At some point in time, I’m sure you’ve been asked: “Have you been tracking and listening to your phone calls?” Unfortunately, for many of you, this task falls under the category of “not enough time,” but there’s good reason fit this into your daily, weekly or monthly routine. Tracking and listening to phone calls is a practice that can make or break your business.

Why Tracking Phone Calls is Vital to Your Automotive Business

1. Tracking phone call data can help identify how your marketing strategies are performing. In the repair shop industry, your website and marketing efforts should be focused towards making the phone ring. The Internet is the #1 source of new customer acquisition, and you want to make sure your marketing strategies are converting leads into phone calls and appointments.

2. Listening to phone calls will help you determine the quality of leads. It’s important to verify that incoming calls are relevant and converting into new customers, and that the types of incoming service inquiries are in line with business goals. (See our blog: 4 Tips for Turning Phone Calls into Customers)

3. Listening to phone calls can help you better identify demand and potential growth opportunities for your business. Are you receiving a number of calls for diesel work with no diesel certified technicians on staff, resulting in the need to refer this business? Listening to calls first hand can help you to identify where you need to grow, who and when to hire, and so on.

4. Phone call recordings can serve as training for your service advisors. Helping identify possible areas of improvement in sales techniques ultimately leads to an increase in new customer acquisition and AROs. In reviewing phone call recordings, it’s not uncommon to find situations where calls are coming in, but the person on the phone isn’t asking for the business. If you’re spending the money to drive phone calls, make sure your staff is fully trained to convert these calls into customers. (See our blog: 10 Rules for Answering the Phone that All Auto Repair Shops Should Follow)

5. Phone call data can help determine overall ROI on your marketing strategies. Tracking the number of incoming phone calls, the types of service leads you’re receiving and how many new customers you’re bringing in will allow you to calculate overall ROI. You should have a positive ROI on your Internet marketing, and that ROI should increase at the same rate as the account’s performance. As your web presence improves over time, call volume and new customers should increase in the same direction.

6. Tracking phone call data will keep you informed and allow you to make better business decisions. If you continue the practice of tracking phone calls, you’ll be better able to determine which types of marketing strategies drive the most leads. This will help you to more easily identify which avenues to allocate your marketing dollars.

For any on or offline marketing you choose to try, be sure to ask the provider if a phone tracking number is available. If it’s not, consider creating one on your own through CallRail or any other phone tracking company, and asking for this tracking phone number to be utilized in your marketing materials or campaigns.

Are you an Autoshop Solutions client and unsure how to access your phone call data and appointment form submissions? Let us know! Our Marketing Services Team is ready and eager to help.