So Many Customers, So Few Reviews. Why?
It’s kind of surprising how many auto dealers sell over 1200 new & used vehicles per year, and still have only 70-80 reviews total from all review networks combined. Worse, many auto dealers service over 7000 customers per year, and suffer from having less than 100 reviews total in Yelp, Facebook, Google, Edmunds, Cars.com, CarGurus, DealerRater combined. Why is this?
The answer is simple: They fail to ask their customers for reviews.
Below, is a simple checklist to follow that can increase your reviews month after month, with very little effort.
Setup your review networks – Perhaps the #1 reason some auto dealers don’t get reviews at certain networks is because they don’t have an established profile. Worse, is when a dealership has multiple profiles at one or more review networks. Spend an hour or two making sure you have a profile at each network, and be sure you have control of each profile. Else, you won’t be able to respond to reviews.
Create a script – Make asking for reviews easy for your staff. Some people are either too shy to ask for reviews, or they simply don’t know what to say.
Teach employees how to ask – In addition to a script, you’ll want to teach employees how to ask for reviews so they’re prepared when the time comes. This should be brief, personal, and asked of every customer that passes through your doors.
Respond publicly to ALL reviews (not just the bad ones) – Saying “thank you” for good reviews tells your community you’re listening and that you care about your customers. Responding to all reviews can increase website traffic, change your online posture and much more.
The 1% Engagement Rule
What would receiving reviews from just 1% of your customers mean to your dealership? Quite a lot, actually. That’s roughly 8-10 reviews per month for many dealers, which is substantial considering the less than 100 total reviews average. At 1%, you’ll almost double your existing reviews each year, and that’s a good thing.
Looking for 5% or Higher Engagement?
SalesRater Automated Reviews takes the “employee” out of the process, automatically asking each and every customer for a review using SMS text with a photo of your dealership. Frequent 4 & 5 star reviews on multiple networks from over 5% of your customers is common for SalesRater users, thanks to its mobile-based platform. SalesRater also uses additional tools like table tents to remind customers they’ll receive a review request. Mix that with employees occasionally reminding customers, and you’re looking at engagement rates exceeding 8% without anyone having to lift a finger.
What would 50 additional 4 & 5 star reviews each month do for your dealership? Learn more about SalesRater Reviews 360.
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