Mandatory certification ensures highest-quality car buying standards
TrueCar, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRUE), the negotiation-free car buying and selling platform, redesigned its dealer certification program to help dealerships gain access to more high-quality customers as well as improve sales closing rates and customer satisfaction scores. The program also ensures the car-buying experience is the best it can be for customers.
TrueCar Certification Program 2.0 for both franchised and independent dealerships launched as part of the TrueCar Dealer Training System, and includes six new interactive videos that take about 30 minutes to complete. Participation is mandatory and TrueCar Certified Dealers are required to complete the Certification Program at least every 12 months. Participating dealers must also meet contractual customer service requirements.
“Not every dealer meets the standards to become a TrueCar Certified Dealer,” said Stewart Easterby, TrueCar’s chief operating officer. “Unlike lead-generation, listings or advertising-supported automotive sites, TrueCar proactively suspends dealers for customer experience or performance reasons. TrueCar suspended over 300 dealers in 2014 for failing to meet its rigorous quality standards.”
According to TrueCar data, dealers who completed the previous program had an average 30 percent increase in closing rates. With updated content reflecting the latest best practices and dealer tools, TrueCar is confident that completing the new program will help dealerships improve even further.
Additionally, completing the new Certification Program will help increase car sales to more users of TrueCar-affiliated sites including USAA, Consumer Reports, AARP, AAA, US News, GEICO and TrueCar.com.
Being a TrueCar Certified Dealer sets a dealership apart. With a network of nearly 10,000 dealerships, more than one out of four U.S. franchise dealers has fulfilled the criteria to be part of the TrueCar Certified Dealer network.
“TrueCar’s mission is to make car buying simple, fair and fun,” Easterby said. “TrueCar has an obligation to its users, affinity partners, OEM partners and dealer partners to ensure participating dealers are held to the highest standards.”
