The Importance of Dealerships Responding to Reviews Online

Word of mouth used to be the most sought after advice when it is time to seek a dealership to buy a new car. The advice of a friend or family member was much more powerful than any advertisement that a dealership can put on TV or the radio. Now word of mouth endorsements have a prominent place online in the form of reviews. No longer are word of mouth recommendations relegated to close friends and family. Now more than ever, it is easier for consumers to go online and find out how other consumers feel about a dealership and their products. That’s why it is so important for dealerships to respond to the reviews their consumers post. Just like they would thank a consumer in person for positive responses and remedy negative situations, dealers must manage their reputations online.

Being Present on Review Sites
Before dealers can respond to their customers, they must make sure that they are present on review sites. This is especially important considering 69% of consumers looking to purchase a vehicle will read comments about a dealership, according to Yahoo. Sites like Yelp, G+Places, Dealerrater.com, YP.com and Superpages are all major sites that all dealerships should have their information on. It is through these sites that consumers will post their comments or reviews about a particular dealership.

Dealerships should also encourage consumers to post reviews online about their dealership. According to the same study done by Yahoo mentioned above, 86% of reviews about dealers were positive. Recommendations from fellow consumers resonate much more with potential consumers researching a dealership than a dealer or salesman’s recommendation. This positive word of mouth endorsement online can go a long way for a dealership trying to attract new consumers.

Respond to Both Positive and Negative Reviews
Responding to reviews online is important. By responding to them, a dealer can show that he truly cares about a consumer’s experience.

By responding to positive ones, a dealership can convey to a current or past consumer that their business is valuable to the dealership. By responding to negative ones, a dealership can show that they will go above and beyond to turn a consumer’s negative experience into a positive one.

Making Real World Changes Based on Reviews
It is not enough to simply respond to reviews online, a dealership must learn from them and take into consideration what consumers have to say. Dealerships can improve upon characteristics that consumers dislike, while continuing to develop characteristics that consumers have indicated that they like. By listening to them, dealerships can objectively improve their dealership, making it a more enjoyable place for consumers to do business.

Reviews online are powerful tool that consumers use when considering a dealership they want to make a purchase from. But they can also be an important tool for dealerships to use while attempting to attract new business. By being present and active on review sites, dealerships can improve their consumers’ experiences while improving upon themselves in the process.

Keyestoyota.com is a full-service Los Angeles Toyota dealership serving Los Angeles County, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, and the entire LA region. If you are searching for Toyota vehicles using keywords Beverly Hills Toyota or Santa Monica Toyota, come to Keyes for your vehicle needs both new and pre owned automobiles, service and routine maintenance, tires, parts and auto accessories.