Does Your Dealer Block Social Media?

[Jeff Kershner]

Studies show over 50% percent of companies block social media in the work place.

I wouldn't be surprised if car dealers help make up a large portion of that percentage...

Do you see this number decreasing as dealers get a better understanding of social media and the potential impact is has?

Or will most dealers keep their stance on social media and continue to block it from work computers?

I understand the Initial fear dealers might have. Being afraid that their sales and service employees will go about wasting time on social media sites like facebook. But maybe no more time than most do already standing in front of the window waiting for the up bus.

Then again, employees that want to be "social" find other ways to get it done - their iphone, ipad, driod or other mobile operating device.

If I were on the floor and worked at a dealership that restricted my access to social sites that I was able to leverage for rapport building and possible incremental sales, I'd have my iPad hooked to my hip or my laptop tethered through my phone for internet access.

Further studies suggest social media is spent more for personal reasons than work reasons with only 6.8% of the participants indicating that they use social media for any work purposes. Studies also suggests that social media on platforms such as Facebook have "shattered the divide between business and personal use" and often encourage such intermingling, further exacerbating this issue.

One could argue, as mobile devices (phones and tablets) make it easier to be "social", is it even necessary to open access to social sites to everyone at the dealership?

Does your dealer restrict social media use?

 

[Ryan Thompson (blog)]

Anyone with an iphone is getting "social" on their own terms. 

Hovering over the receptionist and distracting her from her work, can't be a better use of time than watching your competitors YouTube channel.

 

[bpreston]

I haven't restricted social media sites, yet. We have trained our people and encouraged our people to leverage the opportunities that social media, particularly Facebook, presents. However, I have found that the work related efforts are vastly out weighed by distraction and headaches (inappropriate posts, pictures, etc.) We implemented a new network recently and will be restricting these sites soon. Obviously, they'll still be able to check Facebook on their phones, but I think this is much better than browsing for the entire day. Most of our Facebook sales have started from a private message from an acquaintance, friend, or previous customer and these messages are emailed to you.

 

[Grant Gooley]

An employee who uses Facebook to distract them from their work is using other forms of distractions as well, like a phone to call their friends.
 
Facebook will not create a poor worker. Poor results means poor work. 

Staff need to be trained on Facebook and how to use it to benefit the dealership. If they are using Facebook in non-work way, then there will be trouble. The same as if you are calling your friends on the dealership phone. Whats the difference?

 

[JQ]

Does it really even matter anymore if the dealer is on Facebook?  Seems to me like we're chasing, chasing, chasing...  I'm starting to think we're chasing "nothing" -- just keeping-up for the sake of keeping-up.  I know that now we "have" to be there -- but the reasons "why" we have to be there seem to be fading pretty fast.  I mean, if a tree falls in the woods, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?  If we dumped our FB page, would our thousands of fans notice?  I wonder...

 

[Tom White Jr.]

RT @Dealerrefresh: Does Your Dealer Block Social Media? Comment right here -->> http://bit.ly/n1SohB

 

[Ed Brooks]

There's a great Ted Talk on the biggest obstacles to getting work done at work - Social Media isn't the problem. Jason Fried: Why work doesn't happen at work -
View: http://www.ted.com/talks/jason_fried_why_work_doesn_t_happen_at_work.html

 

[Meredith Soleau]

As an HR Manager at a dealership who writes a personal humor blog, writes for an online magazine, and for an HR blog... I would really be two-faced to block my employees from social media.  We actually encourage them to sell cars to their Facebook friends.  We love the interaction with our customers.  Let's be real here... people spend a lot of time on social media.  We are being smart to capture some of that time.  We track where our leads come from, and I can promise you it works.  The one thing we do not allow is trash talking the company.  As long as they stay positive... we fully support their social media efforts.

 

[Gwenny92]

We do block social media...we actually block many websites.  In my opinion I think it's a mistake.  I think it is a great way to communicate with your customers on a much more personal basis.  Most of our employees will just use their phones anyways so why not embrace and support it. 

 

[James Calero (blog)]

Our dealer blocks social media save for the Internet Department that I manage.  So 3 employees have use of it.  Initially the thought was to connect with Gen Y on their terms for our Scion Brand.   In fact the opposite has happened, as baby boomers are embracing it as much as Gen. Y, Millennial and X buyers.  So for our initial 1st year in the world of social media, I would have to formulate my opinion that a dealer would greatly benefit from allowing the use of Social media and embrace the needs of the market as well as the future employees that will manage that market.  Ultimately driving sales has to come from a systematic approach to managing social media networks and leveraging the benefits on a macro level for all the dealerships departments, not just sales.  Connecting with the core values and buying motives of the next generation of buyers will involve adapting the sales to marketing strategies ability in building, supporting, and cultivating relationships outside the physical showroom.  Virtual showrooms on a dealers website are a key portal to introducing a dealers commitment to embracing the total relationship cycle by acknowledging the use of social media.
 
Considering the amount of time people spend on the internet should be a key indicator that social media sites are the hub of where all communication takes place.  To support this, I have had more interaction with a new client on Facebook than through a phone call or email.  The issue lies with security.  Virus’s run rampant among the net and social media has been flagged as a hot bed for the new hackers delight.

James