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Encouraging Your Dealership's Employees to Use Facebook

dmeautomotive_SM

Lot Lizard
Nov 12, 2009
9
0
First Name
Missy
Facebook, and social media in general, is THE talk of the automotive industry. Think of the number of presentations and sessions at NADA, Digital Dealer and other industry conferences directed at getting your dealership on board with social media. It’s EVERYWHERE…and for good reason. The reason of course is that the old school ways of marketing where you push your message out via television and radio aren’t as effective as they once were. No ifs, ands or buts about it. Instead, dealers may have more success and ultimately better sales leads when a consumer who is already learning about and shopping for the products and services they offer finds them…and they will likely first find you and research you online. How do they find you? By having regular social media activity and great search engine optimization, people will be able to more easily find you, because people are searching online for you!

Not only are dealers trying to figure out how to operationalize and monetize social media to drive revenue but you’ll also find General Managers and other upper level management trying to determine the best course of action to deal with the ever-increasing popularity of social media and the use by their employees during the work day.

According to a late 2009 study, 54% of companies surveyed prohibited their employees from any online social networking activities. Let’s face it…the reasons behind this prohibition aren’t entirely implausible because there are risks associated with employee activity on social media. One of the biggest concerns expressed by employers is about the use of Facebook and other social media networks hampering employee productivity (though studies have found the opposite to be true – Source). Additionally, according to Social Networking Law blog, what an employee does online may:

- Hurt the employer’s reputation, or disparage the company or its officers;

- Disclose proprietary information (maybe even inadvertently);

- Result in vicarious liability for the employer (for example, supervisor harassment via Facebook); or

- Otherwise violate company policies.

So you’re probably wondering what are the benefits to advocating the use of social media by your dealership’s employees and how can you manage this activity successfully (and to your advantage)?? Have no fear…I’ll cover that in my next blog post.

~ Missy Jensen, Social Media Manager @ DMEautomotive.

Bio:

Missy designs, deploys and maintains the social media initiatives for DMEautomotive in an effort to increase brand awareness, distribute company and industry news, provide updates on products and services and promote consumer engagement. Missy enjoys the process of learning; researching and watching projects come to fruition!

Prior to her transformation into a web specialist and work with DMEautomotive, she has 10 years of experience in the marketing and communications industry. Missy served as the Director, Handicapping & Communications for a regional golf association and helped successfully launch and maintain a cutting edge technology-based ticket resale program on behalf of the St. Louis Cardinals

Missy attended St. Lawrence University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Psychology. She also holds a Master’s Degree from Miami University in Oxford, OH. She can be reached at [email protected]

LinkedIn Profile: Missy Jensen - LinkedIn
 
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I think the best thing you can do is realize that not everyone will be a happy customer, whether they got the best deal possible and feel like they were taken, or they are paying full sticker and happy as a clam. All customers are considerably different and you just need to know going into it that there will be unhappy customers that like to vocalize their displeasure. I look at those people as opportunities. If someone were to post on your facebook explaining how they had a bad service experience and you quickly comment back apologizing and offering to resolve any problems to the best of your ability and provide a contact number. You are showing customers you are willing to work through problems and resolve issues. Customers are smart, they know not everyone will be 100% every time. I think they also seek out the people willing to quickly and accurately resolve the issue.

Just make sure you let them know that Facebook isnt a tool that should be used to directly sell cars. Facebook is a tool that should be used to sell your dealership. The dealership story, the people, the smiling faces at time of delivery, and promoting what the dealership has to offer. Sure you should have an inventory page but if that is your focus, it will fail.

As noted, it can be a time sink for employees so there either needs to be a way to monitor or you have to trust your employees.

-Lou
 
Mike & Steven:
This is a part of a 4 part series:


Part 1: ENCOURAGING YOUR DEALERSHIP’S EMPLOYEES TO USE FACEBOOK TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES: Encouraging Your Dealership?s Employees to Use Facebook to Create Opportunities Full Circle Solutions Blog

Part 2: THE BENEFITS OF ENCOURAGING EMPLOYEES TO USE FACEBOOK AT YOUR DEALERSHIP:
The Benefits of Encouraging Employees to Use Facebook at Your Dealership Full Circle Solutions Blog

Part 3: HOW TO ENCOURAGE YOUR EMPLOYEES TO USE FACEBOOK:
How To Encourage Your Employees to Use Facebook Full Circle Solutions Blog

I think you'll find answers to your questions and other insights you haven't thought of (or haven't asked about yet).

Lou, thanks for your great answer and example. Right on target.