Contact Point
Order Makers sell six times more tires than Order Takers
“Hello, thank you for calling the Tire Store, how may I help you?”
“How much does it cost to get tires for my Yukon Denali?”
This phone call is your next customer; and it’s worth over $800 and the potential for additional services. However, the average person answering phone calls only converts this call into a sale 9 percent of the time. Far too often reps see this caller as a “Price Shopper” and you lose that $800 opportunity.
Most reps who answer the telephone act as Order Takers, answering questions with no intention of persuading the customer to visit your store. After evaluating thousands of calls, ContactPoint Solutions found the most common response to, “How much does is cost?”… is …“What size do you need?” This is exactly the wrong direction for the conversation. This response is proof you have an Order Taker focused on the minimum information needed to provide the answer, rather than an Order Maker focused on getting a new customer. Listen to call examples online.
Nine out of ten reps don’t ask questions to learn more than the basic information they need to quote a price. Reps need to learn about the person calling, other services they might need, their timeframe, and their schedule. When a prospective customer calls you’ve got to do all you can to demonstrate that you are more than just a tire store, you are their tire store!
What do you expect from your reps? In today’s economy, you can’t afford to have Order Takers, you need Order Makers. Your store needs to capitalize on every phone call and make sales.
You will increase your conversion rate and sales dramatically when your reps answer each phone call confident they can influence the callers purchase decision. It’s an attitude change from Order Taker to Order Maker.
Here’s a brief introduction to the best practices in the industry.
Up-beat, friendly, sincere, helpful greeting.
Ask and use the caller’s name.
Tell them, “We can help you with this,” right at the beginning of the call.
Restate what they are looking for and then become the consultant by asking questions.
Ask the standard questions you have to ask to understand which tires they need:
“What year is your Denali?”
“Are these 17 inch or 20 inch tires?”
Also ask the questions that make them a customer:
“What kind of driving do you do? Is it local or long distance travel?”
“How have you liked your Denali?”
“Are you looking for tires that will last you 100,000 miles or tires that will last about 50,000?”
“So, what you are looking for is…”
Discuss which range of tires would work best:
“Based on what you’re looking for, I recommend… “
Because you have asked the right questions, you can recommend a personalized product that specifically addresses their needs.
“Is that what you are looking for?”
“Does that sound right?”
When your reps follow this method in a few short minutes they build a relationship with the customer, determine the information to confidently recommend the best solution, and they get these customers into your store. The next steps can be delivered more confidently because you’ve built a foundation with the customer.
“Our performance line will work best for you. Our current sale will save over $200 and cost $989 for all four tires. May I schedule you an appointment right now?“
Or, use an assumptive close:
“Tire options that fit what you are looking for range between $800 and $1,200. We can decide when you come in today which option will work best. Will 4:00 pm today work for you or will 10 am tomorrow be better?”
If they say they will shop around or call you back take this as a no and start overcoming objections. Earn the business! Steps to overcoming objections:
Learn why they don’t want to schedule right now?
Empathize if necessary and restate what they said, then acknowledge, “I understand how that…”
Resolve their concerns by working with them to solve the issue and/or remind them what sets you apart in your area. “With our tire dealership you get to work with me and you get a lifetime warranty on the…”
Without hesitation ask them again to come in. The point is that by asking again you are making it harder for them to say no than to say yes and you are showing them how badly you want their business.
Gather information you need to follow up with the caller. If they don’t show for the appointment, call them!
When you close the conversation, always thank the person for calling.
When these steps are followed in a friendly, inquisitive, helpful manner close ratios increase from 9 percent to 60 percent. These skills capture much more business! In fact, the reps that use this approach close six times more sales.
Do the math! If you have an untrained rep that only closes 9 percent of customers and another rep trained to use best practices closing 60 percent of all calls, the impact is tremendous. The chart demonstrates that if you get 10 inquiring customer calls a day with an average tire sale of $800 you will make much more money with the Order Maker.
If you have multiple locations it doesn’t take long to imagine how the increased sales multiply. There is a direct connection between how you answer the phone and how much money you make. It is your first impression with the customer and equals a long-term customer base and referral base.
You can’t afford to overlook the significance of your employees’ communication with every customer on every call. You spend money advertising to get the phone to ring. Don’t assume your staff is handling telephone calls properly unless they are using this approach. This is your money on the line!
What’s your next move? Listen to what your customer is hearing and you’ll know what you need to do. First set the expectation. Second, train your reps. Third, follow up, listen and coach them. Every call counts in this economy. It’s worth your time and investment to cultivate a culture of Order Makers.
The Tire Industry Association has established a strategic relationship with ContactPoint to provide a free evaluation of your dealership’s ability convert callers into customers.