Customer service is extremely important. We get that. But one thing we might not notice, or suspect is that not everyone is good on the phones. In fact, some of your best Service Advisors could be the absolute worst on the phones! Just because you’re great in front of a customer doesn’t mean you have the skills necessary to replicate that via telephone. And the scary part is the phones are where it all starts! Brilliance on the phones equates to more opportunity coming through the funnel. 

Here are some of the top reasons to listen to your service calls:

It’s Not About Being “Big Brother” or is it? If your “Big Brother” helps, nurtures and shows you things you didn’t know in order to become more successful then what’s the problem with “Big Brother?”

Listening to phone calls isn’t about being the wrong “Big Brother” where you’re trying to intimidate your service advisor into thinking their every move is being watched. Or that the reason you are listening to their phone calls is directly correlated to their performance…. Although it may be. Instead, one of the best ways to approach this is to offer that you want to assist them. Working with them, not against them, when it comes to offering excellent customer service. *and driving higher gross and more appointments that show 

Customer Vehicle Issues:

We know that when a customer is describing an issue over the phone they most likely need to come in for an appointment. What we don’t always get right is making sure we’re listening to the customer taking the time to understand their needs. Even if that means listening to some bizarre remake of the mechanical issue they’re experiencing! (have you seen some of the commercials?!). By listening to the customer, rapport is built on the phone (much like it is in sales) and the customer trusts that the advisor has their best interest at heart. A “Service Advisor” is really a “Service Salesman.”

This situation – had the service advisor not been in tune or interested – could’ve ended up quite different. Where the customer was unable to explain their issue as the service advisor was interrupting them, or worse talking over them to try and tell them that it is just best if they bring the vehicle in! 

Once you’ve introduced yourself to the customer, it’s time to book that appointment:

It’s much easier to just say “sure, come in on if we’re open until 6PM” than it is to secure their information (asking if they have serviced with you) and book the appointment, right? Sure, it sounds much easier, but in the end, it isn’t! 

Using this method of “get off the phone as quickly as possible” can lead to working with too many RO’s at once. And we know what that can lead to! A bad customer experience, which means you have the chance of receiving a bad survey and worst of all, losing a customer for life….

Not to mention, if the customer has serviced there and isn’t asked about it he might not feel as valued. And why would the service advisor want to handle a call (working with the customer) to then give up that customer as they do not have their information, or an appointment scheduled? Seems kind of counterproductive, doesn’t it? 

At the end of the day, the customer is calling your service center because they need a repair or maintenance! So, listening to calls will not only help the service advisors deal with objections, but it will also help your advisor gain more confidence in handling phone calls. Not to mention, it will help pinpoint and find issues you’re having that you might not even be aware of! As it’s all about offering the customer an excellent experience. Everything from their website visit when booking the appointment, to their phone call, and finally their service appointment at the dealership! 

Do you listen to calls? If so, how has this helped in offering better customer service? If you don’t monitor or listen to calls – why don’t you?