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Compliance

Online Reviews and Compliance

Contributing Author: Steve Roennau Vice President Compliance EFG Companies
Contributing Author:
Steve Roennau
Vice President
Compliance
EFG Companies

Over the last few years, dealers have been working hard to establish a positive online presence beyond just their website. It’s become standard practice for dealerships to be listed on websites like DealerRater, Cars.com, Edmunds.com, Yelp, and Google. The reason behind these listings is to build trust online and develop a brand presence.

After all, according to Autotrader’s Car Buyer Journey study, 60 percent of the time spent in the car buying process is in online research, with 78 percent using third-party sites or apps during the car buying process. Now, you’re probably asking yourself, what does this have to do with compliance?

In this highly integrated world of online reviews and social media, it can be tempting for dealerships to use cookie cutter, online review vendors to boost positive reviews while minimizing negative reviews. For example, one widely used tactic is asking customers to leave a review while in the dealership, on a device provided by their sales or finance manager, which puts extra pressure on the customer to leave a positive review.

Another tactic that has been used across all industries includes using contract provisions, including online terms and conditions, to penalize consumers for posting negative reviews or complaints. This specific tactic has been ruled as illegal under the Consumer Review Fairness Act (CRFA), which protects people’s ability to share in any forum their honest opinions about a business. Specifically, the CFRA makes it illegal for a company to use a contract provision that:

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EFG Companies Featured

Enhanced Lifetime Wrap Coverage Launched to Complement Drive Forever Worry Free Limited Lifetime Powertrain Protection

Drive Forever Logo 249x188Improves Dealer Profit Margins and Fosters Customer Retention for the Life of the Vehicle

EFG Companies, the innovator behind the award-winning Hyundai Assurance program, today announced the launch of the Drive Forever Worry Free Lifetime Wrap, an enhancement to the company’s market-differentiating limited powertrain protection. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2lUkufY.

The Drive Forever Lifetime Wrap is designed to help dealers close more deals at a higher gross with improved product pricing, expanded eligibility, and an underlying complimentary coverage component.

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Dealership Training Industry Trends

Are You Ready for the Digital Revolution?

Hollis Goode Regional Vice President EFG Companies
Contributing Author:
Hollis Goode
Regional Vice President
EFG Companies

By most accounts, the digital revolution has already occurred. We began shifting from mechanical and analog technology to digital electronics between the late 1950s and late 1970s. However, while industries across the U.S. changed their working dynamics to accommodate the digital revolution, vehicles are still fundamentally sold today the way they were 50 years ago.

Consumers still have to go to the dealership, fill out tons of paperwork, and sometimes spend hours waiting for funding paperwork to be finalized. Conversely, when was the last time you went to a bank to apply for a credit card, or even a mortgage? Now, banks have a fairly robust digital presence, where brick and mortar locations are seldom used.

In 2017, more than 30 years from the “end” of the digital revolution, the automotive industry is just now beginning to undergo its own revolution.

According to a recent study by J.D. Power on top trends to improve the retail automotive experience, 42 percent of dealership consumers made phone calls to dealers when shopping for a vehicle. Conversely, 75 percent of consumers used the internet. However, those buyers who rely on the internet had lower satisfaction scores than those who made a phone call. The reason for this can be easily explained by the current dealership model, which is geared towards bringing people into the dealership.

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