How to Build Trust and Transparency

(continued from How Buyer Fatigue Causes Heartburn for Dealerships)

Transparency is Key

Consider evaluating your dealership’s transparency.

Today’s customers are changing how goods and services are sold. Amazon trained the modern consumer; their boxes fill our recycle bins. Consumers in all age brackets shop online. 

Social media has pushed traditional publishing to evolve. Print mediums like newspapers or magazines had to adapt offering online options. Today, everyone is a publisher. It’s easy to broadcast whether a podcast or a tweet, messaging is now in the hands of the consumer. And customers demand transparency.

They want to quickly determine vehicle price, rebates, and special offers. And let’s face it, the car selling process is less than desirable: 87% dislike something about the process, and 61% feel they’re taken advantage of. There’s a problem. 

Showcasing your culture’s values and bringing them into your sales process will go a long way. Transparency builds trust. And really, what do you have to hide? Beware, those digital sleuths will find it!  Here’s what you’ll get with transparency: a wider audience who knows precisely what to expect when purchasing a vehicle from you. Bravo!

Remove the veil of secrecy in every aspect of your process by featuring online calculators, a complete list of inventory trade-ins, and even back-end products. Engage the customers by demonstrating a desire to share your car-knowledge in a friendly, helpful, and honest way.

Know that winning the customer starts at home, where they begin their research. It also starts with friends, referrals, and your commitment to transparency.

Building Trust in Testimonials

If your referral business is not growing, you could be falling short in the testimonial and loyalty programs department. Fifty years ago, people bought cars where their parents bought cars. Parents trusted dealerships and influenced friends and family. In today’s digital marketplace, testimonials from strangers have credence. 

Make it a  goal to get testimonials after a successful sale or engagement. Ask your buyers to share their experience online or join your loyalty program. Online testimonials, whether they’re featured on the website or social media pages attracts new shoppers. Posts on Instagram with happy car buyers builds loyalty and credibility.   

People inherently look at the car buying process through a negative lens. Discovering that other people, like themselves, have had positive experiences with your dealership will help build trust and drive referral business.

Here are a few more tips.

Building Trust Using Technology

Don’t be afraid to embrace the technology available for dealerships today. It’s about a commitment to the customer that authentically connects them to information, relevant options, and excellent service. Cross promote your incentives via social media and local and regional auto sites.

Optimize your mobile presence with easy to use calculators and features. Set your website up to allow clear pathways into a buying experience. Many of your clickable buttons could lead to dead ends. Be careful with your lead generation forms. You could be turning off customers. Most people won’t stick around to fill out lengthy forms. Keep it short and only collect vital information like name, phone number, and email address. 

Periodically review Google Analytics (it’s free) to see where customers are falling off and where your traffic is coming from. There’s a lot of data to analyze how well your website is performing.

Update your inventory listings frequently and promote sales online. Visibility and availability build trust. They’ll shop your vehicles if they’re accustomed to seeing your digital presence in a fresh and positive light.

If you’re still looking for that something extra to enhance your digital connection and drive loyalty, check out AutoFi. The platform provides a digital storefront for dealerships like yours, with an end-to-end purchase solution for your customers. Avoid the ‘be back bus’ and ‘buyer fatigue’ altogether by allowing your buyers to navigate a car buying experience in a completely digital way. Schedule your demo with AutoFi today!

Interested in finding how AutoFi integrates with your website with instant offers from lenders? Check this out.