5. Offboarding (DS SEM)

When the unthinkable happens, and a client wants to cancel their Digital Marketing Services, or even their website entirely, there is an escalation pathway that must be followed. We Want to retain any and all clients that we can, so make sure you're doing your due diligence to hear your clients' concerns and address them appropriately.

Retention


When a client expresses concerns over the value of their campaign or informs their Account Manager that they're considering another marketing service, or states they wish to cancel their services:

Account Managers

The Account Manager will initially determine if the situation needs to be escalated to the Retention Team (Amy/Anglee), a Team Lead, or their Department Manager, then:

  • Immediately create a Change Request in the CRM
  • If escalating to the Retention Team, add a Save Attempt to their Change Request
  • Reach out the SEM Specialist if additional information is needed for the retention call

Retention Team

Based on the outcome of the retention call:

  • Amy or Anglee will update the Change Request
  • Amy or Anglee will submit the Change Request for approval (NOT the Account Manager)

Approval

  • Once submitted, the change request first goes to Jeremy Bliesner for approval
  • Once approved by Jeremy Bliesner, the change request is sent to Dustin Hunter for approval
    • If a credit needs to be issued, the change request will then be sent to the Finance Team for approval
  • Once approved by Jeremy Bliesner and Dustin Hunter, the change request is sent to the Accounting Team for processing, updating records, etc.

Digital Marketing Operations Team

Once the change request is approved an email is triggered in the CRM and sent to a distribution email list that includes the Digital Marketing Operations Lead as well as all Digital Marketing Leads and Managers:

  • The email contains a link to a task that consolidates the product change notes from the CRM
  • The Digital Marketing Operations Lead reviews the email then forwards the email to the SEM Specialist
  • The Digital Marketing Operations Lead adds the client to their Planner Sheet, tracking cancellations and pauses
    • Remind the SEM Team about the cancellation as we get closer to the effective date


Retention Resources



Cancellation / Contract Pause / Addendums (Budget Changes)


When a client wants to cancel their contract, pause their contract, or otherwise change their contract (usually to reduce their overall budget) the following must occur:

Account Managers

  • Immediately create a Change Request in the CRM (only if one has not already been created)
  • Reach out the SEM Specialist if additional information is needed for the retention call
  • If the Retention Team was not involved the Account Manager will submit the change request for approval

Retention Team

Based on the outcome of the retention call:

  • Amy or Anglee will submit the change request for approval (NOT the Account Manager)

For a cancellations and contract pauses

SEM Specialist

  • Pause their ads based on the date of the cancellation (could be immediate or in the future based on the effective date of the cancellation)

Addendums (Budget Changes)

Once an addendum (budget change) has been proposed, by either the SEM Specialist or the client:

Account Managers

  • An Account Manager will create and send out the Addendum to the client 
    • Currently this is being done through DocuSign, but eventually this will happen in the CRM
  • Once the Account Manager has the signed addendum they will fill out a change request (but no save attempt)
  • The account manager will submit the change request for approval with the attached addendum/budget change

Approval (for Cancellations, Contract Pauses, and Addendums [Budget Changes])

The approval process for Cancellations, Contract Pauses, and Addendums (Budget Changes) is the same as the process for retention, please see above

Digital Marketing Operations Team

Once the change request is approved an email is triggered in the CRM and sent to a distribution email list that includes the Digital Marketing Operations Lead as well as all Digital Marketing Leads and Managers:

  • The email contains a link to a task that consolidates the product change notes from the CRM
  • The Digital Marketing Operations Lead reviews the email then forwards the email to the SEM Specialist
  • The Digital Marketing Operations Lead adds the client to their Planner Sheet, tracking cancellations and pauses
    • Remind the SEM Team about the cancellation as we get closer to the effective date
  • For Addendums (Budget Changes)
    • The email contains a link to a task that consolidates the product change notes from the CRM
    • The Digital Marketing Operations Lead reviews the email then forwards the signed addendum to the SEM Specialist
  • The Digital Marketing Operations Lead will then update the account status in the CRM to reflect the contract pause, cancellation, or budget change


Cancellation / Contract Pause / Addendum (Budget Change) Resources



Offboarding


For contract pauses, the client should not be removed from any tools or services. The offboarding procedures should only be followed for clients who have canceled either their Digital Marketing Services or left the Dealer Spike platform entirely.

Digital Marketing Operations Team 

  • Remove the canceled client's information from the Client Tracker
  • Update the DigMS Offboarding Sheet with the newly cancelled client's information

Juniper

Our team members at Juniper will then remove the client from the following tools and services: 

  • SEM QA Trello Board
  • Ninja Cat (only if leaving the DS platform)
  • Google Ads (only if leaving the DS platform)
  • Google Analytics (only if leaving the DS platform)
  • Google Search Console (only if leaving the DS platform)
  • Google Tag Manager (only if leaving the DS platform)

SEM Specialists

In addition to double-checking Juniper's work, the SEM Specialists are also responsible for:

  • Pause Google Ad campaigns, change budget to $.01, remove scripts, and hide the account.
  • Disable all scripts in Google Ads
  • Pause and change budgets to $.01 in Microsoft Ads (Bing), if applicable
  • Pause in Facebook, if applicable 
  • Place a HOLD on the Fluency account 




Now that you've completed the customer's journey through the Dealer Spike SEM Department, click here to navigate back to the Dealer Spike (SEM) home page on Confluence!