Telephone Skills For The Sales Department

Want to see your closing ratios jump from 20% to 50% to 70%? Learn how to effectively set appointments with your telephone shoppers.

Mark Watkins
Extreme Action Sports

Mark, thanks for taking our LIVE class today on Telephone Skills For The Sales Department. So what did you find valuable?

I learned that we only have one thing to sell over the phone and that is an appointment. I also learned that you don’t have to rely on just floor traffic if you learn to use the phone properly. If eight out of 10 customers leave without buying that is eight follow up calls that need to happen right away.

How do you follow up with customers if they called you?

It is very important that you get every customer’s phone number that calls in. The way you get their number is to ask for it. But you have to have a reason to get it such as, "I need to check my inventory, what is your phone number?" This way you don’t ever put a customer on eternal hold, and you will have their number for future follow up.

What do you mean by selling an appointment rather than the unit?

You can’t really sell a unit over the phone. The main objective to get the customer to come into the dealership. Closing ratios jump from 10% to 20% for a normal walk in customer to 50% to 70% with kept appointments.

What do you mean by a kept appointment?

Just because you set an appointment, doesn’t mean the customer will show up. The example given in class was just like a doctor’s office. You have to build value in the appointment and give the customer a reminder call before the appointment to ensure that they actually show up. There are many more ways you can build value in the appointment so the customer will show up.

Chalk Talk With Dr. Nikki

Breakdown of 100 Customer
Dealership Responses

50 Walk Ins
45 Phone Ins
5 Internet

Requires Follow Up By Telephone

*15 Sold Units — Require Follow Up
85 Unsold Prospects — Require Follow Up

100 out of 100 Total Customers Responses Require Telephone Follow Up

Sold Follow Up
Appointment Confirmations
Unsold Follow Up
Internet Lead Follow Up

How do you sell an appointment by phone?

Well I don’t have a copy of the script in front of me, but basically you can lead the customer straight into the store with the Dealership University incoming call script. By utilizing important questions, you can not only take control of the call, but lead the customer straight into an appointment.

Why do we say that your telephone skills ultimately account for over 90% of your sales business?

Because every lead generated in the shop requires a follow up, and the most efficient way to follow up is by using the telephone. Regardless of whether a customer visits the showroom and purchases, does not purchase, calls or e-mails us, all of these scenarios require follow up. Even sold customers deserve a thank you call, which is also a great opportunity to get referral business.