 2019 - Cover4
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