You’re doing everything you can to to bring in customers; you have a website and a marketing agenda, your business has a good reputation in your community, and you’re priced competitively with other shops in the area. But you could still use a few more cars a week…so what’s missing?

Often times, we look at how the external factors are affecting our business. But it’s also important to consider any internal factors that may be playing a role as well.

Keep in mind: everyone who’s calling needs what you’re selling: car repair. Here are some points to ponder, that could help you increase your conversions long-term.

4 Tips for Turning Phone Calls into Customers

1. Track Your Phone Calls

Phone call tracking allows you to track phone calls as conversions, and by tracking the phone calls coming into the shop, you can gain a clearer picture of which of your marketing initiatives are generating the most leads, the most ROI, and the most revenue.

In addition, you’re able to use call tracking as a valuable education tool for your employees. The sales-readiness of your counter staff is crucial to your bottom line, and by listening to and analyzing your calls, you have the opportunity to coach your team toward converting more calls into sales.

2. Coach Your Counter Staff

Like most shops, you probably hired your counter staff more for their people skills and attitude than for their sales experience or product knowledge. While this is the right thing to do, the responsibility is on you, as the shop owner, to provide them with the sales and product education they need to be able to close sales. This means using call tracking as an internal training tool, sending your counter staff to service advisor training courses, attending industry trade shows to enhance your team’s product knowledge, and always following these 10 Rules for Answering the Phone that ALL Auto Repair Shops Should Follow.

3. Be Present

Though the goal of owning your own business is to enjoy the freedoms that go along with it, it’s important that you maintain a strong physical presence in your automotive shop. As trustworthy as they may be, your employees need a solid foundation of systems and procedures in place. You don’t need to micromanage, but you do need to monitor your business on a regular basis.

On the other hand, being aware of what’s going on in your shop also means taking your head out from under the car hoods. It’s important that you hire the right mechanics to get the job done so you can focus on the bigger picture. It’s good for customers to see you in the shop front or at the service desk from time to time, it builds confidence and loyalty in your business and shows customers that you care.

4. Hire A Coaching Company

Whether you’re running a well-oiled machine, or you’re in desperate need of cars, everyone needs some help from time to time. Hiring a coaching company, specific to the automotive repair business, can give you the third-party perspective you might need to get past the plateau and become more successful. A coaching company will conduct a thorough review of your business – financially, culturally, etc. – and provide you with the suggestions and training you need to improve. (Need some suggestions of good automotive coaching companies? Check out our list at the bottom of our blog post: 5 Reasons a Marketing Budget is Imperative to Your Auto Shop’s Success!)

Though it’s easy to think of hiring such a company as an additional expense that you can’t afford, think of it as an investment. As with all investments, you can expect to get a return. And that return is invaluable – it’s the success of your business.

At Autoshop Solutions, we’re genuinely invested in the success of your business, and we offer tools, and partner with companies, that can help you increase your conversions and positively impact your bottom line. For more information on our call tracking capabilities, industry trade shows we recommend attending, or business coaching companies we partner with, please feel free to contact us at any time.

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