DealerRater recently announced that LotShot, previously a web-only photo review application, is now available as a feature in the DealerRater for Dealers app for iOS.

Considered to be easier to use than ever before, LotShot can allow salespeople at DealerRater Certified Dealerships — which currently stands at more than 5,600 stores in the U.S. and Canada — to snap and share customer photos at vehicle delivery, email them to a customer and “dramatically” improve their chances of receiving a review.

The site insisted nearly 50 percent of all LotShot review requests made by dealership salespeople to their vehicle-buying customers result in a review on DealerRater.

“Purchasing a car is a significant event and LotShot has proven to be both a fun way to share the moment and a very effective way to quickly earn a review,” DealerRater chief executive officer Gary Tucker said.

“Adding LotShot to our smartphone-based employee app streamlines the picture-taking, sharing and review invitation process,” Tucker added.

In a social media-powered consumer economy, DealerRater highlighted that studies have shown that photos perform best for likes, comments and shares compared to text, video, and site links. In addition, product and service reviews that include customer pictures greatly improve review credibility.

Photo reviews on DealerRater earn more than twice the amount of helpful votes from consumers compared to plain text reviews.

“LotShot is simply cool,” said Chuck Prosch, fleet/Internet manager at Pearland, Texas-based Strickland Chevrolet, a two-time DealerRater Texas Dealer of the Year and Consumer Satisfaction Award winner.

“I don’t know anyone who doesn't like to see a picture of themselves with their new vehicle,” Prosch continued.

DealerRater emphasized the LotShot app capability is simple to use. A dealership salesperson opens LotShot on their smartphone, takes or uploads a photo, enters the vehicle-buyer’s name and email address, previews the note and sends the photo along with DealerRater review completion instructions.

“What we have found with LotShot is that customers not only get back to us about the experience they had with their salesperson,” added Prosch, “but they also share LotShot photos with family and friends, adding to the positive feeling they have about our team members."

The DealerRater for Dealers app for iOS is included in Certified Essentials, the company’s reputation-management toolkit. The iOS version of the app is available for immediate download by DealerRater Certified Dealers.

An Android version of the app will be released soon. Certified Dealers can sign up to be notified when it becomes available.

For more information on LotShot, visit info.dealerrater.com/Lotshot.