How to get customers to leave a review?

[JDM1983 28]

On handover day, I explain how valuable reviews are to me, how much I would appreciate a review if they wouldn’t mind, and that I will email them details on where to leave the review (which I do). They all say they will do without doubt, but yet hardly anyone ever does.

Do you have a better formula, preferably one that doesn’t require gunpoint during the hand over 

[exdisplay81 3]

Sometimes an incentive can work well, funny thing is if it's a bad experience then they almost always leave a review lol

[Casper 272]

22 minutes ago, exdisplay81 said:

Sometimes an incentive can work well, funny thing is if it's a bad experience then they almost always leave a review lol

Very true I'm the opposite I've never left many negative reviews and mostly positive i think you realise how much they matter to people .the ones that get me are the down right daft ones like said company didn't offer retail money for my auction wreck px that in there eyes was one lady owner minted  

[NacMan 67]

Hmmm, reviews are  hard one, I usually ask them some do some don't 50/50

[Casper 272]

If your sure the car is 100 percent and the customers is not a screamer a follow up call works sometimes . If they say there 100 percent happy ask if they would mind leaving a review 

Edited September 21, 2019 by Casper

[Grantlfc81 88]

I do mine on there behalf. I always get 5 stars

[A & S 20]

I only ask customers to leave a review if they are praising something like, we provided a great service or how great the car is or when we get a customer come back with warranty issue (not very often  touch wood) and we have dealt with the issue and the customer is talking positively of us. We always ask the customer to leave a 5 star review on Google or AT. We also say hope you are happy with everything if so please leave us a 5 star review, if not please let us know so we can do something about it for you where possible. 

You will find people go out of their way to leave a negative review but not a positive one.

[Nick M.K. 574]

Offer them a tenner, cheque in the post, for their time to share a “genuinely positive five star experience, if they were happy with the service” of course. 

Emphasize on the word service rather than car. 

 

[BHM 994]

10 hours ago, JDM1983 said:

On handover day, I explain how valuable reviews are to me, how much I would appreciate a review if they wouldn’t mind, and that I will email them details on where to leave the review (which I do). They all say they will do without doubt, but yet hardly anyone ever does.

Do you have a better formula, preferably one that doesn’t require gunpoint during the hand over 

Why should they? Have you ever thought they possibly find someone pitifully begging for a 5 star review a cheeky cunt so don’t bother. That’s my attitude to the many follow up emails that nowadays seem to becoming the norm.

FFS, I bought a £2 item from The Range & was given a ‘pamphlet’ to write a review and even scrapyards on eBay are asking for comments on Trustpilot or whatever 

[JDM1983 28]

8 hours ago, Grantlfc81 said:

I do mine on there behalf. I always get 5 stars

 

1 hour ago, Nick M.K. said:

Offer them a tenner, cheque in the post, for their time to share a “genuinely positive five star experience, if they were happy with the service” of course. 

Emphasize on the word service rather than car. 

 

I like this idea Nick, might give this a try.

 

5 minutes ago, BHM said:

Why should they? Have you ever thought they possibly find someone pitifully begging for a 5 star review a cheeky cunt so don’t bother. That’s my attitude to the many follow up emails that nowadays seem to becoming the norm.

FFS, I bought a £2 item from The Range & was given a ‘pamphlet’ to write a review and even scrapyards on eBay are asking for comments on Trustpilot or whatever 

Yeah, probably many do think this, which is why they don’t bother. However online reviews are important these days, so you have to play the game and ask. Maybe Nicks approach gives the incentive they need

[Autolink100 34]

We have just started trying this. We give away a 3 month VGS warranty with every deal and then try and up sell to 12 months or longer. We now say that if they leave a review we will bump up their warranty by an extra 3 months FOC. It only costs us an extra £20 on average and seems to work. Those you don't want to upgrade get the chance of a free 6 month warranty

[Mikey360 68]

Tell them you'll send the spare key and service history once they've left a review 

[MrV 66]

57 minutes ago, Mikey360 said:

Tell them you'll send the spare key and service history once they've left a review 

^^^^^^^^^^ haha

[exdisplay81 3]

11 hours ago, Casper said:

Very true I'm the opposite I've never left many negative reviews and mostly positive i think you realise how much they matter to people .the ones that get me are the down right daft ones like said company didn't offer retail money for my auction wreck px that in there eyes was one lady owner minted  

Yes, if you are a business owner you understand the importance of reviews but that's more than can be said about the general public. Personally, if i have a bad experience i would let the company know before posting a bad review (but then that rarely happens with members of the public).

