As consumers move through the buying process, they tend to put more emphasis on research. Like most of us, we tend to know exactly what our next car purchase will be while we still have our old car. But if you know what you want, you just have to determine where you will buy it. Multiple questions come into play, such as ‘which dealers have my product?’, ‘Is that dealer credible?’, ‘Wonder if my friends have any suggestions?’ etc.

According to Businessweek, 70 percent of consumers now consult reviews and ratings prior to purchasing. You are not just selling a car or a motorcycle, you are selling a relationship. Customers can buy that same product at 20 different locations, so what makes your dealership so great? Online reviews are becoming one of the most influential pieces of the buying process because it’s not the brand’s opinion of the product/service, it’s the consumers themselves. Online reviews can drive your business to the top or destroy all that you have worked for.

Social power – 75% of people don’t believe that companies tell the truth in their advertising, further validating why consumers yearn for real reviews from real customers. They view other consumers’ reviews as more authentic insights.

Securing positive reviews – Obtaining a positive review is essential for your dealership to thrive. First you need to look into your business from current brand perceptions to post-purchase stages and make sure the customer is not being neglected at any point in time. One of the most effective ways to land a review is to contact your customer post purchase. By doing so it should help eliminate any buyer’s remorse that may arise.

There are a couple of ways to help secure your reviews, but it’s a strategy that your business will have to customize to fit your auto dealership:

• Higher reviews & fewer respondents – Since you are mostly selling relationships, individually ask your clients for a review. In the end, this will generate less referral traffic, smaller brand presence, but an overall higher rating.
• Better/higher reviews & more respondents – Blast your online presence to everyone. Instill online reviewing sites throughout your advertisements, social media channels, and the more people that know about your dealership, the better.

Running a dealership encompasses having a variety of operations under one roof. From selling and servicing to repairs and maintenance, inspections, financing and insurance, and many other operational tasks, you provide your customers with many of the processes involved in getting and maintaining a car, truck, boat, RV, or other type of vehicle.

There are unique risks and exposures in everything you offer – all requiring insurance protection specifically designed for dealerships. At Dealer Protection Group (DPG), that’s what we do. We are in the business of protecting your business, providing you with a broad array of Dealership Coverages insurances.

We work with a number of top-rated insurance companies that specialize in insurance for dealerships. Our staff’s experience and knowledge in this sector is unprecedented. Give us a call at 949.208.8550 to discuss your insurance needs.