Are you getting a lot of phone calls to your shop that are not converting to customers? Do the reviews people leave say that the customer was lost due to a poor first call? With digital marketing being the strongest source of new business leads today, it has become increasingly important to capture your customer when they call in. Whether they are calling for pricing, scheduling an appointment or determining what is wrong with their vehicle, your team has to be swift on their feet to engage the customer and ultimately get their car in a bay.

Using a call tracking phone number primarily allows your marketing company to track the number of phone calls you receive and get further insight into your callers. One feature you may not be aware of that is available through your call tracking phone number is a recording of every phone call that comes in. This is where the “This call may be recorded for quality assurance” message comes into play! When you log into the call tracking portal, there is a play button next to each phone call that allows you to listen to the call. If you haven’t checked out this feature yet, take a minute to go listen to some calls and then come back here to find out how to improve your phone etiquette.

Like any first impression, you want to put your best foot forward. You are most likely not getting the customer on their best day and need to help them feel taken care of and show them why your shop is the right fit for them. This starts with a proper introduction. For example, “Thank you for calling Dalton’s Auto Repair, How can I help you today?” Rather than just stating your business name, it lets the customer know you are ready to assist them.

Another important piece of turning phone leads into cars in the bay is listening and offering a suggestion. When customers call in, more than anything, they want to be heard. They want to tell you what that rattling noise sounds like and offer an idea of what the issue may be. After hearing the customer out, the next step is to get them into the bay. Let them know you have a great team that can look under the hood and find out what’s wrong. Invite them to bring their vehicle in so you can get a better look! This ensures you are not guessing what may be wrong and giving the customer a false diagnosis, leading to an unhappy customer.

Last, but not least, treat the customer the way you would want to be treated. Having a positive attitude will go a long way. Something as simple as repeating their name back to them when you invite them to bring their car in gives them the idea that they are a person, not just another repair. It will also help build a great rapport which they will remember when they need to come back in.

In order to get cars in the bay for your great technicians to work on, the customer needs to feel like you are going to take care of them over the phone. Use the tips mentioned, and you will see a big improvement in how your customers respond.