I think the main concern is time when leaving a review for a used car and a lot of customers worry if they leave a review too soon and something goes wrong, they will be kicking themselves further down the line. - Try sending them an SMS & email a few weeks after they have purchased with a direct link to the review page (to make it easy) and ask for their honest feedback - maybe something along the lines of "How are things going with your new car?" - If you're happy could you take the time to leave an honest review, if you have any issues contact us on 0800.....

[have a word with the wife 299]

1 hour ago, Autolink100 said:

We have just started trying this. We give away a 3 month VGS warranty with every deal and then try and up sell to 12 months or longer. We now say that if they leave a review we will bump up their warranty by an extra 3 months FOC. It only costs us an extra £20 on average and seems to work. Those you don't want to upgrade get the chance of a free 6 month warranty

this 

[MarkTVS 209]

Autotrader statistics say customers are more likely to do it within the first 24/48 hours but personally I think that is too soon. We wait approximately 2 weeks then text / email or call customers asking if they are happy with the car etc and if all is good then we ask for a review and send a request via Autotrader. If there’s any issues we rectify them before asking for a review.

[Nick M.K. 574]

18 minutes ago, MarkTVS said:

We wait approximately 2 weeks then text / email or call customers asking if they are happy with the car etc and if all is good then we ask for a review

I tried this years ago. 

Everyone thought to moan about something to get something more out of the deal. The fact I was younger and foreign might've worked against me of course. 

[Rory RSC 596]

2 hours ago, Mikey360 said:

Tell them you'll send the spare key and service history once they've left a review 

 

@umesh and the IMDA are running a google masterclass with someone who knows a lot about this and from the last course I have already seen a few people say they have upped their reviews coming in as a result.

 

Ive booked onto it just for this as I don't feel I get enough for the size of the business.

[TangoVictor32 90]

Fill out a review slip by hand at handover.

Then type this up online yourself.

Less chances of getting 2 / 10 when they're in front of you haha

Voila! 

[Rory RSC 596]

14 minutes ago, TangoVictor32 said:

Fill out a review slip by hand at handover.

Then type this up online yourself.

Less chances of getting 2 / 10 when they're in front of you haha

Voila! 

We aren't writing statements now that sort of stuffs not really the done thing.

[umesh 336]

4 hours ago, Rory RSC said:

 

@umesh and the IMDA are running a google masterclass with someone who knows a lot about this and from the last course I have already seen a few people say they have upped their reviews coming in as a result.

 

Ive booked onto it just for this as I don't feel I get enough for the size of the business.

Spot on @Rory RSC everyone who was on the last IMDA Google Masterclass have lots more and positive reviews, glad you've booked Manchester , it will be another fantastic day! lots of stuff to learn and implement to help independents stand out even more. 

[trade vet 697]

Out of interest,my daughter follows all things American and she says that Reviews are now ‘old hat’.She says that the way forward is to have your own regular Twitter/Podcast thing where you don’t just bullshit about your business,YOU ARE SEEN talking about anything.You could be saying how some old lady came in with her Fiesta for p/x which she wanted £1000 for and it was so good you gave her £1500 etc.You might also have opinions on things like Come Dancing and Bake Off or how some kids today with 3 A levels cannot tell the time.Apparently ( in the US) for those video stars who have the ability,the viewings which start with your punters then multiply very quickly elsewhere and it is good for business.For example,.O J Simpson now does this for a living since he came out of jail and often gets 1m views per time.I don’t understand this stuff of course but thought I would mention it.

[Casper 272]

26 minutes ago, trade vet said:

Out of interest,my daughter follows all things American and she says that Reviews are now ‘old hat’.She says that the way forward is to have your own regular Twitter/Podcast thing where you don’t just bullshit about your business,YOU ARE SEEN talking about anything.You could be saying how some old lady came in with her Fiesta for p/x which she wanted £1000 for and it was so good you gave her £1500 etc.You might also have opinions on things like Come Dancing and Bake Off or how some kids today with 3 A levels cannot tell the time.Apparently ( in the US) for those video stars who have the ability,the viewings which start with your punters then multiply very quickly elsewhere and it is good for business.For example,.O J Simpson now does this for a living since he came out of jail and often gets 1m views per time.I don’t understand this stuff of course but thought I would mention it.

Theres a lot of bloggers on youtube with channels making videos etc some seem to be doing well and some have even given up there day jobs . 

Edited September 22, 2019 by Casper

[Blenheim Car Sales 111]

I have 4 followers on youtube.............  i will have to give this a go...................... i even get the youtuber influencer e-mails

[Tom 164]

Offering a customer £10 or similar money for a review is effectively bribery. So dont do that 

I do ask for reviews and send requests but not all leave one, who cares i've had their money  reviews arent the be all end all to running a business.