Welcome back to our series on building customer trust in your auto dealership! Today’s topic: boosting customer communication during the car buying process. But first off, let’s remember where we’ve been:
- 6 Reasons Customer Trust Is the Engine of Dealership Success
- 7 Tips to Create Customer Service Standards That Build Trust in Your Dealership
- 10 Effective Customer Education Strategies for Auto Dealerships
Every article in this series focuses on building customer trust, so when we tackle today’s topic of boosting communication, it’s not for increasing sales. Indeed, there is a tie-in because if you increase trust, sales are sure to follow. However, our focus is on the fact that how you communicate can signal trust (or not). Let’s take a minute to discuss this below.
How You Communicate Sends Signals
How your staff communicates with customers can be a key indicator of your dealership’s trustworthiness. Customers often form perceptions based on the signals you are sending them. Here are some examples.
Responsive vs. Pushy
Customers appreciate when dealers respond promptly and thoughtfully to their questions and concerns because it demonstrates that you value their time and are eager to help. On the other hand, being overly pushy can signal desperation and a lack of respect for the customer’s decision-making process, which erodes trust.
Consistent vs. Inconsistent
Consistency shows that you’re reliable and stable, whether it’s consistency in messaging, offers, or the information you share with customers. Customers who receive inconsistent communication (different information from different salespeople or platforms) may become skeptical about your professionalism and honesty.
Personalized vs. Generic
Using the customer’s name, recalling past conversations, and tailoring recommendations to their specific needs can increase trust because it demonstrates that you see the customer as an individual, not just another sale. Generic responses and interactions feel transactional and can imply that your dealership doesn’t care about the customer’s unique needs.
Respectful vs. Disrespectful
It’s hard, if not impossible, to get trust without respect. You can signify respect by engaging with customers, acknowledging their views, and showing empathy. When dealership staff are disrespectful (whether obvious or subtle), it can quickly diminish trust and tarnish your dealership’s reputation.
Proactive vs. Reactive
Being proactive in communication can also signal trust. This includes promptly updating customers on their inquiries, reaching out about promotions, and anticipating questions before they’re even asked. Proactive communication shows you’re engaged with them and ready to assist. On the other hand, reactive communication (when you only respond when prompted) suggests a lack of interest in or commitment to customer service.
What Signals Are You Sending?
With these distinctions made, an important point to remember is that your goal isn’t just to boost communication during the buying process—it’s to strengthen communication in a way that sends signals that the customer can trust your dealership. In other words, it’s not just about more communication; it’s about how you do it.
One helpful exercise to gauge where you currently stand is checking out your recent reviews and customer/prospect surveys.
Do you see language in online reviews about your dealership that signifies your team was pushy, inconsistent, generic, disrespectful, or reactive? If yes, this may indicate that you need to thoroughly evaluate how your team communicates with customers and provide additional staff training.
If, on the other hand, you see evidence that your sales associates are communicating in responsive, consistent, personalized, respectful, and proactive ways, it’s time to move on to the next section to learn how to level up your communication game even more.
10 Strategies for Boosting Customer Communication to Signal Trust
The strategies below will help you improve customer communication in specific ways that will signal trust to prospects. We include strategies for different parts of the buying process, from the initial interaction to the final purchase.
1. Start Online
As we shared in our last article, 95% of car buyers use digital as a source of information, and twice as many start their research online versus at a dealer. That means customer communication during the buying process must start online, too. Be transparent by sharing information on pricing and FAQs, and add online chat support to assist website visitors and answer their questions.
2. Welcome Text/Email
Send a personalized welcome text or email after a prospect schedules an appointment or test drive. Include the name, contact information, and even a photo of the salesperson they’ll meet with to start building a personal connection right away.
3. Text Message Reminders
Text reminders show that your dealership is organized, professional, and eager to engage with car buyers. By sending a reminder, you help ensure they don’t miss the appointment while demonstrating that you value their time and visit. With DealerPhones®, there are several text messaging options, including texting through the Clarity Portal or App, text responder messaging, and texting via your personal phone using Clarity Cellular.
4. Personalized Greetings
If staff know who will arrive and when, they can greet prospects by name upon arrival. By using their name and having details about the purpose of their visit, you create a more personal and welcoming experience.
5. Staff Training
Most communication (and therefore trust building) will happen as your team interacts with the prospect. Consequently, it’s important to offer comprehensive staff training that includes information about your inventory and policies as well as communication training to help them interact more confidently and professionally to build trust.
6. Interactions that Enhance
When your sales team interacts with prospects, shift the focus from making the sale to genuinely assisting them. For example, staff can ask exploratory questions to help car buyers narrow down the right vehicle options for them. They can also share insights during test drives, such as key features to check out and how to assess the vehicle’s suitability for their needs.
7. Give Options
Giving car buyers options—whether it’s multiple makes and models to choose from, various features and upgrades to select, or different financing plans—shows that you’re not trying to force them into a certain direction but rather helping them make a decision that’s right for them.
8. Immediate Post-Visit Follow-Up
If a prospect leaves without making a purchase, send a prompt thank you text or email. Include a summary of what was discussed, details of the vehicles they were interested in, next steps, and contact information. This follow-up moves the conversation forward and shows appreciation for their visit.
9. Additional Follow-Up
You’ll also need a strategy for following up later on. This could be an opportunity to provide more information on a model they were looking at, suggest new options, or answer additional questions. With tools like Full Story Ai, you get a real-time view of all dealership calls and messages in a single interface, making managing leads and planning follow-up easier.
10. Post-Visit or Post-Purchase Survey
Send a survey to all prospects and customers after their dealership experience, whether they made a purchase or not. By asking for feedback, you demonstrate that their experience matters to you, even if they choose to buy from someone else.
Customer Communication Builds Trust
As we wrap up, remember the main message: boosting communication is not just about frequency but about doing it in a way that signals trust. Consider adding one or more of the strategies above into your customer communication plan to build trust and strengthen relationships throughout the car buying experience.
For our next topic, we’ll explore how you can use social proof to enhance trust further. We look forward to sharing more insights with you next time!
