Should you track your calls? ABSOLUTELY: 100%

Did you know that customers spend an average of 14 hours online doing vehicle research? That means before they even call you, they have been shopping around. Therefore, you are going to want to nail your first phone call with the customer!

Customers will call before visiting! Did you know that customers spend an average of 14 hours online doing vehicle research? That means before they even call you, they have been shopping around. Therefore, you are going to want to nail your first phone call with the customer; they have options, and they have been doing their research!

It always surprises me when I work with a new client, and they do not have call recording established. In my opinion, this is an essential component of any successful BDC, collections, service, or sales team. The bulk of your customers will call before visiting the dealership, and if the first contact they have is poor, they are more likely to find another dealership.

Your phone calls are literally the heartbeat of your business. If you do not know what is being said to potential customers, then you have no way to gauge the success of any department. Much like your reputation online in the form of reviews, phone calls demonstrate what a customer can expect if they do business with you. If the calls are terrible, the customer can expect their experience to be the same. Sure, you can sit by your staff and listen to one end of the conversation occasionally, but it is not the same as actually tracking calls.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECORD CALLS:

One of the best ways to ensure your team is practicing good phone etiquette is to record their calls. This is also a great tool to have if you receive customer complaints, as it allows you to validate their concerns and address them if necessary. The most important reason to track calls, however, is so you can use them for training purposes to help your team improve. If you record their calls, you can hold them accountable for providing great customer service. Plus, they know someone is always able to go back and listen, and that itself is motivation.

Additionally, if you have a collections team, being able to access those calls is incredibly helpful. Customers can easily lie about interactions with collectors, and if you aren’t tracking their calls, you have no way to hear what was actually said. Even in sales situations, there is always room for improvement if you can play back the calls.

Some of the most successful dealerships I have trained sit and listen to calls with their staff. The Sales Manager or BDC Manager will pull each team member aside once a week and simply review a call with them. Sometimes managers will even sit with their staff and listen to calls that we have coached for their team. This way everyone can hear a good call or a bad call and learn together from an expert coach.

The goal with recording calls is to ensure we are using the phone to its fullest potential. Hearing voice inflection and actual verbiage is the easiest way to provide constructive feedback. When we review calls here at C&M Coaching, we give your staff a chance to hear themselves and our coach provides feedback that staff can use on their very next call. Constant improvement and encouragement are what we are aiming for.

Recording calls gets your team in the mindset of providing awesome customer service. If they know you are going to listen to their calls, they are going to want to be sure they are quality calls.

Tracking calls allows you to hear exactly what your team says to customers over the phone and evaluate if they need additional training. Alternatively, you can hear the customer’s response, evaluate their vocal tone, and even hear common objections your team needs to overcome. All these things combined can increase success in every department.

You can’t be everywhere all the time and you can’t listen to every call on a daily basis. You always have the option of choosing a call training company like mine if you don’t want to listen to calls regularly on your own. This will help them get the training they need to improve and show that you care about the customer service they provide. Investing in your team is always a win!

Accountability is key and if you can provide them with tips on how to improve for future calls, you will hear them improve with each phone call they take. The important thing is to stay on the gas.

Set up call recording, listen to calls, provide training, and then track their phone call skills. Evaluate everyone as a team and individually to determine where the weakness lies. Either way, having access to these recordings will always be a good safety net.

If you are looking for a company to record calls, there are several. I suggest first starting with your actual phone company. If they don’t do it, ask your CRM provider. If none of these options work, you can try companies like Vonage, but they do require you to purchase their phone system. A quick internet search for ‘dealership call recording’ will provide you with some options. You are always welcome to reach out to me personally if you would like feedback on some of the recording options. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. is the easiest way to
get in touch with me.

Good luck, and happy recording!