Neglecting to answer inbound calls can not only lose potential customers, but can also lead to bad customer reviews, damaging a garage or workshop’s reputation, according to Dragon2000.
Data published by answering service Message Direct revealed that 85% of consumers whose calls aren’t answered by a business will not call back. Interestingly, even with the recent shift to consumer use of online methods to research products and companies, when reaching out to a business, 65% of consumers prefer to contact a business by phone, versus just 24% who prefer to fill out an online form.
This highlights that whilst many existing and potential customers are increasingly contacting dealers via digital platforms, telephone contact remains a staple communication method.
However, telephone answering service, Moneypenny conducted a survey of 300 businesses with under nine employees, examining 10,000 businesses’ call data and found that a third of the businesses surveyed (33%) failed to answer their incoming calls, with 71% going to voicemail and 29% simply ringing out. If garages and workshops are not answering incoming calls, they may be losing sales opportunities. According to Moneypenny, 69% of callers refuse to leave voicemail messages.
Dragon2000 is urging garages and workshops to ensure there is enough staff resource to handle incoming calls during office hours, particularly around lunchtime which is a popular time for customers who may be at work to contact the dealer. Karen McKenzie, Operations Manager comments: “Customers that take the time to call up a garage or workshop can be left very disappointed if their calls are ignored. The problem is exacerbated if they are phoning with a vehicle issue or problem. If customers are angry or upset, they are much more likely to write a negative review, which can damage a garage or workshop’s reputation.
“The garage or workshop may not only be faced with a disgruntled customer, but also a bad online review which airs a grievance publicly. If a garage or workshop then ignores the bad review and fails to respond, the issue is magnified. This sends out the completely wrong message to potential new customers. Reviews are becoming increasingly influential so it’s essential that garages and workshops handle bad reviews in a professional manner.
“Garages and workshops need to ensure they have the resource to handle daily phone enquires and the systems in place to deal with out of hours calls and respond to them as soon as possible the next working day.
“They also need to think about the way their staff answer calls and coach them if necessary. Giving their own name and the name of the business in their opening greeting sounds professional and affirms to the caller they have the correct number. During the conversation, having a friendly manner, using clear speech, actively listening and having a positive attitude are all important elements so the customer feels valued.”
