Car-buyers have more ways than ever to discover your dealership and contact you. Of all the ways they can reach you, the phone remains the second-most popular initial point of contact your dealership.1

Over half of all inbound calls to automotive dealers are revenue-generating opportunities, so it is vital your inbound calls are handled by trained and skilled employees.

The first impression of your dealership

The person who answers the phone is the caller’s first impression of your dealership. Good customer service skills and a positive tone will make a caller’s first impression of your dealership a good one. Without proper phone skills, a customer will be left with a bad taste in their mouth instead of wanting to buy a car.

The right first phone impression shows the customer why they should choose you over your competitor.  When call handlers are equipped with value propositions about your business and give your lead the help they need—your chances of booking the appointment and making the sale will increase even more.

Showcase your dealership’s superiority

By answering the phone quickly, answering the caller’s questions, and leading the conversation to get details, you increase your close rate. Confidence in your dealership and knowledge about what you sell and have on your lot builds trust with the caller.

When a potential customer has a great phone experience, they believe they are choosing the right dealership. By ignoring “your phone issues” and not providing great customer service from the first phone call means you are leaving money on the table.

You can’t close a deal if the lead doesn’t walk into the dealership. You need to pay attention to the phone.

Dazzle callers with superior customer service skills and they won’t go to your competitor

In a Box: Download “6 Perfect Phrases for Every Stage of the Sales Call” to start improving your phone skills today.

Getting the caller’s foot in your dealership’s door

Having great phone skills doesn’t mean answering questions and being respectful Great phone skills means you get a YES for an appointment.

A “soft appointment” is not a YES.  You should only consider appointments that specify a date and time as a “real” appointment.  

Customers who have called your dealership, made an appointment, and walk through your door are ready to buy! It is up to you to close the deal.

Improve phone skills & improve conversion rates

Better call handling skills means higher call-to-appointment rates, which means more sales for your dealership.

For help improving your team’s phone skills, check out CallSource’s custom employee scorecard and our over-the-phone or in-house call coaching. Schedule a time to speak to a specialist to learn more, or call us at 888-340-123.

Reference:
1. https://b2b.autotrader.com/oem/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018-Cox-Automotive-Car-Buyer-Journey-Brochure.pdf