Phone calls are on the rise – whether it’s because of the proliferation of smartphones and their easy call-to-talk functionality or because car buyers have grown weary of online lead forms – studies show that call volume is now outpacing Internet leads by 4-1. The message is clear: consumers want the immediate gratification of a phone call – but, sadly, at least 40% of those callers aren’t getting any kind of gratification when dialing a typical dealership. A situation that is costing dealerships as much as $44,000 in lost revenues every month!
Instead of converting these calls into showroom appointments, many call handlers drop the ball – resulting in customer defection to another brand and/or dealership at least 50% of the time, according to our studies in conjunction with R.L. Polk. Think about it – you spend thousands in marketing dollars to attract car buyers to your dealership, doesn’t it make sense to monitor and make sure that employees handling the incoming calls are as effective as they can be?
Giving good phone?
Ask yourself these questions:
- Which call handlers are on phone duty today?
- Are they the least experienced call handlers you have?
- Has everyone on your team been trained to effectively handle inbound phone leads?
- If they’ve been trained, how are you monitoring their effectiveness?
- Do you have consistent phone skills training for all new car sales associates?
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