Time efficiency
One of the greatest advantages of HootSuite is the site's scheduling posts capability. One reason I hear tire dealers are hesitant to grasp what social media has to offer is because of the time commitment. It is difficult to take time out in the day to post. This is true. Sometimes we get wrapped up in the more "traditional" aspects of the business that it is hard to find the time.
However, with HootSuite or other social media management systems, you can get into the habit of blocking out 30 minutes of your morning to schedule posts. This does not mean that it is the only time you want to check in, but you can do the bulk of your posting then. Someone in the business should be checking back at least twice a day for any responses or questions.
For instance, if you post that you are running a deal on oil changes, but you do not sign back on until the next day, then you may lose potential business. What if you have people asking you questions or trying to schedule an oil change on that day? Even if you want to be the person who posts the information on the sites, you still want someone to be monitoring it throughout the day.
Using social media is about building your brand and creating relationships with your customers. It's a conversation. It's just like when we get around that one relative that always seems to go on and on and on about his or her life, but when it's your turn to talk—they are nowhere to be found. You do not want to get that reputation when using social media.
Secondly, HootSuite will be a great time saver for tire dealers with accounts for each of its locations. If a dealer has three locations, all with a Facebook, Twitter and Google+ account, that is nine pages to manage.
That can be overwhelming for anyone. However, with HootSuite, all your pages can be displayed in one screen. You can see what people are saying and comment back, etc. You can schedule posts to go to all sites, or schedule special deals or information for just one location. It makes the process simpler, which can help it seem less scary.