Phone Skills Word Track

The New Car Phone Up Guide

The new car phone customer is looking to save the time and hassle of hitting every dealership in town looking for that perfect deal.

The new car call guide that we've printed below is an example of how to effectively communicate with your customer while heading towards the ultimate phone close . . . the appointment. If you're a salesperson, check with your manager to review this guide to make sure that it is a fit for your dealership.

If not, modify it to suit your dealership's requirements, then practice your skills with a sales partner or manager. Good luck, and happy selling. Scott Bergeron, Founder/President Daily Gameplan, Inc

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This is ___________, how may I help you?
(Customer:  “I’m calling to get a price on a…”)

Yes, I’m familiar with the vehicle you’re talking about, it sounds like you have a pretty good handle on what you’re looking for, tell me, what type of equipment are you looking for?
(Customer:  “One with everything on it…”)

Okay, any particular equipment such as:
-5 speed or automatic
-2 door or 4 door
-A/C, PW, PL, Tilt, Cruise
-Regarding color…light or dark shades?      
-Any other equipment such as floor mats, mud guards, etc…
-And that was a (model year), correct?
(Customer:  “Yes, that’s what we’re looking for.”)

Great, let me quickly check to make sure I have this vehicle available before I have you come in.  I’d hate to have you chasing around without a reason.  It should only take me about 5 to 10 minutes.  Are you at home or work?  And the number there is?  Nice to meet you (repeat their name)!  Let me do this, let me go ahead and quickly check like I said and I’ll…

Oh!  Say, (their first name) wait a minute, I have somebody who can probably answer our questions right now,  I didn’t realize he was available, will you hold for just a moment and I’ll check for us right now!  Can you hold for just a minute?
(Customer:  “Okay…”)

Say (their first name), great news!  I do have that vehicle available to me, in fact,  I have that exact vehicle in stock right now – but we’re going to need to act-Unless this is something that you’re not planning on pursuing for a few months? (Customer:  “Oh no, we…”) That’s fine.  What’s a good day for you – today or tomorrow?  Early or late?  Around say (6:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m.)?
(Customer:  “Some time tomorrow night…”)

Okay, let me just check to make sure I don’t have you waiting when you come in…You know what?  (6:45 p.m.) would be great!  That would work just fine, and listen, I don’t mind waiting for you a little bit – I just don’t want you to get stuck waiting for me – and (6:45 p.m.) would be perfect!  Can I put us down for (6:45 p.m.)?
(Customer:  “Sure (6;45 p.m.) would be fine.”)
      
Great, do you have a pen handy, - I’ll wait.  My last name is spelled ______________ and my first name is ________.  I have us scheduled for (6:45 p.m.) tonight, if you would just jot that down.
(Customer:  “Okay….”)

By the way, do you know where we are located?  So you’ll be coming from…?  At this point, give detailed driving directions, even to the point of having them write it down.  NEVER ASSUME YOUR PHONE-IN CUSTOMERS KNOW WHICH DEALERSHIP THEY ARE CALLING.

Okay (first name), I have us scheduled for uh???(wait for their response)  That’s right (6:45 p.m.)  tonight.  Now if you’re running late, do me a favor, give me the courtesy  of a call, I’ll be sure to do the same for you.  I’ll be looking forward to seeing you at (6:45 p.m.) tonight.  Thanks for calling.

The Used Car Phone Up Call Guide

The used car phone-in customer is looking to save the time and hassle of hitting every used car lot in search of the perfect used car deal. 

The used car call guide that we've printed below is an example of how to effectively communicate with your customer while heading towards the ultimate phone close . . . the appointment.  If you're a salesperson, check with your manager to review this guide to make sure that it is a fit for your dealership. 

If not, modify it to suit your dealership's requirements, then practice your skills with a sales partner or manager.  Good luck, and happy selling.  Scott Bergeron, Founder/President - Daily Gameplan, Inc.

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Thanks for calling (your dealership's name)
this is ________, how may I help you?
(Customer:  “Yea I’m looking for an…”)

Yes, I’m familiar with the vehicle you’re talking about, it sounds like you already have an idea of what you are looking for, you did say you were looking for a _____correct?  (Repeat the original request.)
(Customer:  “Yea, do you have something like that?”)

I believe so, let me do this, let me first check to see what is actually still here before I have you come down – okay?  (Wait for an answer)  Tell me this, was it the style or the price range here that’s more important to you?
(Customer:  “Both really…”)

I understand, I know both are always important, if one had to be slightly more important though, which would be more important in this case, style or price?
(Customer:  “Probably the style…”)

Okay, so the (repeat their answer) is pretty important to you in this specific case?  Price-wise, are you flexible if the vehicle is clean and priced right?
(Customer:  “Yea, I’d probably have to see it though…”)

That’s perfectly understandable.  Regarding the vehicle’s mileage, are you flexible provided it’s within reason?
(Customer:  “Well, I don’t want something over 20,000 miles!”)

Okay, so not over 20,000 miles, so if it has say, 21,000 or 21,500, should I definitely rule those types of vehicles out?
(Customer:  “Well that would still be okay…”)

Okay, so just as long as it’s not way out of line – correct?
(Customer:  “Yes”)

Okay, let me take a quick look and see what I have in stock right now as well as what I have available to me.  It should only take me about 5 to 10 minutes and this will save some time and hassle.  Are you at home or work?  And the number there is?  And your last name is spelled?  And the first name is?  Nice to meet you (first name).

Say, (first name), wait a minute, I have someone who can probably answer our questions right now so instead of  having me call you back let me just check with him real quick- if that is okay with you?  Can you hold for just a moment and I’ll check for us right now?
(Customer;  “Sure.”)

