7 Tips to Avoid Negative Online Customer Reviews

Negative reviews are a bad influence on your dealership’s online reputation and search ranking. No matter how good your dealership is, you cannot possibly satisfy everyone and bad reviews are bound to happen.

The trick is to minimize the number of negative reviews. Here are a few tips.

1: Good Customer Service is Key

Most bad reviews are the result of indifferent customer service. Improvement in this department can work wonders for your dealership reputation.

2: Be Easily Accessible to Your Customers

Make yourself easily accessible to customers. It’s far better for your dealership if dissatisfied customers will vent their frustration at the dealership than going online with it.

3: Stay Attentive & Listen to Your Customers

Stay calm and be attentive to your customer’s concerns. Listen to them until they have had their stay, and then address their issues in a non-confrontational manner.

4: Don’t Make them Wait

When customers are left alone, they are likely to develop negative feelings towards your dealership. Engage with your customers whenever the waiting time is long.  

This will influence the reviews that they may write later.  

5: Respond Proactively to Negative Reviews

It is important to respond to any negative review without delay. A positive response within 6 hours can greatly undo the damage.

Remember to be positive and proactive. Apologize for the inconvenience, suggest a quick solution, and then switch to one-on-one messaging.

6: Always Provide Personalized Service

Good customer service is always good marketing too. Treating your customers like sensitive individuals with their own expectations will make them feel special, and this is likely to reflect in their reviews as well.

7: Encourage Even More Reviews

Did you know that improving your rating by just one more star may increase your leads by as much as 35%?

Always encourage customers to review your dealership. Prospects treat recent reviews like personal recommendations, and the more reviews and ratings you have, the better.