Meet Your Support Agent – Keri Winslow

Meet Your Support Agent: Keri Winslow

The “Meet Your Support Agent” feature provides an inside look at the SocialCRM service from the support agent’s perspective. In an interview format, they share expertise, insights and best practices to help auto repair shops use digital marketing & social media strategies to gain competitive advantage in their market. This time we’ll discuss social media and the value of the support interactions with aftermarket shops. We’re pleased to introduce Keri Winslow, who has been a SocialCRM support agent for three years.

Marcus: What do you like most about your support interactions with customers?

Keri: I like getting shops engaged with the service and working with them on the creative elements of the program. We work together on things like email blasts, creating custom cover art images for postcards, and new coupon campaigns. This allows us to find new and different ways to get more customers coming through the door for them. I love hearing the shop owners’ excitement as we put together their campaigns. They say things like, “Oh yeah, this looks really nice,” or, “This is great, I would never have thought of that …” I’ve also heard shop owners say that working with me is a nice change of pace; it allows them to get out of the “tech” role and work on other aspects of their business.


Marcus:
In your opinion, what’s the most valuable aspect of the service?

Keri: All the email communications we send are the most important part. We do service reminders, recurring emails, appointments reminders, thank-you emails… the list goes on. Ongoing customer communication is very important and it’s a good feeling to be able to help make it easy and effective for shops.

Marcus: Let’s talk about social media. How do you encourage your shops to get started in social media and make it work for them?

Keri: I first ask them how they go about finding a business when they need one: “Are you using your Yellow Pages book, or are you using your computer or smartphone to do a Google search?” Most often they say they use a Google search. I explain that’s what their consumers are going to do also. When someone needs an automotive shop — whether they’re local or from out of town — they’re going to search the Web, and they may even ask their friends on Facebook for a recommendation. In either case, the shop will want to have a strong social media presence so their business can easily be found. That’s the bottom line. To be found, they need to participate in social media and be active on the Internet. At this point in the conversation, the shop owner is usually very interested to hear about the many ways that SocialCRM can help them build their Internet and social media presence.

About the Author

Marcus Mackell

Marcus Mackell is the Director of Mitchell 1's SocialCRM shop marketing product line. He joined the company in 2003 and has been in the automotive social media & retention business for over 17 years.