Say (first name), I have great news!  I do have a handful of choices for us, in fact, I have a pretty nice match or two. Let me try to give you an idea of what I see that would fit what you and I are looking for, just do me a favor and make a mental note or two right now so that you can remind me of these when you’re here, okay? (Wait for an answer.)  (Customer:  “Okay.”)
(Review the general vehicle info., approx, year, condition.)

(If You Have Something In Stock Now:)
     Say (first name)?  Great news!  I do have some (the vehicle) identical to what we’re looking for available to me in the immediate next few days; so I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to help you.   I take it you already know that this particular vehicle is fairly tough to find? Yes?   (Customer:  “Yes, we’ve been looking…”)

(If You Don’t Have Something In Stock Now:)
     Are you in a position where you have to buy this today?  So you’re really looking for the right vehicle and if it takes some hunting and looking then so be it?  Okay, that’s fine, because I’d like to help you find the right vehicle provided it fits into your time frame here.  It sounds like you are committed to finding the right vehicle as opposed to just settling for something that comes along, yes?  But this is something that you have a time frame for—am I right?  What kind of time frame?  Okay, at least now I have a better idea of your time frame. Let’s do this, what is going to be a good day for you and I to meet here at the dealership—today or tomorrow?  Early or late day?  Would 6:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. be better for you? 
(Customer:  “Probably somewhere around 7:00”)

Alright, let me just quick check to make sure I don’t have you waiting when you come in – say, you know what?  (6:45 p.m.) would be perfect!  In fact, that would be ideal!  Now listen -  I don’t mind waiting for you a little bit, I’d just would hate to have you get stuck waiting for me and (6:45 p.m.) would be great!  I’ll put us down for (6:45 p.m.) if that’s okay with you? 
(Customer:  “Sure, we can be there by 6:45”.)

Great, do you have a pen handy, I’ll wait?  My last name is spelled _____ and my first name is _________.  And I have us scheduled as 6:45 tonight.  (Customer:  “Okay…”)

By the way, do you know where we are located?  So you’ll be coming from…? (At this point, give detailed driving directions.  NEVER ASSUME YOUR PHONE-IN CUSTOMERS KNOW WHICH DEALERSHIP THEY ARE CALLING!
(Customer:  “Where are you located again…?”)

Okay (first name), I have us scheduled for uh??? That’s right (6:45) tonight.  If for some reason you’re running late, do me a favor and give me the courtesy of a call, I’ll do the same for you.  I’ll see you at 6:45 tonight (first name).  Thanks for calling!

The Car In The Paper Call Guide

This is_________, how may I help you? 
(Customer:  “Yea, I saw a ’01 Camry you had in the paper for $9,888 and was wondering what you could tell me about the car?”)

Yes, I’m familiar with the vehicle you’re talking about. It sounds like you already have an idea of what you are looking for. You did say (repeat their request), is that correct?
(Customer:  “Yes.”)

Okay, not a problem, which paper did you see that ad in?  Do you have the ad in front of you?
(Customer:  “Yes/No…”)

(If they have the ad)
     Could you do me a favor, and just read what the ad says to me so that I know which ad it is?

(Or, if they don’t have it)
     Don’t worry about it, I have a pretty good idea which ad it is.

Let me do this, now that I have an idea of which vehicle you are looking for, I have a better idea of what’s important to you now. I’ll quickly check to see if that vehicle is still available for you. Tell me, aside from that particular vehicle itself, was it the style or the price range that interested you the most in this particular ad?
(Customer:  “The price, we don’t want to spend over…”)

Great, let me go ahead and check on the vehicle you called on, and let me also keep my eye open for any other vehicles in that same (price/style) range that perhaps wasn’t advertised for you in the paper. It should only take me 5 to 10 minutes, are you calling from home or work right now? And the number there is? And your last name is spelled? And your first name is? Well, nice to meet you (first name)! Let me quickly check as this should only take me about 5 to 10 minutes and it will save you the hassle of running around, so I’ll be sure to…

Say (first name)? Great news! I checked on the vehicle in the ad and I do have a few vehicles similar to that (style/price) range available to us—as a matter of fact, I have the same exact vehicle that you saw advertised in the paper still here! Would you like for me to give you more information on what equipment is on that vehicle? I’m recommending though that we act on this—even if it means just getting the opportunity to see and drive the ad vehicle, tell me, what’s a good time for you—today or tomorrow? Early or late? Would 6:00 or 7:00 be better?
(Customer:  “Probably around 7:00…”)

Okay, (around 7:00), let me quick check to make sure that I don’t have you waiting when you come in. Say, you know what? (6:45 p.m.) would be perfect! In fact, (6:45 p.m.) would be ideal! I’ll put us down for (6:45 p.m.) as long as that’s okay with you…And by the way, I don’t mind waiting for you if you’re running a litter late, I’d just hat to have you get stuck waiting for me here—and (6:45 p.m.) would be ideal. Can I put us down for (6:45 p.m.)?
(Customer:  “Sure, 6:45 is fine…”)

Great! Do you have a pen handy, I’ll wait. My last name is spelled_____, and my first name is _______ and I have scheduled for (6:45) tonight—correct?
(Customer:  “Okay…”)

By the way, do you know where we are located?  So you’ll be coming from…?  At this point, give detailed driving directions, even to the point of having them write it down.  NEVER ASSUME YOUR PHONE-IN CUSTOMERS KNOW WHICH DEALERSHIP THEY ARE CALLING.

Great, (first name), I have us scheduled for uh??? Great, (6:45) tonight it is. Now if for some reason you’re running late, do me a favor and give me the courtesy of a call, OK? (Pause) Great, (first name), I’ll do the same for you. Thanks for calling!