You have a problem.  You have a question.  You know a person who has the answer.  You even have their direct phone number.  You need a solution now.

You call.  No answer. Voicemail. You text message them. No response.  Irritation and frustration builds.

A few more calls and you’re moving on to the next person or resource to solve your problems.

Now, imagine if this is one of your customers trying to reach you?

Why don't they answer their phones!

If one of your customers or clients are attempting to reach out to you, they’re usually not calling you as a courtesy – they have a legitimate reason.  They could want to buy another car, have someone who is looking to buy a car, or just need you to answer an important question.

In today’s social media marketing -oriented world, there are more ways than ever to stay in touch with someone, but your phone and phone skills are still one of the best selling tools you can put into your automotive sales training toolbox.  Dealerships are using social media marketing (and rightly should) to maximize their outreach and gain more prospects, but the immediacy of a phone call and the swiftness it has in solving your customer’s problems is its most valuable feature.

Taking care of a customer’s problem quickly (even if the problem is small) is paramount to your success as a salesman.  A satisfied customer may tell 2-5 people that you did a great job handling their situation.  An unsatisfied customer, however, may tell 20+ people you did a terrible job.  (These numbers may inflate based on how large their online network is – see: Facebook.  The average Facebook user has 130+ friends.)

The odds are they could talk about you either way, so to tilt the scales in your favor, be sure to pick up the phone when they call.  If you can’t get to their call, then call them back as soon as possible.

And, as always, put their wants and needs first and success will follow.