Interesting reporting in Automotive News today about where customer loyalty lies.

It's a people business. Dealers who repeat that mantra shouldn't be surprised to learn that when customers happy with their vehicle purchase pass along a good word, they're more likely to recommend the salesperson than the store.

In fact, 70 percent of consumers surveyed said they would recommend the salesperson, while 30 percent would recommend the dealership.

That was the finding of an online survey of consumers who were actively writing dealership reviews on DealerRater. Specifically, the survey question, supplied by Automotive News in a partnership with the rating site, asked: "If you were to recommend this dealership to a friend, are you more likely to recommend them specifically to your salesperson or to the dealership in general?" The question drew 20,359 responses Sept. 4-18.