Automotive-websites holding dealers' Google Analytics history hostage?

[George Nenni]

Ugh. Come on, really? Major automotive website companies (nameless at the moment), ad agencies also, telling dealers, "Sorry we can't transfer Admin for your Google Analytics, since we own that." So the dealer doesn't own their historical website performance stats? Aren't they paying you to host, and/or running ads with you? It takes 30 seconds, a few clicks, and a full serving of ethics, vs. having the dealer hate you forever.

I educate dealers regularly on the importance of securing GA admin, and every few weeks run into these hostage situations. Would a dealer allow the last 5 years of P&L to be held hostage? Not a chance. So why tolerate losing 5 years of historical web stats?

Any advice?

 

[Alexander Lau]

Been through this countless times at the dealer, agency and vendor level. The dealer must step in and make sure you gain access. It's illegal for an agency or website provider to block access to the account owned by the dealer.

 

[Alex Snyder]

Any advice?

First off... dealers don't ask your website provider to create a Google Analytics account for you. Make your own and transfer it from one website provider to the next when you switch.

Unfortunately, @georgenenni, too many dealers are too reliant on their vendor and just ask them to set it up. The more a vendor does on the dealer's behalf the more the dealer becomes dependent on that vendor.

All this is pretty duuuuuuuuh, but in the heat of the showroom battle it is way too easy for a dealer to not think through the conversation he is having with his vendor. It is always simpler to tell someone yes when you perceive that "yes" to not cost you anything.

 

[Alexander Lau]

First off... dealers don't ask your website provider to create a Google Analytics account for you. Make your own and transfer it from one website provider to the next when you switch.

Unfortunately, @georgenenni, too many dealers are too reliant on their vendor and just ask them to set it up. The more a vendor does on the dealer's behalf the more the dealer becomes dependent on that vendor.

All this is pretty duuuuuuuuh, but in the heat of the showroom battle it is way too easy for a dealer to not think through the conversation he is having with his vendor. It is always simpler to tell someone yes when you perceive that "yes" to not cost you anything.

There's that and you're spot-on. There are basics that a dealer has to learn. One of them is setting up an Google Analytics account (should be a single account), with multiple locations / properties and then views. Don't give an agency the option to hold it ransom. Grant them permission and make sure the web vendor uses the JS from the properties you've set up.

 

[George Nenni]

Been through this countless times at the dealer, agency and vendor level. The dealer must step in and make sure you gain access. It's illegal for an agency or website provider to block access to the account owned by the dealer.

That is what

First off... dealers don't ask your website provider to create a Google Analytics account for you. Make your own and transfer it from one website provider to the next when you switch.

Unfortunately, @georgenenni, too many dealers are too reliant on their vendor and just ask them to set it up. The more a vendor does on the dealer's behalf the more the dealer becomes dependent on that vendor.

All this is pretty duuuuuuuuh, but in the heat of the showroom battle it is way too easy for a dealer to not think through the conversation he is having with his vendor. It is always simpler to tell someone yes when you perceive that "yes" to not cost you anything.

Agreed @Alex Snyder and likely the path this one took with the dealership. Escalating through store and website provider, hopefully resolve without starting over!

-George

 

[Alexander Lau]

That is what


Agreed @Alex Snyder and likely the path this one took with the dealership. Escalating through store and website provider, hopefully resolve without starting over!

-George

It's the likely path of 95% of dealers.

 

[Dane Saville]

We've had dealers we pitch to tell us that they do not and cannot access their GA accounts -- that their previous agency owned them. Even honest agencies try to correct this issue. It is that type of behavior that places a stigma on agencies, just like the stereotype of a car dealer does with consumers. It truly is that one bad apple can ruin the bunch.

We are seeing the same thing across verticals, too, with healthcare organizations, clinics, etc, not really knowing that they need to own their GA accounts.

@Alexander Lau - I see you're up in Pittsburgh. I was born and raised there. Did you move there, or are you a homegrown Yinzer?

 

[Alexander Lau]

We've had dealers we pitch to tell us that they do not and cannot access their GA accounts -- that their previous agency owned them. Even honest agencies try to correct this issue. It is that type of behavior that places a stigma on agencies, just like the stereotype of a car dealer does with consumers. It truly is that one bad apple can ruin the bunch.

We are seeing the same thing across verticals, too, with healthcare organizations, clinics, etc, not really knowing that they need to own their GA accounts.

@Alexander Lau - I see you're up in Pittsburgh. I was born and raised there. Did you move there, or are you a homegrown Yinzer?

I'm homegrown, but have lived all over the place. Nice to meet you.

 

[Dane Saville]

Nice to mee you, too.

Always impressed by your responses. I need to make a more concerted effort to engage with this community more!

 

[George Nenni]

We've had dealers we pitch to tell us that they do not and cannot access their GA accounts -- that their previous agency owned them. Even honest agencies try to correct this issue. It is that type of behavior that places a stigma on agencies, just like the stereotype of a car dealer does with consumers. It truly is that one bad apple can ruin the bunch.

We are seeing the same thing across verticals, too, with healthcare organizations, clinics, etc, not really knowing that they need to own their GA accounts.

@Alexander Lau - I see you're up in Pittsburgh. I was born and raised there. Did you move there, or are you a homegrown Yinzer?

@Dane Saville when you say, "Even honest agencies try to correct this issue", can they not turn over admin rights?