It’s tough for dealers to build and maintain their brands in a crisis, said Jeff Ansell of Jeff Ansell & Associates Inc. Dealers are not always in control of decisions in regard to their brands, added Ansell.
That’s why dealers need to learn how to develop consistent messages, and ensure all staff have the customer in mind when they deliver those messages, said Ansell.
This will be the crux of Ansell’s presentation at the 2016 CADA Summit, held by the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association on Feb.10, 2016 in Toronto.
Ansell is the evening keynote speaker, and will deliver a presentation called “When the Brand is You.” It will look at the ways dealers can build and defend their brands in a crisis and protect their reputations.
Those who attend they keynote will also receive a copy of Ansell’s book entitled, When the Headline is YOU — An Insider’s Guide to Handling the Media.
The book provides strategies and skills that companies can use to handle difficult situations in the public eye, along with ways to frame a controversial story and answer challenging questions.
Having a background in journalism, Ansell is familiar with how the media frames a story. Reporters are always looking to cast a victim character, a villain and a hero, said Ansell. The story is reported in black and white, framed as good versus evil and honest versus dishonest.
But there are ways dealers can turn a negative situation around.
Ansell lists dozens of companies that have been able to do that. In his book, Ansell talks about how Computer manufacturer Dell, for example, confronted product issues head on. This resulted in positive feedback from Dell customers.
“It’s about a true understanding of what our customers are concerned about and demonstrating that we are being genuine and accountable in everything we say and do,” said Ansell.
After hearing his presentation, Ansell hopes that dealers will come away understanding the power of emotion in a crisis situation.
“When you are dealing with controversy it’s all about emotion. And when you are dealing with customers who are less than pleased, they’re feeling very emotional. And the responsibility that I think the dealers have is to honour the emotion that customers are expressing,” said Ansell.
“I know this is such an important event for the Canadian automobile dealers and I am so grateful to be chosen to be the keynote speaker. I will do my very best to share what I hope will be information of value.”
TD Auto Finance is the exclusive sponsor of the CADA Summit. To register visit: www.cadasummit.ca
