Industry-Leading Insight: The 3 Trends for Increased Phone Efficiency
Car Wars conducted research to analyze the phone performance of nearly 3,000 automotive dealerships from 2020 to 2023. In this research study, several noteworthy trends emerged that can guide you in maximizing the potential of the phone at your dealership in 2024.??
Here are three stand-out trends, that when acted upon, will increase dealer efficiency and improve customer experience and conversion rates. ?
Trend 1: Call Volume?
In 2023, the average annual inbound call volume per dealership was 43,502. This is lower than 2022, meaning that every time someone calls into your dealership, there is more weight associated with each call. While there was a slight decrease since last year, call volume has leveled out since 2020 due to more inventory and prices leveling out. In addition, Service drives are returning to normal levels of demand, so it's taking fewer phone calls to find the dealership that meets the customer’s needs. This also explains why call volume has leveled out. Dealers should recognize the importance of each incoming call and strive to make the most out of these interactions, as they may represent valuable opportunities for business, sales, or customer engagement.?
Trend 2: Sales vs. Service??
Of the 43,502 inbound calls an average dealership received in 2023, 25% were Sales opportunities, 31% were for Service . Note that this data is based on customer selection on a phone bridge. That said, 44% of customers select another option like Finance, Parts, or Operator. This distinction in the types of calls supports the importance of phone bridges. Your dealership needs to ensure a bridge is set up on your main line to give customers the option to “Press 1 for Service, 2 for Sales, 3 for Parts, 4 for Finance, and 5 for the Operator.” This will allow customers to get to the correct department immediately. In addition, a bridge is important so that your receptionist isn't bogged down by 44% of callers that don't select Sales or Service.?
Trend 3: Call Connection??
领英推荐
In 2023, the average dealership connected 65.5% of its calls to a qualified staff member. While this score has slowly increased over the past few years, there is still room for improvement.?
A connected call is different from answering a ringing phone. A connected call is when a customer gets ear-to-ear with an agent who can address their question. An answered call is solely based on a technical pick-up signal. This could mean the customer was sent to an agent’s voicemail or hung up while on hold.?
?Improving call connection at your dealership will increase customer satisfaction, phone conversion rates, and your bottom line. The phone call is the first step in the customer’s journey and a conversation that will likely decide if they schedule a test drive with you or turn to the competition instead.?
Dealers who emphasize and expect top-notch phone handling performance across their agents and stores are the ones who achieve positive outcomes.?
To learn more data-backed insights about how you can utilize the phone to elevate your insights, check the full research study HERE.?
Co-Founder & VP of Sales & Marketing @ 448 Connect | Caller ID Reputation Expert | Branded Calling Evangelist | Blood Donation Advocate
8 个月Auto dealerships should use branded calling and monitor their outbound phone numbers for spam flags. This will help them stand out and ensure customers know who is calling. In just the past year I have personally missed calls from dealerships because I didn't recognize their phone number when buying a new car, which probably caused the first few dealerships to call a sale. I also received calls from my dealership's service department for my Ford F-150 but didn't answer because it showed up as "Potential Spam" on my phone. This caused frustration and delays. Branded calling and phone number monitoring are inexpensive solutions that customers will appreciate. I would love to hear from dealerships who have used branded calling and how it has worked out for them.