Company Press Release

DealerRater Expands Syndication Footprint, Partners with CU Direct’s AutoSMART Platform

WALTHAM, Mass. – March 24, 2017 – DealerRater, the world's leading car dealer review website, announced today its partnership with CU Direct, the nation's leading lending technology and automotive solutions provider for credit unions. The agreement allows CU Direct to integrate DealerRater® reviews and ratings on its next generation AutoSMART vehicle shopping and research platform, which enables auto dealers to sell more cars faster and easier.

AutoSMART, the nation's largest credit union auto shopping platform, provides dealers with a unique marketing channel to promote their inventory, gain access to new growth opportunities and build their brand to credit unions. AutoSMART connects dealers instantly with 1,100 credit unions and the 42 million potential car buyers they represent. The platform’s robust features include: a dynamic user interface that simplifies the car buying process; dedicated Dealer Pages providing additional branding exposure; and the ability to merchandise online inventory with special offers to drive more sales.

Online reviews are more important than ever in the car buying process. By integrating DealerRater reviews and ratings on AutoSMART's new platform, dealers can promote their strong reputation and the unique experience they offer customers. Both DealerRater Certified Dealers and non-certified dealers have the ability to display their reviews on AutoSMART. However, Certified Dealers have the added benefit of showcasing their most-reviewed employees, which provides greater exposure and transparency regarding dealership personnel, likely resulting in a more confident consumer and more transactions. They also gain a two-week reconciliation period for negative reviews, allowing Certified Dealers to communicate with unsatisfied customers through a private website panel before negative reviews go live.

"DealerRater continues to actively and aggressively extend the reach of our review content across multiple platforms through strategic syndication agreements," said Jamie Oldershaw, General Manager of DealerRater. "AutoSMART is the perfect platform for DealerRater reviews and ratings because it allows dealers to leverage invaluable consumer word of mouth to put a spotlight on their dealerships and attract more customers."

"AutoSMART provides dealers with a state-of-the-art platform to better connect with credit unions, finalize more deals faster and generate more revenue," said Evan Etheridge, CU Direct’s vice president of automotive products. "By further enhancing the platform with DealerRater's trusted reviews and ratings, we're providing even more value to our dealers, credit unions and to car buying members and consumers."

DealerRater reviews will appear on AutoSMART starting in March. Dealers can request the display of DealerRater reviews and ratings on their AutoSMART profile page by contacting their CU Direct representative.


About DealerRater
Founded in 2002, DealerRater, a Cars.com company, is the world's leading car dealer review website that connects consumers with the right person at the right dealership. The site offers nearly 3.5 million sales and service reviews across 41,000 U.S. and Canadian dealerships, including a network of more than 5,600 Certified Dealers. More than 14 million consumers read DealerRater content across the web each month. By offering a product suite that allows qualified dealerships to manage their reputations and achieve higher SEO rankings, DealerRater supports new customer connections by growing online presence.


About CU Direct
For more than twenty years, CU Direct has been a lending technology leader, helping credit unions fund $209 billion in loans. More than 1,000 credit unions rely on CU Direct’s solutions to generate loans, create efficiencies, and grow membership.  From CUDL, the industry’s number one auto lending platform, to the industry’s revolutionary Lending 360 Loan Origination System, and Lending Insights dynamic analytic tools, CU Direct develops the technology that helps credit unions advance their lending programs and overall portfolio success.  13,000 auto dealers nationwide use CU Direct’s automotive solutions to connect with credit unions and their members to drive sales and increase their bottom lines. CU Direct is recognized as an award-winning Top Workplace by the California-based Press Enterprise. For more information, visit www.cudirect.com.  Connect with CU Direct on Twitter and LinkedIn.