Reputation.com managing online reputation for Ford dealers

Ford dealers have a new vendor for managing their reputation management and an opportunity, perhaps as early as this summer, to get discounted prices for customer relationship management services.

Stacey Coopes, CEO of FordDirect, said the company switched in July from Digital Air Strike to Reputation.com as the reputation management vendor offered to Ford's 3,000 dealerships.

Coopes said Reputation.com monitors consumer comments about Ford dealers on the Internet and also sends dealers postings for Facebook and social media during special events.

Ford dealers also can purchase additional reputation management services from Reputation.com at prices negotiated by FordDirect, Coopes said.

Those might include the solicitation and posting of consumer reviews and additional social media content, she said.

FordDirect typically negotiates discounts of 30 to 40 percent of retail from select vendors because of the volume of business it can provide, Coopes said.

FordDirect is a joint venture by Ford and Ford dealers to promote the use of digital sales tools and marketing services.

Coopes said FordDirect is vetting CRM vendors to select one that will have technical savvy and the willingness to sell CRM software and services at a discount to Ford dealers. She said the CRM vendor should be on board and services available to dealers by the third quarter.