Effective communication on the phone plays a pivotal role in the success of dealerships. Improper phone handling skills can lead to unscheduled appointments, lack of customer satisfaction, and lost revenue. With many important points to cover during a sales call, agents often forget simplistic strategies that greatly impact the rate of firm appointments set. Don’t let these five fundamental phone handling strategies slip your mind.
1 Introductions
The first thing dealers should do on a call, both inbound and outbound, is introduce themselves and their dealership. Although seemingly simple, Car Wars Mystery Shop Scorecard Data suggests only 80.66% of agents introduce themselves by name, and 81.13% state the name of their dealership on inbound sales calls. Introducing yourself is incredibly important as it adds a level of personalization to the customer and allows the caller to be greeted with professionalism and recognition.
2 Confirming the Customer’s Information
After establishing a friendly and personalized first impression, ask for the customer’s information. This includes both first and last name, email address, and confirmation of a phone number. Surprisingly, sales agents only ask for a customer’s full name on 54.96% of phone calls. Furthermore, verifying the best method of contact for the customer is crucial as it allows dealerships to correctly record and store this information in their CRM.
3 Understanding the Customer’s Needs
After receiving the contact information, ask what the customer’s needs are. Questions like timeframe of purchasing, make, model, or any other vehicle preferences provide more leeway to better understand what the customer is looking for. This allows you to then cater the call to what the customer’s inquiry is regarding. This furthers the level of individualization and demonstrates your dealership’s willingness to prioritize the needs of your customers.
4 Maintaining a Professional and Positive Environment
Create a positive atmosphere for the customer the moment they call your store. Matching professionalism with clarity and friendliness builds rapport and creates a strong dealership-customer relationship. Smiling throughout the phone call creates a pleasant sentiment, ensuring the customer feels respected and their needs are valued. This is key when selling the appointment and inviting the customer into your dealership.
5 Incentivize Urgency and Timeliness
The final tactic when setting a time for the customer to come in is to create a sense of urgency. By sharing limited-time offers and other current promotions, the customer feels compelled to schedule an appointment sooner rather than later. These simple practices can drive more interest or simply influence them to move to the next steps in the sales process before the desired vehicle or promotion becomes unavailable. Car Wars’ data demonstrates viable opportunities to improve this tactic, with only 7.53% of agents mentioning deals and 4.88% implementing urgency.
Find greater insights into your dealership’s phone performance with Car Wars’ premier analytics. Read more about data-based tactics to win more deals HERE. If you are ready to revolutionize your dealership’s phone process, talk to an expert HERE.