
In fact, according to our study with YouGov, nearly 80% of consumers say that reviews are important in their selection of a car dealership, and 41% say they read at least five reviews before visiting a dealership. Upon analysing Google My Business (GMB) traffic, along with more than 4.8 million ratings/reviews across dealer websites, social media channels and GMB listings, Reputation found that the volume of reviews in 2021 continues to climb, reflecting shoppers’ comfort with relying on digital word-of-mouth. This backdrop has only accelerated the use of digital tools among car buyers, especially in the early stages of the customer journey. However, the pandemic has changed how and where customers feel comfortable interacting with brands, with online as the preferred choice during COVID-19. Our data confirms this, with 65% of our respondents indicating they’re significantly influenced by in-person visits. Now, unfortunately, this chip shortage promises to stunt supply, potentially costing the global auto industry almost double its initial projection of $110 billion.īuying a car continues to be an in-person experience, and can influence which dealership to buy from. The Great Transition for the Automotive IndustryĬar sales surged during the first half of 2021, despite the global semiconductor chip shortage that sent car prices rising to their highest in history. “The Reputation automotive report provides brand and dealer group rankings that illustrate why this strategy works - and how tools like Reputation can support their CX objectives.” The best strategy during this uncertain time is for brands and dealer groups to lean into digital tools and customer feedback to ensure a seamless CX,” said Anthony Gaskell, managing director, EMEA at Reputation. “Like most other industries, the automotive industry continues to face significant challenges as the fallout from the pandemic continues. 82% of consumers we surveyed with YouGov said price is an important consideration, more than any other factor. Dealerships need to manage consumers’ expectations about prices during the inventory shortage when demand is outstripping supply.
#Benchmark car dealership driver


Customer service is the main driver of positive ratings for auto dealerships.64% of consumers surveyed say they would travel more than 20 miles to a top-rated dealership. Reviews and star ratings drive customer leads.Reviews mentioning shortages have increased 32.6x from January 2021 to July 2021. Inventory shortages are top of mind for customers.Nearly 80% of consumers say reviews are important and 41% say they will read at least five reviews before visiting a dealership.

Reviews are more important than ever and 2021 review volume is higher than ever.The 2021 Automotive Report analysed more than 15,000 automotive brands and dealerships across Europe, and 20,000 more in North America. This comes after a whirlwind year for the automotive industry, which saw pandemic uncertainty, surging demand and eroding margins due to a global semiconductor chip shortage. 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Reputation, the global leader in reputation experience management (RXM), today unveiled findings from its annual automotive industry report, which looks at key industry trends from the past year and ranks the top auto brands, dealerships and dealer groups in Europe.
