Today, over 97% of millennial customers look to online reviews to inform their search for a more convenient and engaging customer experience.

So, building an outreach plan that rebrands your tire shop into the most trusted and reliable place in the area to fix a vehicle, and converts online searches into in-store customers is a winning strategy.

Leveraging reviews for online visibility

With over 60% of all searches being conducted through a mobile device, today’s customers rely heavily on a compelling Google My Business listing. A good GMB listing should showcase glowing customer reviews, giving searchers a snapshot of what it’s like to visit your collision center.

For the younger customer, every interaction counts. The easier it is to find your shop, view your hours and availability, or simply contact you for pricing & services, the more comfortable your new customer will feel in choosing you.

For Podium customers like Doug Levene and his Havoline Xpress & Tire Pros franchise, creating a strong online reputation that showcased their high-quality service and built a younger fan base was essential to increasing their steady stream of repeat business. Levene’s team realized that it was time to rebrand their outreach strategy to more easily engage customers who now find their 12 locations through Google rather than word of mouth.

Levene says that “Online reviews are extremely important, especially for a service business like ours. Many young people and millennials are relying on online reviews to determine whether or not they want to do business with you.” Today, customers learn to trust your shop based on both the high-quality customer service you offer them and the constant positive feedback that shapes the online perception of your center.

Adapting to new technology

In the past, Levene’s Havoline Xpress & Tire Pros locations used an email-based tool to invite customers to review their shops. The problem with this solution was it didn’t drive reviews onto public-facing review sites like Google or Facebook. So even though they were receiving feedback on their customer experience and quality work, potential customers weren’t able to see it and use it to inform their decision-making process.

They needed a modern solution that helped them engage with potential customers on their terms. So when Levene heard about Podium and how it was helping other Tire Pros locations improve their online reputation, he knew he had to give it a try.

Once Levene’s team switched over to text-based review invites, they instantly saw a jump in their inbound leads and online visibility. In a year, they’ve gone from 196 to over 2,300 Google reviews for their 12 locations and increased their online rating from 4.6 to 4.9 stars. Modernized interactions now give their business more credibility with young online searchers and ensure new customers feel confident choosing them over other shops.

Closing the millennial gap

The key to building a younger customer base is providing convenient and seamless communication that helps your customers feel connected with you and with everyone else who chooses your shop.

Switching from outdated review tools such as links and surveys to text-based feedback solutions will help you close the gap between online searching and in-store buying. It will also help you optimize and upgrade your online visibility and draw in younger leads.

Podium’s Review solutions will also encourage your team to build a more review-based culture. The modernized review process makes it easy for your customers to leave a review and for your employees to feel motivated in sending out review invitations.

“What we liked most about Podium was how instantaneous the text message invitation was to our customers. Other solutions we looked at sent invitations out the next day or later, and that seemed intrusive to us” Levene said. Now you can close the loop even before your customer steps out the door.

Making the transition to text-based interactions will not only ensure customers feel like they’re your top priority, but it will ensure younger customers choose you for all of their current and future repair needs.

Tagged: Doug Levene

How a Tire Shop leveraged texting to create a millennial-focused customer experience