Podium Announces Partnership with Kia Motors America, Inc. in their Social Media & Reputation Management Program

LEHI, Utah, Aug. 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Podium, the leading customer interaction management platform for local businesses, announces a strategic partnership with Kia Motors America (KMA) as one of their preferred providers in their Social Media & Reputation Management (SMRM) program for their dealers across the United States. This partnership will allow dealers the ability to integrate their dealership's customer data with Podium's unique messaging and online review products.

"How our dealerships are found and seen online continues to be an important factor for customers during their buying process," said Barb Bertram, Digital Sales Manager for Kia Motors America. "80% of consumers will avoid a business with bad reviews and 59% say dealership reputation was the most important factor when choosing which dealership to visit. Thanks to this partnership with Podium, our dealers can use and automate their data to improve customer interaction and make it easier than ever for our dealerships to be found. We are proud that this partnership with Podium allows Kia dealerships to be at the forefront of improving the dealership experience."

In using Podium's platform and online review invitations, customers who have recently purchased a Kia vehicle are sent an invitation to review the dealership via text within minutes, when reviews are most accurate and likely to be acted on. This integration will save dealers time as well as increasing the number and quality of their online reviews of their dealership on Google, Facebook, and other key sites customers use when deciding where to find their next vehicle. As a part of Kia's SMRM program, Podium is 100% DAS eligible. Roughly 25% of Kia dealerships in the United States have utilized this partnership and have used it to triple the amount of reviews they receive on a monthly basis. These dealerships have also improved their star rating on Google reviews by nearly half a star as a result.

"Kia is one of the leading OEM manufacturers working to improve the customer interaction experience in the automotive industry," said Ross Tinkham, VP of Automotive Sales at Podium. "In adding Podium's powerful online review and two-way messaging products to their SMRM program, we are confident this will supercharge their dealerships' competitive advantage in bringing in new customers and keeping them Kia owners for life."

To enroll in or learn more about the Kia Certified SMRM Program, please visit http://kiadigitalprogram.com/Social

About Podium

Podium modernizes the way business happens locally with products designed to help businesses be found, chosen, and gain insight into their customers' experience. By conveniently facilitating millions of customer interactions, such as driving customer-generated online reviews and providing improved customer communication tools, Podium currently serves over 20,000 local businesses in creating over 4 million customer interactions every month. Headquartered in Lehi, Utah, and founded in 2014, Podium is currently backed by Accel, Summit Partners, GV (formerly Google Ventures), and Y Combinator. To learn more, visit www.podium.com or contact us at [email protected].

About Kia Motors America

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia Motors America continues to top quality surveys and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands and 50 Best Global Green Brands by Interbrand.  Kia serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and offers a complete range of vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including cars and SUVs proudly assembled in West Point, Georgia.

For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

Contact
Brian Spittler
Director, Corporate Communications and PR
Podium
[email protected]

SOURCE Podium

Related Links

https://www.podium.com/