[Mitch Gallant]

Communication between dealerships is always fun, internally isn't it great at a staff BBQ, Christmas party, or social committee bowling night, when the sales staff and service staff are like oil and vinegar? Now throw an auto group into the mix with 6 rooftops and hundreds of employees. What a friggen mess!

One step we've taken to start to bridge the gaps is to create our own social network on NING. Never heard of it? It's incredibly simple and if you can get the buy in of the upper crust it's easy to support. It's a free platform to share data, events, create your own dealership forum, post blog entries for employees to discuss, share videos, pass notes and what we've found it most useful for is sharing marketing ideas and planning subsequent events. GET YOUR NING NETWORK HERE IN T-2min AND TIMING p.s. It's 100% Free if you can put up with a few google ads hosted in the right hand column.

Within 2 minutes you can have your own dealer or dealer group's social network up and running... if you want I'll totally take your call and I'll time you with my cell phone stop watch! A few months ago there was also a pay-for service posted on dealer refresh called Dealer Flow. Check out the article here.

It's a long article but worth the read. I had a demo from their salesguy and had a few interactions with their sales staff and they all seemed level 10, a great bunch of folks. It was very reasonably priced and seemed like a great solution but I wasn't able to talk my GM into launching it over the auto group BUT when he had seen the NING network he was in - lock, stock and barrel. The DealerFlow network had very cool features and because its focused on the car business solved our types of communication issues so I can foresee us being assimilated into their solution.

Is there anyone using DealerFlow or a NING network out there wanting to share what it's like? Let's roll some q & a on what a social network could mean to a dealership/auto group.

[umer.autojini]

Mitch why not try Google Friend Connect...

Google Friend Connect: Add social features to your site

[Mitch Gallant]

Umer, Google friend connect is a different animal to what I've mentioned. The Friend Connect platform requires you have a URL of your own. In it's own right I'm sure it has advantages. The real meat of what I'm going after is not what you should use but what to use it for and why. I can tell you sharing ideas, photos and videos is what we've purposed it for thus far. I'd say we're in the infancy of what we'd like to see it do. I'd also like to add that the simplicity was unprecedented with the NING network and provided an easy way to create a closed network, if you visit capitalford.ning.com you'll notice you need user/sign in info and although you could add this if you created a page purposed for Google friend connect, it would require programing.

Umer - what (would you/have you) used Google friend connect for and why?

Originally Posted by umer.autojini

Mitch why not try Google Friend Connect...

Google Friend Connect: Add social features to your site

[Jeff Kershner]

If anyone has any questions about DealerFlow, let me know. I know Edward (the founder) and could get any questions answered. Last speaking with Edward, they were in development to integrate more HR modules into the service.

Interesting approach Mitch, using the ning platform as an internal communication tool. I like that!

We set up a "training blog" on wordress at Mileone, with of course having a strong focus on training but it's also a place for the dealers to share comments and find additional resources. I have our Reputation Management reports card posted on there, different release forms for taking customer photos and video. We also link to different HR resources. It works out quite well. My only fear with using ning, would be the up keep with so many dealers (64).

[Mitch Gallant]

The up keep for 64 dealers would be insane. We're trying it with 5, it hasn't really gotten off the ground and we're already taking it beyond the scope of what I intended, to a point where I'm beginning to worry about the up keep. Pushing the worries aside it will catapult our communications away from the complete lack we're suffering now. It's an HR dream, a repository for forms, benefits data, our operations manual, guidelines and so on..

I'm most excited for a few things:

- Casting our vision to all teams.
- Ideas that will come from reviewing and commenting on our marketing.
- Happier Employees feeling involved and in the know.

[Jeff Kershner]

I think this is great Mitch! It's fantastic to have your employees involved. It's many times the simple little things that keep our employees happy.

[Alex Snyder]

Mitch - it is crazy expensive but if you look into Microsoft Exchange and Sharepoint you might be able to find another solution with some other benefits (CRM for Executives).

[Jeff Kershner]

Mitch, I sent you over a few screen shots along with the video/photo form. I hope you received it. Let me know if you did not.

[Mitch Gallant]

Thanks again Jeff, I'm working on getting it set up for our stores right now. What a time saver! Screen shots look great, I'm reluctant to show our trainer as I know he'll love it and at the end of the day I'll be shouldering all the work in setting it up plus after a couple months I'll be the only one adding content

Originally Posted by Jeff Kershner

Let me know if you did not.

[Jeff Kershner]

Mitch, I would love an update on this. I was just speaking to someone today about an internet social network. I knew we had talked about this subject here on the forums. I did a search and here is was. How awesome is this site??

Seriously though...how is your Internal Social Network coming along?

I'm going to send you a PM about this as well.