Online
reputation management can be tricky. Many dealers fail to manage their online
reputation well, since they often overlook common mistakes that can be easily avoided.
Here
are some common online reputation management issues to avoid.
1. Ignoring Online Reviews
Online reviews matter if your dealership is to have a good reputation. Not paying close attention to reviews can be an expensive mistake.
Make it a priority to look for online reviews and conversations every day.
2. Not Responding to Customer
Reviews
Respond
to every online review, both positive and negative. This in itself demonstrates
how much your dealership cares for your customer’s time and opinion.
3. Taking a lot of Time to
Respond
It is important to respond to every review ASAP.
Negative reviews needs to be responded to inside a couple of hours. When you do, make it a point not to be provoked into making harsh comments.
Respond calmly and professionally. Outline
the issue and offer a quick solution.
4. Forgetting to Request
Customer Reviews
One of the common online reputation management mistakes is not requesting customer reviews when customers are happy.
Try to request a review every
time you make a happy sale or deliver a serviced vehicle on the dot.
5. Posting Fake Reviews
Fake
reviews can ruin your online reputation to such an extent that your car dealer website
is nowhere to be seen online. Posting fake reviews is mostly illegal and search engine algorithms are quite good at finding them.
6. Not Listening to Customers
This
is one of the biggest mistakes that dealers can make.
Listening
to your customers and learning customer priorities from them is the easiest way
of creating a customer-centric dealership that your local prospects will
readily chose over the competition.
7. Being Arrogant When Dealing
with Negative Reviews
When you respond to negative reviews, it is important not to be defensive or arrogant with your customers.
Instead, cultivate a problem-solving
attitude, sympathize with your customers, and try to solve their issue.
8. Not Monitoring Your
Competitors
Without bench-marking your dealership against competitors, you can’t assess where you really stand in the market.
It is essential to do a reality check often, and bridge
the gaps early.
9. Ignoring Online Reputation
Management Best-practices
Your online
reputation may be positive today but that may change tomorrow. To prevent this,
you shouldn’t ignore online reputation management best-practices.
For more on avoiding online reputation management mistakes Contact Us.