The Power of Social [STUDY]  http://tier10lab.com/2011/11/04/the-power-of-social/  

November 4, 2011

By Elizabeth Frey

Social media has the power to make or break a reputation – a lesson Brickell Honda demonstrated this week, when the Miami car dealership successfully turned a customer’s negative experience into a positive one. By taking the necessary steps to resolve the issue, Brickell Honda was not only able to maintain their reputation, but also sell a car over a social media site.

During a routine monitoring of their Twitter account, Tier10 Marketing noticed the negative post by a disappointed customer. He tweeted his post to his 200+ followers at 11:30am. Due to the nature of social media, bad news can travel fast, and the repercussions of the dissatisfied customer’s tweet could have resulted in a negative reputation for the dealer and the loss of the sale to a competitor.

Brickell Honda was able to salvage the situation, however, by addressing the problem appropriately. They contacted the customer via Twitter and by 7:00pm later that day, he was working with Rick Barazza, Co-Owner of Brickell Honda, to set up an appointment to buy a car the next day.

A key element to addressing the customer’s complaint was working with them in a comfortable environment. “Most of the transactions were via Twitter,” says Andrew Diffenderfer, Marketing Director at Tier10 Marketing. “Because they initially filed their complaint there, that was the best place to find a resolution.”

Contacting the customer through social media also added to the dialog he was already having with his followers, and provided Brickell Honda an opportunity to demonstrate a good example of their customer service directly in that arena.

 

When monitored and utilized effectively, social media sites like Twitter can provide a great value and benefit to dealerships and allow them to address concerns immediately. Before social media, once a customer left a dealership, the door would close on communication as well. There was no timely way to know whether a customer was satisfied, and no way to address their concerns if they were dissatisfied. Now, social media provides dealers an opportunity to engage with customers after they leave the lot and ensure their final experience is positive.

“Tier10 Marketing is an industry leader in social media, employing some of the top social media talent in the nation to oversee our clients' platforms,” explains Tier10 Emerging Media Director Joseph Olesh. “We take social media very seriously and will continue to utilize Facebook, Twitter, and the like, to promote the best interests of our clients.”

“The most important lesson here is full transparency. If you’re going to expose yourself in different mediums, be prepared to interact with customers through those avenues,” says Diffenderfer. “This simple fifteen second task of reading through a Twitter feed saved their reputation and sold a car for the dealer.”

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