SANTA MONICA, Calif. –

TrueCar announced this week that it has revamped its dealer certification program in an effort to enhance both dealership sales and the customer experience.

TrueCar Certification Program 2.0 launched as part of the TrueCar Dealer Training System, the company explained, and includes six new interactive videos that take about 30 minutes to complete.

TrueCar Certified Dealers are required to complete the Certification Program as least once every year, and participation is mandatory.

Participating dealers must also meet contractual customer service requirements, the company reported.

“Not every dealer meets the standards to become a TrueCar Certified Dealer,” said Stewart Easterby, TrueCar’s chief operating officer,who said the company “proactively suspends dealers for customer experience or performance reasons.”

It suspended more than 300 dealers last year for quality standard reasons, he added.  

TrueCar management also pointed out that according to the company’s data, dealers who completed the previous program had an average 30-percent increase in closing rates.

The company hopes the new updated program will produce even better results.

 “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.”