Automakers are using social media better and better to connect to their customers. They’ve worked their asses off to not only put out user generated content fire, but also to make the people buying their cars feel appreciated. Lets just say dealerships have yet to fully embrace or understand the this concept. Sure most of them have some halfass’d social media account, but what good is that if all you do is scream into about your latest oil change prices?
For most buyers, the car dealership is their first person-to-person interaction with a manufacturer and you know what they say about first impressions. Earlier, I argued that “bad customer service can make a great product bad.” This should ring true for anyone in the business of selling something. The biggest challenge facing the automotive industry from a customer perspective is getting the dealerships to overcome the “bottom line profit” mentality (easier said then done). Until that happens, it doesn’t matter how awesome your social media strategy is or what firm you have running it, if it doesn’t include the retail experience then you might as well put that money to better use by making t-shirts or something. This doesn’t mean giving the dealership better pamphlets and other swag. I’m talking about [Read more...]
