Unfortunately for those in the automotive industry, shady salesmen and dubious dealerships have made many people skeptical of interacting with dealership employees when looking to buy a vehicle. People now pull up on the lot guarded and reluctant to believe the too-good-to-be-true deals salesmen offer them.

But, there are ways for those who work at car dealerships to circumvent this issue, and it all starts with maintaining a certain level of honesty and integrity when dealing with customers.

Ready to learn more?

Read on to discover four traits of a trustworthy dealership that will alleviate buyers' concerns.

1. No Bait-and-Switch

This is one of the most deceptive (and unfortunately common) advertising practices in any industry, but it is fairly prevalent in the automotive industry. The premise involves advertising a specific deal or promotion in order to get people to come to the dealership but then subsequently offering different deals once you interact with them.

The alternative offers are often not as good or higher priced. As you can expect, this can lead to plenty of frustrated customers and even prompt some potential buyers to walk out. Despite this deceptiveness, this tactic does work and many dealerships get away with it.

But, by staying true to what you advertise, you'll be able to develop a unique level of trust with your customers that will set you apart from the competition. People appreciate honesty, and they may even be inclined to tell their friends and family that your dealership doesn't intend to take advantage of them.

Sales lead generation and management is important in almost every industry, but you shouldn’t sacrifice the longevity of your customer relationships to make a quick buck.

2. Reliability

This characteristic is vital if you want repeat business. Just like how you need to be honest, you also need to be reliable as a dealership professional. If you don't know the correct answer to an inquiry that a customer has, be honest with them and point them in the direction of someone who does have the answer.

Similarly, don't get customers' hopes up and make them believe that certain deals are possible when they aren't. For example, it's unethical to tell a potential buyer inaccurate financing options simply so they will begin deal negotiations with the dealership manager.

Treat each customer interaction as an opportunity to foster a relationship and not an opportunity to make a quick sale. If buyers feel like they can come to you for trustworthy answers to their concerns, they'll be much more likely to go through with a purchase.

3. Take Reviews Seriously

Reputation management is so important that there are firms that specialize entirely in making sure companies have good reputations. If a customer is disgruntled and threatens to leave the poor review, you need to take this seriously.

81 percent of buyers in most industries check reviews before they visit a location to make a purchase. If your online reviews are full of comments that say that your employees are unhelpful, dishonest, or impolite, there's nothing stopping a buyer from going to another dealership instead.

While you can't always prevent negative reviews, you can publicly acknowledge and respond to them, and also offer a way to help rectify the issue. This transparency goes a long way with potential customers.

4. Listen to the Customer

You're much more likely to make a successful sale if you acknowledge your customers' concerns. People (especially buyers) love to feel validated, so never make it seem like the buyer you are talking to is just another sales number.

If they're worried about the safety features or other attributes of the vehicle after you've already explained and shown them, take a moment to do so again just to illustrate that you're willing to go the extra mile for them.

Properly managing customer relations can seem difficult, but it doesn't have to be. With these four tips in mind, you'll be well on your way to standing out from the crowd in the automotive industry.