According to one of our dealer clients, his stores close 25% of call-in leads and just 12% of online leads. I think that says a lot about having a good, old-fashioned, one-on-one interaction with a prospective buyer.

If you’re looking for ways to help your sales team convert more phone-ups, then now is the time to look at your call-handling process. Here are four ways your dealership may be mis-handling calls and losing sales. Improve in these areas and you should see your ups close rate rise.

Not listening to the caller

Train your sales and service staff to listen to what the customer asks for and then look past that to find out what they need. Too often, salespeople sing the praises of the brand or model a caller inquires about without hearing what the customer actually wants in a new car. Listen to the speed at which the customer speaks and try to match that pattern. Listen closely to intonations, emphasis on certain words may provide a hint as to what questions to ask to move the sales process along.

Sometimes, service departments are so eager to fill their schedule they don’t “connect” with the customer in order to build a lasting, loyal customer relationship. Listen to your callers, ask questions to identify their needs, and work hard to fulfill it. The secret to identifying these holes in your staff’s call-handling process is to use a lead-tracking system that offers a recording feature. Recording calls will let you play them back at a later date, so you can monitor sales and service staff, spot any problems with the call-handling process, and fine tune those holes to turn more phone-ups into appointments and sales.

Jumping straight to booking an appointment without building rapport with the caller

In any type of sales business, you need to establish a relationship. Even on the web, you need to have landing pages to provide information about your products or services before jumping to the shopping cart. So, don’t rush to the sale. Take the time to engage and educate your customers and they will reward you with a purchase, and hopefully become loyal buyers. A basic sales script to guide the conversation will serve your sales staff well and do the same for your service department. Identify the questions you want to clarify with callers before scheduling an appointment, so you’re well informed about their needs by the end of the conversation.

Going off topic

Some salespeople overdo the need for a “relationship” with excessive chatter. Others may spend an unwarranted amount of time on irrelevant information, delaying the sale and distracting the caller. While you do want to build a relationship and make your callers comfortable, the goal is to schedule the appointments and make the sale. If a sale is the topic, don’t coast too far off on tangents like the local weather or latest restaurant opening. Save that relationship chatter for when they are in your showroom and the closing papers are being drafted!

Not following up on phone leads

Just because someone does not buy immediately doesn’t mean they won’t be interested later. Follow up is a critical aspect of sales that is often neglected. And, we all know that from a salesperson’s perspective: If the deal doesn’t close, move on to the next opportunity. The secret to making the most of every incoming phone lead is to employ a lead tracking system that provides caller information like name, address, phone, and average home value. This will help you capture that essential information and allow you to keep that prospect on your radar for future follow-up and proactive marketing campaigns.

A thorough analysis of your callers’ experiences as they are introduced to your dealership will speak volumes on where your sales and service departments excel, but most importantly, on where there is room for improvement. If you don’t already have a lead-tracking system with recording capabilities, find one today and get started. You’ll be amazed at the conversations that are taking place between potential customers and your dealership. And, you’ll undoubtedly identify areas and employees that need training.

Laura Noonan has 15 years of experience in the vanity 800 numbers and telecommunications industry. She coaches hundreds of auto clients each year on using toll-free vanity 800 phone numbers as direct marketing tools to increase advertising response rates. Laura can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 1-800-NEW-SALES.

 

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