Why trust and authority are now more important than ever in the automotive industry

It’s hard to remember a time when consumer trust in the automotive industry has ever been so low. In the last week alone, there’s been widespread media coverage about several ‘scandals’ affecting our industry, which are likely to have a significant impact on confidence, ultimately influencing the health of the industry.

Firstly, there’s the mis-sold car finance scandal, which has now seen the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reveal an average compensation level of £829. We’ve seen news that Autotrader is one of several firms being investigated by the UK’s competition watchdog as part of a probe into fake and misleading online reviews.

There’s also widespread concern of rising fuel prices and claims of profiteering, plus news that some garages are overcharging for repairs, according to an undercover investigation by Carly, which has also prompted a backlash of ‘unfounded claims’.

Couple this with events that are beyond the automotive industry’s control, namely the war in Iran, a subsequent possible rise in interest rates and a sluggish economy, and it doesn’t paint a rosy picture.

Given these challenges and the tough times ahead, it’s perhaps now more important than ever for companies across the automotive industry to place a renewed focus and extra attention on their transparency and openness in order to reconnect with consumers and regain their trust.

With many years of experience advising automotive businesses on such matters, here are some of our top tips that companies should be considering in their quest to reconnect with consumers and regain their trust.

Authentic and genuine

First and foremost, it’s important that companies are not just paying lip service to building trust and showing transparency. They need to start by taking an honest, hard critical look at themselves, their people and processes. It serves no purpose if your claimed culture or service is at odds with the day-to-day experience of customers.

To be honest with customers, you first need to be honest with yourself! It may mean difficult decisions need to be made internally or processes and systems changed, but you simply can’t use smoke and mirrors to try and disguise or cover up any shortcomings in your service or product offering.

Show customers you care

When there’s a lack of spending, then stripping back to basics is a good place to start and this means engaging with customers on a human level.

Of course, while all businesses exist to make money, being able to offer real solutions to people’s problems, whether that’s finding the right warranty cover that is specific to them or a car that is right for their individual motoring needs, will pay dividends.

Take the time to truly understand the customer’s requirements, listening to their concerns and desires, and offer them a solution that is best for them, not what’s best or most profitable for you.

Build trust through professionalism

As consumers, we all expect a certain level of service when engaging in a commercial transaction, whether that’s buying a product or signing up to a new service. As well as any formal contract, companies should also be aware of any implied contract or service level that customers might expect as a result of viewing marketing materials which imply a certain standard or level of professionalism.

Consumers, rightly, also expect that the people they are dealing with are properly equipped for the job, meaning they are best placed to put forward the correct solutions without any repercussions further down the line. So, if for example, your workshop technicians aren’t trained in EV repairs, then fix this by upskilling and industry training and qualifications, which then gives you the transparency to promote EV repair services.

If you’re good, then shout about it

Despite the negative media reports, the truth is that most individuals working in the automotive sector, from those in independent workshops through to franchised dealers, want to do a great job and want what is best for their customers. They want to bring a smile to customers’ faces, see them come back time and time again as satisfied, repeat customers, and take home a sense of pride at the end of the day for a job well done.

So, when a good job is done, businesses should shout about it, and tools like Google Reviews should be utilised so satisfied customers can sing the praises of the service, or product, they have received. Often customers won’t think to leave your company a review so don’t be afraid of asking for reviews or sending them a prompt or incentive to do so. And when the 5-star reviews rain down on you, don’t forget to share these with your wider audiences on your social media channels. This way, they’re much more likely to trust your service rather than simply having to believe what you say about yourself.

There’s also the opportunity to take this one stage further, highlighting company achievements by entering awards which provide third-party endorsement and a raft of PR and marketing opportunities.

Show authority in your respected field

Another way to build trust and credibility with consumers is to take the lead on topics that resonate with them.

If your voice stands out from the crowd, shows insight, addresses their needs and provides a solution, then chances are that they’ll come to you, rather than a competitor, the next time they need a job doing.

This activity will also help place an organisation in online and AI searches, further helping to drive business, while it can be coupled with other actions such as SEO and posting video services on social media.

Why now is the time to act

Automotive businesses who consistently go above and beyond for their customers, while exploring all avenues to further improve their product offering or level of service, are the ones who can look forward with a greater sense of certainty.

If your business is looking to elevate its position by growing its authority and trust, why not give us a call for an informal chat about what else you can do, or how we may be able to help promote these through our award-winning PR and marketing activities?