dealer reviews on cars.com can have a huge impact on any dealer. Dealerrater’s research shows that 41 percent of consumers look at auto-related reviews and find a dealer. Imagine that percentage of consumers on cars.com, which attracts an average of 22.4 million monthly users.
With a high rating and a plethora of positive reviews, it can make the buying decision easier for those looking for a car on the website. With this guide, we’ll show you how you can use cars.com dealer reviews to retain more customers and acquire more leads.
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where can you find cars.com dealer reviews?
The easiest way for consumers to find your dealer on the website is to search for cars in their ZIP code area on the cars.com home page. if your inventory includes the car they’re looking for, your dealer will appear in the results.
Customers can learn more about the dealer by clicking on the car details and clicking again on the total number of dealer reviews in the description area below the vehicle image.
By default, reviews are sorted by the most recent entry first, but with enough reviews, cars.com also allows customers to filter the reviews they see by the most frequently used terms. this may include phrases like “horrible service” or “pleasant experience”.
in addition, each review also features five additional dealer qualification criteria:
- customer service
- quality of repair (if applicable)
- general facilities
- purchase process
- recent and featured reviews
- highest or lowest rated reviews
- most helpful review
- address the reviewer: don’t use generic greetings like “dear customer”. instead, address the reviewer by name in their online profile. this is the digital equivalent of getting down on their level and making eye contact. this simple change of language shows that you care and take their feedback seriously.
- say “thank you:” Regardless of the tone of the review, take the time to acknowledge feedback. each author took time out of their busy day to write his thoughts on the experience, and you should acknowledge his efforts.
- apologize and sympathy (if necessary): In terms of negative criticism, this is the easiest (or sometimes the hardest), but it’s important to apologize. doing so humbles you and shows that you are not perfect but that you are willing to improve.
- take responsibility: don’t mince words when it comes to admitting failure. tell them that your experience is not indicative of how you want customers to feel at your dealership. this makes it easier to carry out the next step.
- doing it right: you should try to solve the customer’s problem in the best possible way and make sure it’s specific to their problem rather than just providing an empty promise. in some cases, customers are your best source of performance feedback, so take advantage of it.
- disconnect the problem: to discuss more details about the problem (or to provide more information about your solution), you can provide a phone number or an email address where the customer can be easily reached with you. this allows you to discuss additional details in private while avoiding creating further complications in the public review response.
- Ask for a second chance: A negative review doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll lose a customer forever. following the six steps above creates an opportunity for you to ask the customer for a second chance at your business.
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The review will also include additional information about the author, such as whether or not he recommended the dealer, whether he was in the market for a new or used car, and whether he actually made a purchase. reviewers can also highlight staff members they worked with during their visit to the dealership.
Scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking the “see more reviews” link will direct visitors to another page that displays your dealer’s full list of reviews along with additional review rating options, such as:
in some cases, cars.com users may see dealer responses highlighted below specific reviews. These answers are vital to the success of any car dealership, regardless of the sentiment of the review. more on that later.
how to get cars.com dealer reviews
Reviews are some of the greatest marketing assets available to dealers, and enough positive reviews can be the ultimate social proof prospective customers need when deciding where to buy their next vehicle. To ensure a steady stream of reviews, you’ll need to find a way to convince customers to write a review.
fortunately, research from dealerrater (which is owned by cars.com) found that 41 percent of the positive reviews found on cars.com and dealerrater highlighted an excellent buying experience and service.
delivering this “great experience” to customers can take many forms. You could impress clients with a friendly and knowledgeable staff, transparency when it comes to financing options, or reduced wait times for routine services.
To further encourage customers to leave a review, you can also provide physical brochures, implement a review request system via a tablet, or your p.o.s. system, or even ask them directly before leaving the dealership.
informing customers that their feedback is important to your dealership’s success can go a long way, especially when combined with an overall fast, informative, and hassle-free car buying experience.
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Customers will take notice of that amazing experience and want others to know about it through reviews. this puts the onus on you to create a dignified response to your comments.
respond to cars.com dealer reviews
When spelled correctly, a response to a negative review makes consumers 45% more likely to visit your business. sadly, 63 percent of customers who write a review never get a response to their comments. These are missed opportunities to win over naysayers or retain a customer, and all you have to do is respond to their review.
By replying, you’re not just showing the customer that you care about their feedback; continues to strengthen the relationship between you (the dealership) and your customers.
At cars.com, dealers can respond to any comments on their page by logging into their dealer center account. if you don’t have one, you can contact the cars.com customer service team at (888) 780-1286 or fill out a request form on the cars.com site.
Responses to reviews can be tricky because they need to be professional in tone, but not to the point where it sounds like the standard response provided to every review with similar sentiment. On top of that, you need to show the reviewer that you’re taking their words to heart and using them to improve the way your dealership operates.
Whether the review is full of praise or scorn, you can easily craft a response to suit your needs in seven easy steps:
the power of cars.com dealer reviews
The road to a plethora of positive dealer reviews on your cars.com dealer page starts with your people operations. Creating a great experience for your customers gives them something worth telling others through online reviews. Responding to those reviews leads to increased retention, a positive dealership reputation that attracts potential customers, and more reviews for your ever-expanding online reputation.
