We're Really Doing it, Harry.
photo courtesy of @Dominicano23 via Twitter, http://bit.ly/13NFvwQ
In the wake of the sequel to one of my top 5 movies of all time about to be released (Dumb and Dumber To), I couldn’t help but make the association between a recent experience with a Dodge Sprinter and the Mutt Cutts van.
While browsing the interwebs, checking updates to the ETE Facebook page, I came across another company’s photo of a stranded Sprinter at the Colorado state line with an ugly amount of red liquid under the van and all across the road (the same beautiful interstate that Harry and Lloyd once navigated in their 1984 Ford Econoline Sheepdog, I might add).
After reading through a number of comments from what appeared to be friends, family, coworkers, and fans of the company, one in particular caught my attention: “Noah, looks like a job for ETE REMAN.”
Naturally, I agreed with this individual – and reached out to the person who posted the photo of their stranded fleet vehicle.
I wasn’t able to make direct contact with the guy, unfortunately. But, I did learn that their company travels across the country fixing sporting equipment for their products and this particular van belonged to the technical support department. There’s nothing worse than a technical support department needing their own tech support, if you ask me.
I certainly applaud the company for being willing to put their name out there and give others the chance to see them in a vulnerable state. They opened themselves up for all kinds of comments and that takes cojones. But I wonder if this made any of their customers – or potential customers – skeptical about their product.
My attempted heroics aside, the point here is all about social media feedback.
That individual who recommended us could have said something negative instead or referred another transmission remanufacturer. Researching your own company has become a crucial part of expanding business. There is no better way to find out how others feel about you and your product than reading reviews and putting yourself in the customer’s shoes, especially for a smaller shop whose lifeline is the local customer and word of mouth.
Imagine you keep asking your friends, “What can I help you with on your vehicle? Come on in and I’ll get you taken care of.” Your “friends” keep telling you they don’t need any work right now or they decided to fix it themselves. If this has happened to you in the past or is happening to you now, you’d better check yourself. Those same people aren’t seeing pictures of another friend’s car and telling them for hundreds of others to see, “Take it to (insert your business name here). They’re the best!”
So how do you know if you’re really doing it, and doing it well? Google yourself. Yelp your shop. Bing your franchise. Pay attention to your tweets and mentions. If you’re not sure what any of those are, call me and I’ll do it for you. We can cringe together or rejoice together in the outlook of your previous customer. Whether good or bad, you need to know the way people talk about you and your shop. Search for feedback, accept criticism, and make it better. You can’t afford not to.
Kevin, aka the Remanimal, is a fan of the comedic gem Dumb and Dumber. But he’s an even bigger fan of knowing all there is to know about your company. When was the last time you read feedback from your customers online? Share your thoughts below or email Kevin directly!
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