As if they needed to tell us what we already feared we knew…
Using call analytics technology to analyze anonymous data based on 1,000 randomly sampled mobile phone calls from consumers to dealerships across the U.S., the Institute found that 16% of customer calls to dealerships go unanswered, and when customers do connect with a dealer representative, 63% of the time there is no attempt to get the customers to make an appointment. Additionally, 66% of the time, representatives do not ask for the customer’s contact information.
Phone ups are the most valuable type of lead we receive, and yet the most fumbled. On a weekly basis I get asked how the best dealers are handling phone ups, how can we handle them better. And I remember my apprehension at first to outsourcing inbound phone traffic. But then I started listening to those outsourced calls and my jaw dropped. This thing that we complain about on a daily basis, we laugh and we cry when we listen to those inbound recorded sales calls, can be easily fixed! There’s too much money not just dripping, but running out of the phone up pipeline. Sales, and service.
Don’t forget service.
The study also found that 77% of phone calls to dealerships are from new customers and 74% of callers inquire about parts and services. The percentage of customers calling about new or used cars, which are considered the most valuable type of leads, was 14% — substantially smaller than inbound phone calls for parts and services.
When I listen to the calls the ELEAD virtual BDC takes, and how effective the calls are, especially when compared side-by-side with a dealership call, I am amazed every single time. It’s just good the way we always wanted our salespeople to handle them but never would. Listen:
This is undoubtedly one of the biggest issues still facing our dealerships today. We are wasting too much money by following the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again, letting our salespeople poorly handle our phone calls, and expecting different results. See what Brian Pasch had to say about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvQ99m4O8w0
http://www.elead-crm.com/products/virtual-bdc/ for more information
Taken from the article here: http://www.autodealermonthly.com/news/story/2014/09/dealers-failing-to-capture-customers-over-the-phone-marchex-reports.aspx?utm_campaign=Enews-20140924&utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Enewsletter