Widewail

Why do some dealerships earn hundreds of rave reviews EVERY MONTH while others struggle? We now have the data to begin to answer this question. Every dealership wants to earn its customers’ trust and loyalty. That’s the job. But we also know it’s gotten a lot harder to do. The market is tough right now. Prices are up, incentives keep changing, EVs are shaking things up, and customers are walking in with sky-high expectations. On top of all that, they’re leaving feedback everywhere—Google, surveys, email, everywhere. Some of it’s good. Some of it’s brutal. But here’s the thing. When you analyze all that feedback, you end up with something very powerful: A picture of exactly what matters to the customer. Every review, every comment, every piece of feedback—it’s all a giant map pointing us to what they want and what they don’t. It’s what would make them come back and buy another vehicle, give you the service appointment instead of a quick lube place, and send a friend your way. They are telling you what’s working and what’s not. Since this is what we do at Widewail, we decided to dig into that data. With some help from our friend AI, we analyzed over 8 million Google reviews from 18,000 dealerships nationwide. That’s a lot of data, but more importantly, it’s a lot of truth. And the truth is this: Some dealerships are absolutely crushing it with their customers—and there are dealerships that are struggling to keep up. The difference between them isn’t just luck or inventory or pricing. It’s how they’re showing up for their customers. The 2024 Voice of the Customer Report breaks it all down. It provides data to back up your lived experiences. It looks into what customers need today beyond the four walls of the dealership. It’s free, it’s ungated. We’ve put the most interesting stuff at the top. If you have 5 minutes, you won’t regret it: https://lnkd.in/dpCS-CGN

Why do dealership customers leave bad reviews? Matt Murray of Widewail breaks it down with insights from over 8 million Google reviews—and the answer might surprise you. In this episode, we’re diving into the world of customer feedback. Matt shares how his company transformed millions of unstructured reviews into actionable insights for automotive dealers. The 2024 Voice of The Customer report shows a 20% increase in negative staff-related reviews this year, the conversation centers on why people leave bad reviews and what dealers can do to improve. https://lnkd.in/dpCS-CGN From the rising complexity of EV sales to the long-tail effects of pandemic-era pricing, Matt highlights the importance of well-trained staff and clear communication in building trust. Plus, the crew explores the psychology behind reviews, the value of people in the dealership experience, and how dealers can stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market. Timestamped Takeaways: 0:00 Intro Banter and Teasers 2:17 Meet Matt Murray of Widewail 5:14 Why Do Customers Leave Bad Reviews? 16:13 Rising Negativity in Staff Interactions 21:52 EV Buyers and Knowledge Gaps 24:56 Aging Vehicles = Higher Service Costs 27:22 Back to Basics: The Importance of Training 28:59 Customers Still Want Human Interaction 30:38 Closing Thoughts and Wrap-Up Matt Murray is the CEO at Widewail https://lnkd.in/e_4JHgHa https://www.widewail.com/

Widewail CEO Matt Murray joins the ASOTU | More Than Cars crew for a new episode of Auto Collabs. This 25-minute conversation is all about the power of reviews, data, and PEOPLE in the automotive industry. Here are the highlights: ➡️ Why PEOPLE are the ultimate value proposition in automotive retail. ➡️ The surprising psychology behind positive and negative reviews. ➡️ Insights from 8M+ reviews: what customers REALLY care about. ➡️ The challenges EV buyers face with knowledge gaps—and how dealers can fix it. Matt also shares the fascinating story behind the name "Widewail" (spoiler: it involves guitars, the Navy, and Xbox). Don't miss this insightful convo with Paul J Daly, Michael Cirillo, and Kyle Mountsier. 👉 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/e2NZ69fn

What 8.1M Google Reviews Reveal About The Dealership Experience— Winners, Losers, and What Dealers Need to Avoid in 2025. Last week, we launched Widewail’s second annual Automotive Voice of the Customer Report. Today, Widewail CEO Matt Murray will walk you through the most compelling data found in this year’s report. The 20-minute webinar is on-demand and available now. Attend if you’re interested in answering questions like: 1: What are the key drivers of positive and negative dealership experiences in 2024—and how have they evolved since last year? 2. How can AI turn customer reviews into actionable insights about your dealership's performance? 3. How are topics like staff, communication, and price trends over time—and what does it mean for your dealership? 4. What’s the best framework for measuring customer experience across reviews, surveys, and emails? Watch on-demand webinar: https://lnkd.in/e99YTBNh

Price complaints at dealerships are rising, but not for the reasons you might think. Some good news: price frustration in sales is declining. Where consumers feel the pain is aging vehicles - and the expensive repairs that can go with them. Mentions of big-ticket repairs (transmission, brakes, engine) are all up overs 30% YoY in our database. See what else we uncovered about price trends in the 2024 Voice of the Customer Report, linked in comments.

What’s the #1 reason automotive customers leave negative reviews at dealerships? It’s not price, inventory, or even wait times. It’s COMMUNICATION. That’s just one of the key insights from Widewail’s 2024 Voice of the Customer Report, based on our AI analysis of 8 million Google reviews, and available now. Discover what’s driving customer loyalty—and what’s holding it back—in 2024. 👉 Report: https://lnkd.in/dpCS-CGN

Matt Murray and Jake Hughes will be live on Refresh Friday today at 1 p.m. to discuss all things Voice of the Customer Report. Each year, we study dealership sales and service experience as customers communicate directly in public feedback. Widewail analyzed over 8 million dealership Google reviews to isolate what compels a good review, bad review, and how all aspects of customer experience are trending in automotive this year. The show will cover the most captivating insights from the report and how dealers should think about these data points in today’s environment. Attend here:

Bad reviews for dealerships are on the rise: Negative Google reviews for car dealerships are up, with “staff” issues jumping nearly 20%. Biggest complaints: finance (+31.4%), warranty (+21.6%), and sales (10.6%). But here’s the twist: the same areas earn glowing reviews when done right. Basically, dealerships that prioritize transparency and collaboration—especially in the finance office—are winning customer praise. Get the full story in Widewail’s report: https://lnkd.in/dpCS-CGN ____ (Data via CDG partner: Widewail #widewailpartner)

Car Dealership Guy reports on Widewail's Automotive Voice of the Customer Report. We agree with this take: "Bottom line: Dealers will need to address knowledgeability gaps among staff members to ensure they communicate effectively with customers and work to boost transparency in the financing process. However, with the overall gain in positive scores, it seems the industry is working hard to learn from the past and make the car buying experience better for buyers despite the ongoing challenges." Read → https://lnkd.in/ezYuPUr9

Want to create more positive reviews in 2025? Start here: 🤝 STAFF: Negative mentions are up 20% YoY. What’s behind the trend? 💬 COMMUNICATION: Still the #1 driver of negative reviews. Are you effectively keeping customers in the loop? 🔋 EV KNOWLEDGE: Falling short. Is your team ready for the shift?   💰 PRICE: Complaints and praise are evolving. See what's improving—and what's getting worse. Widewail analyzed 8,100,000 dealership Google reviews to isolate what compels a good review, bad review, and how all aspects of customer experience are trending in automotive this year. The results are compiled into a brand new automotive industry report: 2024 Voice of the Customer Report. Get the full 2024 report, available today, linked in the comments below.