As 2011 winds down, Mitchell 1 has new programs in place to help your shop get off on the right foot in the new year with reviews that actually can help your business.
SocialCRM is Mitchell 1’s new customer retention marketing program geared to go beyond its previous eCRM, emails, postcards and other programs already in place. The company launched the service this fall, and shops around the country now can use the program to reach customers where they are, specifically online.
“It’s really a shop managed reputation by way of raising their visibility on the Internet, because point blank” that’s where customers are, says Brian Warfield, Mitchell 1’s product manager for SocialCRM.
One of the best features for shops, according to Warfield, are the automatic customer reviews they now can receive. He explained the review system to Motor Age at this year’s AAPEX.
It starts automatically when an invoice is closed. Shop management does not have to do anything, as SocialCRM generates an email for that customer, sending it to the address the shop already has on file, allowing the customer to create a review and build your online reputation effortlessly.
“It links them to a review site, and that link is specifically tied to that shop and that consumer so we can identify that business and when that transaction took place, which is really important,” Warfield says. “As you may know, there’s a lot of third-party reviews out there, but they’re done anonymously. You can’t really know for sure who’s giving a review. What we’re able to do is give a certified review and use that as a point of content for the shop.”
These reviews can benefit your shops, because you know where they come from, are legitimate and can help you solve problems before they grow. Mitchell 1 adds keywords to the reviews to create links search engines successfully can find, allowing your shop to become more visible online.
Warfield also describes SocialCRM as comprehensive, automated, affordable, personalized and full of results. You have a specific support agent you will deal with to go over the program, your results and your plan of action.
“For under $100 a month, you can really do quite a bit,” he says.
The reviews are just one benefit Warfield says the program offers. Mitchell 1 has added monthly reporting features to SocialCRM so you can track your ROI. You and your support agent have the ability to monitor results and fine tune your program through extensive online reporting. Marketing programs can be implemented, updated and adjusted at any time to help boost or target sales.
Also, SocialCRM will work with the shop’s management system to help turn first-time customers into repeat one. Features like Facebook page management and inclusion of AutoNetTV videos bolster the service.
