CASE STUDIES
| PRODUCTS | COMPANY | INDUSTRY | COMPETITORS | LOCATION | ROOFTOPS |
   |
McGovern Automotive |
Automotive |
Herb Chambers, Kelly Automotive Group |
New England |
30+ |
"One of the first challenges we faced was handling our reviews. Trying to reply to all of the positive and negative reviews became overwhelming. To put it in perspective, we couldn’t even respond to all of Toyota Nashua's reviews in a single day—there were just too many.”
—Michelle Brodeur, Marketing Specialist, McGovern Auto Group
With numerous priorities to manage, having the marketing team handle daily review responses wasn’t the best use of their time. Recognizing this, McGovern sought a way to streamline their review management process and enhance customer engagement.
Managing reviews was only part of the challenge—they also needed to ensure their business listings were accurate and consistent across all platforms. This prompted them to look for a comprehensive solution like Widewail, which could tackle both review and listings management. By partnering with Widewail, McGovern ensured reviews were managed efficiently, freeing the team to focus on other priorities.
We knew we needed a solution. We remembered Widewail from our days at Dealer.com, and that's when we realized: Google wants us to stay on top of this, Google likes for us to stay on top of this, and we have to figure out how to do so efficiently. It became clear that partnering with Widewail would be more cost-effective and provide the support we needed across all locations."
—Jennifer Martel, Marketing Director, McGovern Auto Group
McGovern Auto Group partnered with Widewail for review and listings management to reduce internal workload and ensure accurate, consistent information across all locations.
This streamlined approach improved their online presence and customer trust through consistent review response, all while ensuring customers could easily find correct business information on each of their locations.
(Performance Measured February 1, 2024 - May 1, 2024)
Review Volume:
In the first 90 days after launching Invite, McGovern saw a 49% increase in overall review volume, from 3,536 to 5,268 total reviews. Most of this growth was seen on Google with a 59% increase in review volume (2,820 to 4,484 reviews) and Facebook with a 139% increase (46 to 110 reviews).
Negative Review Reduction:
Negative reviews dropped by 17% within the first 90 days, going from 8% down to 5%. With this 5% negative review rate, McGovern Auto Group now ranks #8 among the Automotive News Top 150 Largest Dealer Groups for the lowest percentage of negative reviews.
(Performance Measured February 1, 2024 - February 1, 2025)
McGovern Auto didn’t have any major issues with their original vendors—they were simply looking to streamline their processes. Through consolidation with Widewail, they saw a significant boost in overall review volume and a 29% drop in negative reviews in 1 year.
Review Volume:
In just one year, McGovern saw a 74% increase in overall review volume, with Google reviews alone growing by 84%. This means their locations now average 41 reviews per month, nearly four times the industry average of 11.7 reviews per month per location. Overall, McGovern’s total review count rose from 13,350 to 23,230 reviews. On Google, reviews increased significantly from 9,690 to 18,831 during the same period.
Negative Review Reduction:
In the first year using Invite, McGovern reduced its negative review volume by 29%, dropping from 7% to 5% of all reviews. This is significantly below the industry benchmark of 11.7%, showcasing McGovern's ability to improve customer sentiment and strengthen its online reputation. Among the top 10 dealers in the brand reputation scorecard, McGovern ranks 3rd for the lowest percentage of negative reviews.
Key Takeaway:
Before partnering with Widewail, McGovern Auto Group juggled multiple vendors, each focused on different objectives. This led to scattered review responses, some going unanswered or delayed. Their online listings were often outdated, with wrong hours or contact information, frustrating potential customers. These fragmented systems made it hard to stay on top of feedback, and McGovern missed chances to connect with customers quickly, putting their reputation at risk.
The Automotive News Top 150 Dealership Groups ranks the largest U.S. dealership groups based on new vehicle sales. It highlights the top players in automotive retail, showing who's leading the pack and how they're navigating industry trends.
