The Marchex Blog

The Next Step in Your Dealership’s Call Handling Journey

Automotive dealers can learn how to train their salespeople to build trust during the first call with customers by registering for the final installment of our automotive webinar series, going live May 4th at 10:30AM PT/1:30PM ET. Our auto experts Anne-Marie Anderson, Marchex’s Senior Automotive Market Analyst, and Chris Spensley, our Senior Director of Automotive, will provide strategies to help dealers give their teams the tools to consistently deliver a positive first impression, identify improvement opportunities, and win at the point of retail.  

Hire a Live Salesperson 

The first step dealers and their salespeople can take to ensure that customers gain a good first impression of the business is to take simple housekeeping measures. When a customer picks up the phone, they should be able to get the answers they need in a short amount of time. As covered in previous webinars in the series, the easiest way to accomplish this is to hire a live person to answer every incoming call. If your dealership cannot replace its IVR system, test it regularly to make sure customers can achieve their goals with as few key presses as possible.  

Use Conversation Intelligence 

Identifying areas of improvement for your team requires a simple step: the use of conversation intelligence technology. Conversation intelligence platforms like Marchex Engage for Automotive can be set up to automatically parse voice interactions from both leads and existing customers to uncover important hidden information. Details from offline sources such as lead intent and call outcome often get overlooked by sales teams without the right tools to extract and display them. Dealerships can use the information provided by a conversation intelligence platform to see how their sales teams can improve their operations.  

Stay Positive  

If issues arise at any point during the call, such as a requested vehicle that is out of stock, it is imperative that the salesperson remains solution-focused. Positive language and a helpful attitude can spell the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity. The most important tips for a salesperson to keep a customer’s good faith is to avoid expressing doubt, explain what can still be done, and provide alternatives to the customer’s original wishes. This way, the caller gains the impression that the salesperson genuinely wants to help them get what they need.  

Sign Up Today 

Register today for our live webinar on May 4th at 10:30AM PT/1:30PM ET to learn more about how your salespeople can ace the all-important first customer call. Our experts will explore how improved call handling methods and the use of conversation intelligence technology can lead to customers having a positive first impression of your dealership. To learn more about Engage, our auto-focused conversation intelligence platform, schedule a demo today.