Car dealer review website DealerRater announced the release of the iOS version of the DealerRater for Dealers App.

The app, part of the company’s CertifiedEssentials reputation-management program, helps dealership employees sell more cars by connecting them directly with shoppers who are deciding where to purchase a vehicle.

The DealerRater app facilitates online conversations between buyers and sellers early in the process, allowing them to gain trust and encourage showroom visits.

With a notable decline in showroom visits, dealerships have to think about first impressions.

“We developed an app that helps salespeople sell more cars,” said Gary Tucker, DealerRater chief executive officer. “It’s an extension of a dealer’s showroom floor, opening a new digital channel that connects shoppers already engaging with employee profiles on DealerRater.com and individual salespeople. Because of these connections, consumers can now enter a dealership with confidence, knowing exactly who they will be working with and the buying experience they can expect.”

Dealer sales and service personnel can now receive qualified leads around the clock. And employee page updates — photo additions, product specialty notations, trainings completed, certifications attained — can happen with just a few clicks.

On vehicle delivery day, salespeople and their customers can document the occasion with the integrated LotShot “snap and share” feature that helps employees secure additional customer reviews.

Store managers benefit from increased visibility and oversight into sales activity. Built-in leaderboards, which rank salespeople by number of reviews and review ratings, give supervisors a new way to encourage employees to keep their employee pages up-to-date and realize the power reviews have to drive new business.