Widewail gives each of the top 150 groups a reputation scorecard—here’s how McGovern stacks up:
McGovern’s reputation health score ranks #10 overall out of 150 U.S. dealer groups. With an average rating of 4.8 stars per month, McGovern holds the 7th highest rating, which is 5% above the industry benchmark. Additionally, McGovern receives an average of 41 reviews per month per location, which is 252% higher than the industry average.
*Benchmarks calculated from analysis of 4M Google reviews across 18,000 new car dealers from 2024. Learn More.
| Dealership | Monthly Rating | Monthly Volume | Response Rate | Negativity Percentage |
| McGovern | 4.8 | 41 | 97% | 5% |
| Herb Chambers | 4.6 | 16.5 | 98.7% | 8% |
| Kelly Auto Group | 4.6 | 38.2 | 90% | 10% |
Centralized Management: One of the advantages McGovern Auto Group has gained is consolidating its reputation management under one vendor. This simplification, paired with the expertise of Widewail’s review response team, ensures relevant and personalized responses to every review across the dealer network.
"It's great for us to have one vendor. The value Widewail adds through their simple process and real human responses—something not every vendor offers—has made a big difference for us.”
— Jennifer Martel, Marketing Specialist
Improved Accountability: Widewail’s Engage tool has helped McGovern’s teams stay informed of and accountable to customer feedback. General Managers across the dealer group are deeply involved in personalizing and approving negative review responses, often adding context to resolve situations effectively. This hands-on collaboration ensures consistent management, building customer trust while empowering GMs to take meaningful action.
“[Engage] holds our teams accountable. If there are team members who make a misstep, the GMs can ask, 'Okay, what happened here?' It gives them a way to make it right with the customer. We’ve actually seen many customers remove their negative reviews after a GM resolves the issue."
—Michelle Brodeur, Marketing Specialist
Streamlined Listings Management: McGovern has simplified managing their online listings across all locations with Widewail’s Listings Management tool. From the platform, they can easily update active listings, manage Google Questions & Answers, and post directly to Google and Facebook—all in one place.
“One of the biggest improvements has been with their listings product. We struggled for years with incorrect listings, but since switching to Widewail, we've had very few issues. The process to make changes is extremely easy."
—Jennifer Martel, Marketing Director
(Performance measured from February 1, 2024, to February 1, 2025.)
Centralized review management streamlined BMW Shrewsbury’s efforts, making it easier to expand review generation across multiple sites without losing focus on Google, where they maintain a strong presence. Their Cars.com lifetime rating increased by half a star, and their DealerRater rating increased by .2 within the first year. This growth, partnered with a significant decrease in negative reviews overall, reflects an improved customer experience and heightened brand awareness for BMW Shrewsbury.
Genesis of Albany’s surge in review volume and consistently high Google rating have boosted their online visibility, leading to higher search engine rankings and increased views on Google, driving more visits to their website. The more reviews you have, the more trust you generate for your business, making potential customers more likely to visit. This, coupled with their quick response times (less than a day on average), shows how effective reputation management can translate into real-world traffic and engagement for this dealer.
Boston Motorsports Maserati has seen extraordinary growth in review volume and the quality of their customer feedback. The 20% increase in the overall star rating is the highest improvement across all McGovern Auto Group locations, showcasing a tangible upward shift in positive customer interactions. This 0.8-star increase represents the average improvement in star ratings on both Google and Facebook.
McGovern Subaru of Acton, previously under different management, had accumulated a high volume of negative online reviews. Upon acquisition, McGovern Auto Group focused on addressing these concerns and improving the dealership's online reputation. Within the first year of Invite, their negative review volume decreased by over half.
Standout performances from individual McGovern locations showcase how focused efforts at the local level can drive growth and enhance a brand’s overall reputation.
In partnering with Widewail, McGovern Auto Group successfully streamlined its review and listings management strategy, improving both efficiency and customer engagement. With tools like Invite and Engage, McGovern saw significant growth in review volume, a reduction in negative feedback, and strengthened its online reputation across all dealerships.
By consolidating under a single vendor, McGovern was able to focus on long-term strategic goals while maintaining a strong local presence, showing how effective review management directly impacts both customer trust and business success.
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