Industry — Automotive
A negative dealership review on Google or DealerRater can suppress months of vehicle pipeline. The leverage in auto is per-review, not per-volume — and the platforms (DealerRater, Cars.com) sit alongside Google with their own playbooks. Vouch supports all of it.
88%
of car buyers
research online before stepping foot in a dealership (Cox Automotive)
5+
platforms
matter for auto: Google (sales + service), DealerRater, Cars.com, Edmunds, and OEM-specific portals
$$$
CSI tied
to OEM-mandated Customer Satisfaction Index programs — review programs need to support, not conflict with, these
Dealerships face an unusual review landscape:
Sales reviews:
Service reviews:
Response: reply within 24 hours to every review, sales and service alike. AI drafts the response in the dealer's brand voice; the GM or service manager approves and posts. Negatives go to an escalation queue with a 4-hour SLA.
Most manufacturers (Toyota, Ford, GM, Stellantis, BMW, etc.) require dealerships to participate in a Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) program — a private survey that affects allocation, incentive payments, and certified-dealer status. The OEM-mandated program is separate from public reviews, but the two can support each other.
The right pattern: send the OEM survey through the OEM's channel (it's typically mandatory), then send a separate Vouch-managed public review request to the same customer 24 hours later. The customer who scored a 10 on the OEM CSI is the same customer who's most likely to leave a 5-star Google review.
Don't bundle them — OEMs prohibit using their CSI flow to filter customers away from public reviews (it would be review gating), and consolidating the asks reduces response rate.
Dealer groups running 5–500 rooftops need:
Vouch supports this hierarchy natively. For groups, the typical onboarding takes 4–6 weeks across 25 rooftops including DMS integration and template approval.
Franchised new-car dealerships
Used-car independents
Dealer groups (5+ rooftops)
Tire and quick-service auto
Body shops and collision repair
Yes, where Google supports it. Separate profiles let you accumulate department-specific reviews, optimize the description and hours for each department, and prevent service complaints from dragging down the sales rating. Most franchised dealers qualify for separate profiles for sales, service, and (sometimes) parts. Use them.
DealerRater accepts invitations through their certified-dealer program. Vouch's integration sends invitations through the official channel so reviews count toward your DealerRater certified status. Best practice: send DealerRater invitations to the same customer who got the Google invitation, but as a separate message — bundling reduces response rate. Most certified dealers see 1–3 new DealerRater reviews per week with a managed program.
Not if you run them separately. Send the OEM survey through the OEM's mandated channel; send your public review request through Vouch 24 hours later. Don't bundle them into a single "rate your experience" flow that routes high scorers to public and keeps low scorers private — that's review gating and it's illegal under the FTC rule and prohibited by every OEM's program rules.
Yes, within 24 hours, and from the GM or sales manager — not the associate named in the review. The response should acknowledge the issue specifically, name the fix or follow-up, and invite a private conversation. Don't share private details about the deal, the customer, or the associate. Don't argue. Your audience is the next 50 shoppers reading the profile, not the reviewer.
A 30-minute live walkthrough in a workspace seeded with your category’s review platforms, your brand voice, and your typical customer journey.