A pair of new studies by Alchemer reveal several key findings that could help dealerships better connect with customers and build lasting relationships across sales and service.
The details: Research from the consumer feedback and software company highlights how dealers can improve feedback collection, reputation management and customer experiences by understanding how and where consumers engage and respond when buying or servicing a vehicle.
Email dominates feedback volume, accounting for 62.2% of submissions and making it the most commonly used channel.
Mobile feedback gets a stronger response, with 74.1% of mobile app respondents receiving an acknowledgment vs. 57.6% via email, while 36.4% report seeing a visible change vs. 14.2% via email.
Mobile feedback is also less likely to go unanswered, with just 4.2% of mobile app respondents saying nothing happened after providing feedback, compared with 24.1% of email respondents.
Digging deeper: Alchemer’s findings also reveal that Facebook outranks Yelp for automotive service reviews across all age groups, while high satisfaction ratings don’t necessarily translate into high levels of trust.
More than 67% of customers read reviews before choosing a dealership or service center, and 76.9% of those customers say reviews influence their choice.
Google is the top review source across all age groups, while Facebook is more influential than Yelp, especially among customers under 45.
88% rate their recent automotive experience positively and 93% plan to return, yet only 37% say they trust dealerships “a great deal,” while 60.6% say their expectations are higher than two years ago.
Why it matters: The findings show that collecting customer feedback is only part of the equation for dealers. Responding to it, demonstrating that customers have been heard, and managing reviews across the platforms shoppers actually use could help strengthen trust, reputation, and long-term retention.
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Between the lines: The research also reveals some notable disparities in the feedback experiences of men and women, with women playing a significant role in vehicle purchase decisions.
27% of women have never been asked for feedback vs. 18% of men, while 54% responded when asked vs. nearly 64% of men.
22.2% of women say nothing happened after providing feedback vs. 16.2% of men, while 10.1% received no acknowledgment vs. 6.5% of men.
What they’re saying: “Alchemer’s new research underscores the importance of truly understanding automotive customer preferences and expectations,” said Brian Henley, Vice President of Research Solutions at Alchemer, per the press statement. “Where customers look for information, how they provide feedback, and whether they feel heard can reveal meaningful insights beyond topline satisfaction scores.”
Bottom line: As customer expectations rise, dealers that treat feedback as an ongoing conversation rather than simply a satisfaction metric and put greater focus on how women are treated throughout the sales and service process could be better positioned to build trust, improve the customer experience, and strengthen relationships that drive repeat business.
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