We all have listened to the untrained sales professional or Internet Coordinator spend half an hour selling the car to a customer over the phone; and the worst part about it is once he/she gives away all the info the majority of the time you never see the customer show up that he/she was talking to.  The sales professional or Internet Coordinator of today must have a strategic strategy in place to sell the appt. not the vehicle over the phone. 

We all know that the highest point of mental ownership is during the test drive.  During this time the customer is able to enjoy all the things that the new vehicle has that their current vehicle does not have.  Equally relevant, when you get back from the demo and park right next to their trade he/she has no choice but to look at their car and compare it to the new vehicle that they are getting ready to buy.  Therefore, how do we expect to create that kind of value over the phone? 

There is some very relevant data that we must look at which will cause us to look at the Internet shopper much different.  And also during the follow up process for customers that have come to the dealership and left without purchasing. 

• 63% of purchasers begin with a specific brand in mind
• Only 20% actually purchase the initial brand researched

What this data means is that even though the customer is coming to your dealership to look at the new Dodge Ram 1500 does not mean that he/she will purchase that vehicle.  There are many variables that play a factor on what the customer purchases once he/she arrives at the dealership i.e. negative equity, payment, credit etc.  That's why it's imperative to sell the appt over the phone not the vehicle.  The aforementioned data is powerful; the average consumer starts the buying process looking at a new Ford F-150 and 80% end up buying a different brand. 

The way that dealers handled customers on the phone years ago and the way that we must handle customers now is like night and day.  It's time to become an expert on the phone and have a process in place for handling Internet leads, phone ups and follow up.