Reputation is everything in the highly competitive UAE automotive industry. A good reputation for your dealership can change the game, bringing in more customers, increasing sales, and making you stand out from the competition.
However, it does takes time and effort to establish and maintain a positive reputation. EasyCars has put together 5 quick and proven ways you can build your dealerships reputation fast.
1. Prioritize Customer Service
A strong reputation is built on providing exceptional customer service. If a customer had a pleasant experience at your dealership, they are more likely to tell their friends about it and come back or refer someone to your dealership to buy a used car for sale. To enhance customer service at your dealership, you should:
Train Your Employees: Spend money on training courses for your sales team. Check to see if they are knowledgeable with your cars for sale and that they have the necessary customer service skills to create an unforgettable experience.
Keep an Open Mind: Encourage your sales team to pay attention to the wants and worries of each of your customers. No two customers are the same, your sales team will need to adapt to each to provide the best service.
Quick Response: Whether a customer contacts you via phone, email, or social media, be sure to get back to them right away. Make sure you can answer any questions or concerns they may have. The last thing you want is to not answer a question, if you don’t word can spread that your dealership may not know what you’re talking about.
Customize Your Communications: The way that customers communicate varies. One customer may prefer phone contact, others may like email. Make an effort to personalise and speak to your potential clients via their preferred contact methods.
Effectively Address Problems: Even while mistakes may happen, how you handle them can have a big effect on your reputation. Be accountable for any mistakes your dealership makes, and take the initiative to address any issues that customers may have. Accepting fault whether you’re in the wrong or not shows the customer that you care about their feelings and often escalates the situation.
2. Create an Online Presence
Believe it or not, your Dealership’s Online Presence plays a huge role in building a positive Dealership Reputation. Studies released by Google show that 95% of Car buyers use the internet to find dealerships and read their customer reviews prior to making a decision. That said, it is vital that your dealership builds a strong online presence. Here’s how you can do that.
Have Your own Dealership Website: Having your own dealership website is essential. Your dealership website should be simple to navigate and include information like your services, the cars for sale in Dubai, and most importantly your contact details. An important tip to consider is that over 50% of searches come from mobile device, it is really important that your website caters for both desktop and mobile devices.
Use Social Media to your Advantage: Studies have shown that the UAE is one of the most activate nations on Social Media in the world. As such, it is important that you create and maintain a presence on websites like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. By posting engaging information, engaging with customers, and sharing engaging content, you will be able to build not just visibility but a positive reputation among the local community in the UAE.
Gain Customer Reviews: This is arguably the most important tip in this article. One of the first thing that Car Buyers look for is a dealerships online reviews. Make sure that after you sell a car to a customer, you ask them to leave you an online review on online sites like Google My Business. The more positive Online Reviews your dealership has, the better your reputation will be.
Share Examples of Success: Another proven way of building a strong reputation is by sharing your success. Customers will feel more comfortable buying from a dealership with proven successes. Make sure that you capture and share customer testimonials and purchases. This will help your dealership build trust with potential customers.
Monitor Your Online Reputation: Your online reputation can change in an instant. Make sure that you watch and respond to customer reviews online. Positive or negative, make sure that you accept customer reviews and respond promptly.
3. Offer Additional Services
There is more that goes into selling cars than just the cars themselves. To stand out in such a competitive industry, your dealership should think of offering additional services that most of your competitors do not. Offering additional services not only will set you apart from the competition but will help you build a better strong reputation amongst potential car buyers in the UAE.
Here are some additional services that your dealership can offer to improve your dealership’s reputation.
Packages for Maintenance: A great way to set yourself apart from other dealerships is to offer service and maintenance options. All cars need service and maintenance by offering such can allow you to not only expand revenue opportunities but it can give you chance to retain current customers and build trust amongst the community.
Provide Vehicle Information: Another proven way to stand out and show the customers how much you care about their interests is to provide as much information about your cars to the customers as possible. Think about providing manufactures documents, fuel efficiency tips and even maintenance tips.
Extended Warranty: Buying a used car in the UAE can be a stressful experience for many buyers. One of the best ways to build trust and grow your reputation is by offering extended warranty deals.
Vehicle Customizations: No two car buyers are the same. In 2023 car buyers want their vehicle to meet their unique preferences and style. Another great way to boost reputation is to offer customisation services.
4. Community Engagement
How do you build a positive reputation in any industry? You need to involve and revolve around your local community. Here are a few proven ways your dealership can do that.
Sponsor Local Events: One of the best ways to show community initiative and build a positive reparation among your local area is by participating or sponsoring local events. Not only does this show that you care about your community but will also increase your exposure.
Work with Local Companies as Partners: Another great way to show community engagement is by working with local businesses and offering cross promotions.
Donate to Charity: Why do so many large companies donate to charities? Because firstly it is the right thing to do and shows that your company cares for the community and charity of choice but also because it builds a positive reputation. Your dealership is no different.
Organize social gatherings: To build a positive community reputation you need to involve the community. Think about starting and hosting events at your dealership. This can include car information sessions, test drive opportunities and everything in-between.
Get involved in the local media: The media plays a huge role in building a businesses reputation. By linking with local newspapers, radio stations and news services in the UAE you can express messages about your dealership which can build your reputation amongst potential buyers.
5. Integrity and Transparency
When it comes to buying and selling cars, nothing is more important than integrity and honesty. If your dealership gets the reputation of being dishonest, it can be very hard almost impossible to improve that reputation. Here are a few ways you can show customers that you are integral and transparent.
Transparent Pricing: What is the most important thing that customers look for when buying a car? The price. That said it is important that your dealership is truthful and upfront about your prices and fees. Never hide any associated costs from a customer. Not only could you lose a sale but it will severely impact your reputation.
Provide Vehicle History Reports: If you’re in the business of selling 2nd-hand cars for sale in Dubai, it is always a good idea to provide vehicle history reports to customers. This shows that your dealership has nothing to hide and that the car is in tip top shape.
Clear Documentation: Let’s face it when it comes to buying cars there are a lot of forms to fill out. When it comes to building trust and a positive reputation it is important that all your paperwork is clear, concise and legal. Make sure that you explain all forms to customers in detail.
Details on the Warranty: Warranty is arguably the most important factor when buying a car. A car is a significant purchase, as such customers want to know that their investment is secure. Make sure you inform your customers about your warranty terms and conditions. Again, never hide terms and conditions from customers.
Compliance and Ethics: Buying and selling cars in the UAE, you need to adhere to many legal requirements. Ensure that your dealership complies with all legal requirements. Making one legal mistake can impact your dealerships reputation greatly and again could be almost impossible to improve.
Final Word,
Reputation is a huge part of building a successful Motor Dealership in the UAE. Having a positive online reputation requires work and ongoing commitment. The tips provided are a few proven ways that your dealership can build a positive reputation in 2023.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article. To read more articles like this, please visit the EasyCars latest news page here.
About EasyCars
EasyCars by Jeal is a UAE Motor Industry Specific, Dealer Management Software that automates the daily tasks of running a motor dealership. Using the latest technologies, EasyCars removes frustrations experienced at the dealership - opening the doors to future growth.
EasyCars features include Simple Stock Management, Automated Advertising, Automatic VAT Calculations, Xero Accounting Integration, Facebook Automotive Inventory Ads, Dealer Websites and Business Reporting in the one central management software.
To learn more about EasyCars or to arrange a no-obligation free demo of the software, please submit the form below.