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PHONE TALKING POINTS

MORE APPOINTMENTSTHAT WILL MAKE YOU SET

ANSWERING INCOMING INVENTORY CALLSFollow these phone call talking points to book more appointments on your inbound calls.

ANSWERING THE CALL

ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS REACHING A LIVE PERSON WHO CAN HELP THEM?40% of calls to a dealership are left stranded

ANSWERING

Remember to smile when you pick up the phone (the caller will hear it in your voice).

• Thank them for calling (your store) and be sure to introduce yourselfwithyourfirstandlastname.

• Follow with “And your name is?” (Always ask for their name if it is not given)

• “And your phone number in case we get disconnected?”

GETTING THEIR INFORMATION

• “Isthisthefirsttimeyou’vecalledour dealership?”

• If they are a new customer, ask how they heard about you.

DETERMINE NEW OR EXISTING CUSTOMER

ANSWERING

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QUALIFYING AND GETTING THE APPOINTMENT

Ask qualifying questions about the car, using “either or” questions.

• “Would you prefer a lighter or darker shade?”

• “Are you looking for a 5 speed or automatic transmission?”

• “Do you want cloth or leather seats?”

• Ask other qualifying questions that relate to their interests.

QUALIFY THE CUSTOMER

• Follow with “And your name is?” (Always ask for their name if it is not given)

• “And your phone number in case we get disconnected?”

CHECKING AVAILABILITYOn average, it takes 8.6 tries to get a customer back on the phone. If you do need to check on the availability of a car, place the customer on a brief hold and check. Remember that 75% of callers end up buying a car different than the one they called for.

• Assume the appointment. Instead of asking if they would like to come in, assume they will and offer two options:• “What works better for you to

come look at the car, [today or tomorrow]?”

• Getafirmappointmentwithadate and time, by using the same tactic:• “What time is better for you,

[2:00 or 4:00]?”

ASKING THE APPOINTMENTWe’ve seen better success when getting the appointment on the first call, instead of placing a follow up call. Get them in the door even if the car they wanted is no longer in stock.

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HANDLING OBJECTIONS

The key is to get the customer in the dealership before going too deep into pricing.

• “There are a lot of ways I can save you money on this purchase.”

• “If you come into the dealership, we can discuss different pricing options based on your down payment and what you are looking for in a monthly payment.

• Offer a lower and higher priced option in the range of cars they are interested in. This offers them a choice and helps set a benchmark.

COMMON OBJECTION: BEST PRICE

• Iftheytrytoavoidafirmappointment (“I might just stop by this weekend”), offer that getting a time on the books is better so thattheydon’thavetowaitonyou when they come in. Pick a tenative time and tell them they can always reschedule.

COMMON OBJECTION: CAN’T GET A FIRM APPOINTMENT

HOW OFTEN ARE YOU ASKING FOR THE APPOINTMENT ON QUALIFIED SALES CALLS?

It’s usually less than HALF the time.

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CLOSING

• Giveyourfirstandlastname.• Ask them if they have a pen and

paper handy to write down your direct phone number (wait for them to get one).

GIVE YOUR INFORMAITON

• Followwith“I’mgoingtosend you an email with some information on these cars and our appointment time. Should I send this to a work or home address? And that is?”

GET EMAIL ADDRESS

• Ask if they know where the dealership is located. If not, give instructions and help them mentally place the dealership in their mind by using landmarks and imagery.

• I’llseeyouat[dateandtime].

GIVE DIRECTIONS AND REINFORCE THE APPOINTMENT TIME

FIRM APPOINTMENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO SHOW THAN SOFT APPOINTMENTS

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LEAVING OUTBOUND VOICEMAILSOn average, it takes 8.6 attempts to get a customer back on a phone call. Reduce that number by leaving interesting, effective voicemails.

ANSWERING • Inform the customer who are you (firstandlastname)andwhatdealershipyou’rewith.

• Say “You can reach me at [your number].”

• Give them a reason to call you back, with a line like “I have some really good news for you. Please call me back as soon as you get a chance!”

• Don’tgiveawayyour“news”inthemessage. Keeping this a mystery will give them a reason to return your call.

• Repeat your name and phone number slowly again at the end of the call. This will give the customer another chance to write down your information.

REPEAT YOUR INFORMATION

INTRODUCTION

MAKE THEM CURIOUSMake sure to sound excited when leaving your message. It will entice them to call you back.

• The optimal voice message is about 14 seconds long. Be sure to keep it under 30 seconds.

KEEP IT SHORTLong voicemails get deleted before the customer can hear the rest of your message.

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GET A DEMO

Want to go dive deeper into improving your phone performance? Car Wars will help you Own the Phone through:

Own the Phone with

MISSED OPPORTUNITY ALERTSIfacallismishandled,we’llnotifytherightpeopleatyourstore for immediate action.

REPORTS THAT DRIVE ACTION Understand which marketing efforts are driving the best leads and how well your store is handling those leads.

A SCOREBOARD COMPETITIONCompete against a different dealership each week. Own the Phone and win the game!

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