As with email leads, dealerships should have a set process in place to respond to telephone leads in order to maximize close rates, as well as provide a better customer experience. Yet, too often, dealers fail at the basics: namely having real people answer the calls, and consistently following up in a professional and timely manner. Here are some pointers keep in mind for responding to telephone leads.

1. Answer the phone.
This first tip might sound obvious, but the truth is - all across the country, in metropolitan dealerships and rural dealerships, there are customers calling because they want to buy a car, and no one is answering the phone! Don’t be that dealership. This leads us to tip #2.

2. Make sure calls are directed to the right people.
The phone numbers that you use in your Internet marketing campaigns and advertisements should direct to your Internet sales team, whether it’s your appointment setter or Internet sales manager. If possible, set up a hunt group – so if ISM #1 is not available, the call will re-direct to ISM #2, and so on, until an available person answers. Even forwarding calls to ISMs’ mobile phones is better than a general receptionist or a voice mail. The goal should be an immediate, live response from a qualified sales person when a prospect is calling about a car.

3. Just in case: make sure your voicemail system is set up properly.
In the event that a prospect calls at a time when absolutely no one is available to answer the phone, you should have a working voice mail system set up with an appropriate recorded message. The voice mail greeting should thank the caller for calling your dealership, acknowledge their interest in an automobile, and also provide the name of the salesperson (or sales people) from whom the customer can expect to receive a call back.  Other key things to include – an alternative phone number (i.e. your mobile phone number) and your dealership’s business hours.

4. When you do talk to your phone lead live, get their contact information.
Even if a prospect calls, says they’re interested in a specific vehicle, and you’re 100% sure that they will be coming into the dealership that day to see the car – don’t just rest on your laurels. Make sure you get your prospect’s name, phone number, and time they’ll be coming in. You may also ask how they found out about your dealership. Too often dealers are so psyched to have a serious prospect coming in, they forget to ask for their name and contact information.

5. Get information on the vehicle they’re interested in, and explore whether they’re open to other possibilities.
This can apply to both email leads and phone leads, and especially to phone leads regarding specific pre-owned vehicles. Often consumers who are interested in a specific pre-owned vehicle will call the dealership to see if the vehicle is still available. Take advantage of the opportunity to pre-qualify your prospect when you have them on the phone, so you can be ready with vehicle alternatives and choices when they come in. Likewise, according to a recent industry study performed by R.L. Polk and The Cobalt Group, 53%¹ of consumers who submit third-party leads for a new vehicle will end up purchasing a pre-owned vehicle. With this information, you should have pre-owned options available for your prospect.

6. When setting the appointment, give the customer appointment options.
One often forgotten, age-old sales technique is to ask your consumers open-ended questions. For example, when setting the appointment, don’t ask, “Does 5:30 work for you?”  This is a question than can actually be a conversation killer if the customer says, “No.”  Instead, ask, “I have an opening at 5:00 or 6:00. What works better for you?” 

7. Establish yourself as the person they’ll want to work with.
When a customer comes to you via a phone lead, they may not be asking for a specific person, so it’s important to begin establishing rapport immediately. In addition, it’s a good idea to give them an added incentive to work with you and/or the Internet sales team, such as special pricing. Make sure to give the customer your name and phone number (including your cell phone), and tell them to ask for you when they come to the dealership. Even describe yourself to them – “I’m the tall guy with red hair,” so they get a picture of a real person who will be expecting them.

8. If you return a prospect’s call, and get their voice mail…
Here’s another example where sales people all too often fail at the basics. The golden rule for leaving a voice mail message is: make it clear, short, and sweet. Always introduce yourself (name and title) and state what the message is regarding. For example, “Hi Mary, I’m Joe Sims, Internet sales manager for Northland Ford, and I’m returning your call regarding the F-150.”

In addition, always leave appropriate contact information – say it slowly and clearly, and say it twice. We’ve all had those voicemail messages where you have no idea what the message is regarding, who’s calling or have no way to return their call.  Make it as easy as possible for your prospect to get in contact with you.

9. Don’t just call to confirm the appointment. Tell the customer that you’ll be doing so.
When you do set an appointment, tell the customer that you’ll call them a day ahead to confirm. Saying that you’ll call to confirm shows the customer that your dealership is organized and professional, and it goes a long ways towards what calling to confirm is all about: making the customer take the appointment seriously and show up on time.

10. Answer the phone.
No, you’re not seeing double vision. We just thought it was important to say it again because too many surveys of consumers who submit leads reveal that 1) too often their phone calls go unanswered and 2) they end up going to another dealership because the first dealership never called them back. Consumers contacting the dealership by phone offer you a golden opportunity to make a sale, but they want your undivided attention to help them through the process. 

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[1] 2007 e-Business Performance Study by R.L. Polk and The Cobalt Group