3 Ways to Prevent Your Hottest Leads from Slipping Through the Cracks

Start the new year off by leveraging the most powerful tool at your dealership – the phone.

Start the new year off by leveraging the most powerful tool at your dealership – the phone. The phone is the bridge between your dealership and potential customers. Training your staff to carry out proper phone handling techniques can improve customer experience and increase Sales opportunities. Here are three simple yet proven strategies your dealership can carry out to ensure your hottest leads aren’t slipping through the cracks.??

Know the Difference Between Connected and Unconnected Calls??

Did you know that an answered call doesn’t mean it’s a connected call? Customers must be connected to a qualified agent who can answer their questions. There are many reasons a call can be considered unconnected. A common example is when callers reach the receptionist and request to speak with a specific salesperson, but are transferred straight to voicemail. ?

The metrics in the image below show reasons for unconnected calls at an example dealership and how often they occurred.??

As you can see, all of these potential buyers were unable to receive the help they needed when calling a dealership. There are many techniques to combat unconnected calls, such as implementing bridges, multi-rings, and warm transfers. Comment below with specific techniques your dealership implements to help prevent unconnected callers! ?

By now, you have already accomplished the first step in knowing the difference between connected and unconnected calls. This makes a huge difference in ensuring the needs of all leads are taken care of.??

Implement a Warm Transfer Process?

You may be losing Sales and Service opportunities due to frustrated customers experiencing long hold times. Blindly transferring callers can lead them to the dealer’s unchecked voicemail, thus leaving them stranded. Train your receptionist to implement a warm transfer process by ensuring the specific dealer being requested is available before transferring. When initiating the transfer, don’t let the customer stay on hold for too long. If the phone rings more than three times, take the customer off hold and find alternative solutions, such as transferring to a manager or taking down a handwritten note.??

Click HERE for a downloadable graphic to hang around your dealership that shows the warm transfer process!?

Set Firm Appointments

No-shows are a common pain point for dealers. When you invite callers into your dealership, make sure you are setting firm appointment by offering a specific day and time. Oftentimes dealers set soft appointments without even realizing it by only suggesting a vague timeframe.??

For example, a soft appointment would sound like this:

“Would you like to come in for an appointment sometime after work on Friday?”??

Instead, set a firm appointment by saying this:

“Would you like to come in for an appointment on Friday at 3pm or 6pm?”?

Dealerships have a 25% show rate on soft appointments vs. a 75% show rate on firm appointments that have been confirmed by a manager. Here is a word track your dealership can follow to set firm appointments.??

Don’t let poor phone handling be the reason your dealership is missing out on Sales opportunities. Share these quick tips with your team to Own the Phone in 2023. Comment below with any questions, additional strategies, and other topics you’d like learn about to help our Car Wars community!??