Age and AI's Impact on Dealership Online Reviews

The world is moving fast. Yesterday’s hottest technology is often left to the wayside for something brighter. Shinier. More artificial?

AI is changing much of the way we look at work, knowledge and commerce. And at the same time, new generations of shoppers are entering the market. Where are they going for advice on car Sales and Service? Does the online review still have weight? Does it still matter? The answer isn’t just yes. It’s yes with a capital AI.

AI Thrives on Reviews

All the work a dealership puts into securing a positive review on Google is rewarded clearly on their business page, sending the rank higher, and, theoretically, wooing potential customers. That’s been the gold (or gold star) standard for years. The rise of AI however means less eyeballs will land on your business page and its star rating. Users today are often relying on Google’s own AI summary or an LLM like ChatGPT.

The good news for dealers is that the recommendations that AI surfaces are generally mined from review sites, and especially Google.

Service Customers Divided on Online Reviews

The online review itself, the actual 1- to 5-star rating that serves as the basis for what AI serves up, received mixed feedback in CDK’s most recent Service Shopper study. That report surveyed over 2,000 service customers about their experiences and just over half, 51% said they considered online reviews important when deciding on a provider. That’s down from 54% last year.

The 51% figure is significantly influenced by the age of the recipients, however. The largest group represented in the survey were baby boomers. They may be the most common group found in a Service department waiting room, but that also means they’re often set in their ways and aren’t looking to change their provider and likely not looking at online reviews.

The younger the service customer the more interested they are in online reviews. That 51% average is quickly beaten by Generation X then leapfrogged by Millennials and Generation Z.

This doesn’t mean older customers should be ignored in terms of leaving a review. Google doesn’t take age into consideration nor do LLMs. A happy Baby Boomer customer leaving a positive review is just as valuable as any other to these algorithms.

Two Paths, Equal Importance

These findings should hammer home that online reviews are still important, and they’re also vital to future success for dealers. An efficient review strategy that delivers consistent positive feedback from customers will pay off for traditional review readers and everyone heading straight to an AI agent for advice.