Why Should Car Dealers And Garages Focus On Their Online Reviews?

Consumers looking at online reviews for reassurance before deciding to spend money with a business is common practice these days, and it is no different for the prospective customers of car dealerships and garages.

As multiple automotive companies compete to attract customers in your local area, your online reviews can act as a unique advert to make you stand out from the competition, promoting your customer service and helping you to gain new business, and all at no extra cost to your marketing budget!

Online reviews are as good as personal recommendations when it comes to bringing in new customers, so it’s important to make sure you start building an online reputation at the earliest opportunity to create a diverse range of reviews over a period of time that entices prospects from all backgrounds.

Encouraging existing customers to review your dealership or garage is as simple as politely asking them before they walk out of the building or following up a week after their visit with a quick phone call or email. Remember it can take just one 5-star review to bring in new business and increase your profits, so you should especially focus on asking visibly happy customers for a review upon dealing with them.

Google, Auto Trader and Trustpilot are the most popular platforms for customer feedback in the automotive industry, so you should ideally be directing customers to one of these websites when asking for a review. All three platforms also display your company’s star rating in browser search results, which means customers will immediately see your reputation and feel reassured about dealing with you when they’re searching online.

Despite all the positive feedback you may receive, should you eventually encounter a negative review, this will provide you with the chance to show how you handle customer complaints and can still offer reassurance to prospects, depending on how the situation is handled. Responding with an apology and acknowledging any concerns before asking the unhappy customer to contact you in order to resolve the issue can restore any lost faith and put you back in control of the situation.

Posting some of the best reviews on your company’s website will allow customers who haven’t done their research yet to instantly see your feedback and feel more confident about using your services. Additionally, sharing these positive reviews to social media and even including them in marketing material, such as brochures or mailers, will help to promote your dealership or garage and build a strong reputation that attracts new business.

Dragon2000 have a website integration with Trustpilot which allows your reviews and TrustScore rating to be displayed on your Dragon2000-built website, meaning customers don’t have to leave your website to find out how trustworthy you are. Google and Auto Trader review links can also be placed on Dragon2000’s car dealer websites to promote your company’s presence on these platforms and build trust with prospects, which can hopefully lead to more sales.

Dragon2000 have been helping dealers and garages drive their businesses forward since 1995. Talk to our team today on 01327 222 333 or email us at sales@dragon2000.co.uk to find out how our dealer management system, car dealer websites and mobile apps can help your business increase profits and reduce costs.