Dealers need faster response times

Ford Retail spent two years setting up its online businesses and believes dealer groups using social media should react to customers rather than broadcast to them.

“We tend to react to customers not broadcast to them. It’s not our space, it’s theirs. It is important to have two-way communication,” said Steve Hood, managing director of Ford Retail’s internet division.

As one of the biggest dealer groups in the country, Ford Retail has made a significant investment into delivering two internet sales channels: direct websites for the group and its parts business, plus individual sites for its 66 dealerships.

Its social media offerings include Facebook and Live Help, the latter providing a channel for its first online car sale in a process which took 40 minutes.

“We want people to talk to us in whichever way they want to,” said Hood.

 Hood pointed out how the immediacy of social media has led the group to change some of its internal processes and highlighted how this has overhauled its complaints process. 

“In the past it was internally focused. We would have a letter or phone call and an internal inquest to see who was to blame.  

“With social media the clock is ticking and it’s externally focused. You have to participate in the conversation and look after the customer,” he said.

Hood pointed out how easy it is for a disgruntled or happy customer to Tweet from a showroom.

“You have to participate in the conversation because it’s going to happen anyway.”