Best Practice Guide

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Test Lines make sure tracking number works

BEST PRACTICE

Testing lines can confirm if the issue is ours or the dealers

Check End Point to make sure that it connects

BEST PRACTICE

Testing lines can confirm if the issue is ours or the dealers

Does it connect to an IVR? How many times does it cycle, check options in the IVR- do they connect

BEST PRACTICE

A well functioning IVR is just as good as a live answer receptionist. Making sure the IVR is clear and precise without too many options to select. When they select an option, does it go where it's suppose to? It should have a cut off if the customer doesn't select an option, either a roll over to the receptionist (if Possible) or terminate the call after the greeting cycles 2 or 3 times. This will prevent Robo/Spam calls from wasting minutes

Custom Tracking by Caller Number - Is one specific number causing the issue

BEST PRACTICE

If one specific customer number is calling in several times, take a look. Are they internal calls that are transferred to a tracking number, are they ringing C2C to a tracking number? Or is a customer that is struggling to connect, is it a fax machine?

Master Session sort by Caller Number and CTRL F - No connection so they are highlighted to find possible multiple callers and listen to a connected call to see if the customer says what's happening, Are calls hitting the end point?

BEST PRACTICE

When investigating, looking for patterns, specific times, same numbers, listening to calls to see if you can find out what's happening. Calls that don't reach the end point of the store could idicate the store doesn't have enough ports to receive the inbound call. So finding out where the end point reaches, if that line is tied up, is there a roll over?

Are the abandons all outside of service area codes? Do they need a Geo Filter

BEST PRACTICE

A Geo Filter will require the caller to press 1 to connect. It will weed out Spam/Robo calls and prevent them from connecting to the store. The call will still show up as a No connection but the minutes will be minor. If major issue, you can always update the number

After Hours message - is it correct, do they have one

BEST PRACTICE

Having an After Hours message lets the caller know they have reached a department that is currently closed or that the store is currently closed. Not every phone system will have the option. If they do have an after hours greeting, make sure any hours listed are correct.

Look at CI Advance - is it one specific line or a specific end point experiencing abandons. Missed Call Report - is it a specific time.

BEST PRACTICE

If one specific number is causing the issue, replace the existing number with a brand new tracking number. Once new number is posted, terminate the old one.

Use CI Advance to see if it's it's one specific carrier having issues

BEST PRACTICE

If one carrier has a high no connection percentage, you can provide that info to the dealer, they can reach out to the carrier to see if there are any gaps in coverage in the area.

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Audit Ad Sources, are we tracking everything

BEST PRACTICE

Look if current ad sources have call volume and is it good volume with legit calls. Google search dealers name to see what ad sources come up if we are missing anything

Do they have Google?

BEST PRACTICE

Check Minute Usage, if they aren't currently monitoring Google to make sure it won't cause overages. Google can significantly increase their minutes

Do they need local number?

BEST PRACTICE

If volume still seems off or dealer requests, we can either port their local number to us, or we can set up a main line re-direct. See AM Need to Know section more info

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Check Ring Back Time - listen to call example, is there dead silence?

BEST PRACTICE

Hold time should be between 45 seconds to 1 minute max, then it should ring back to call handler and should play hold music or message not just dead silence, customer will think they were disconnected.

Ask what is the process? Do they page or transfer? Is there a queue set up? Look at what the average hold time?

BEST PRACTICE

Hold time should be between 45 seconds to 1 minute max, then it should ring back to call handler and should play hold music or message not just dead silence, customer will think they were disconnected.

Some phones have 2 options, Park and Hold, Park was a 45 second ring back and Hold was an eternal hold until you picked the call back up

BEST PRACTICE

Ask caller if it's ok to hold or let customer know you are transferring them, avoid saying "Please hold".

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Listen to call examples, is dropped call due to connectivity or did caller disconnect

BEST PRACTICE

Often this is out of our control. Use CI Advance to see if it's one specific carrier. Is it happening mid sentence or are customers dropping after price is provided

Once call connect, the dealer's carrier, internal phone system and Customer's carrier are responsible. Check CI for Top missed Carriers. Listen to call examples to see if you can determine when the call breaks, is the transfer hanging the customer, is it dropped mid conversation (Caller's Carrier) is there a dead zone in your area?

BEST PRACTICE

Listen to make sure calls aren't dropped during transfer (are they pressing wrong button or accidentally disconnecting caller)

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Check Process - Blind Transfer compared to warm Transfer

BEST PRACTICE

Make sure each VM is set up with proper message, "Hi, you've reached Michael, with Jones Motors Sales,…."

Check Time of day, is it staffing, are the voice mails phone up? Are they missing opportunities?

BEST PRACTICE

Warm transfers, customers should know ahead of time they are being transferred to VM. Place caller on hold first to see if agent is available. If not, let caller know, is there someone else that can help

Are they going to a Group VM, Are VM set up?

BEST PRACTICE

Make sure to have a process that Voice Mail Boxes are emptied regularly and contacting customers back as soon as they can.

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Check to make sure VM are properly set up, are they reaching General VM Message? Or does caller ask for John and they are transfer to Jane's VM? Does receptionist have update roster with ext list

BEST PRACTICE

If you use a group VM, make sure it has a personal greeting and have a process that designated people are aware a vm has happened and who is responsible for calling back

Do they ring to Cell Phones, Does customer have a way to Decline VM and go back to Receptionist

BEST PRACTICE

If possible, does your phone system allow the caller to decline VM and send the call back to the receptionist

Is the VM full or can it not accept new messages?

BEST PRACTICE

If person requested is off, offer if someone else can assist them before offering VM

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Receptionist should ask if someone else can assist, can a manager help, if basic availability question can BDC assist

BEST PRACTICE

Offer to see if someone else can assist the caller, Can a manager help? If basic availablity question, can the BDC assist and set the appt for the sales person

Are they taking written messages?

BEST PRACTICE

Always offer to take message, if even caller says they will call back, atleast get the caller's name

What is the process, do they primary use VM or messages?

BEST PRACTICE

Make sure receptionist or whoever answers inbound calls has an updated schedule including vacation and out sick, and roster with currrent extension

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Dealer can listen to the voices to see who isn't providing their name

BEST PRACTICE

Easiest topic to get 100% in. Best practice is to make sure everyone provides their name when greeting the customer. If you have two people with the same name, make sure last name is used as well

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Use Employee Reporting to see who is and isn't getting info *AM can also use Comp report to see who is actually asking

BEST PRACTICE

Ask/Earn (NOT USING CALLER ID) If Repeat Customer or you pull them in your CRM, make sure to verify that the number you have is correct or the Best contact info

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Look at calls that Didn't set appts, why? Are they blowing people off the phone (sold, not available, have to order, etc) Are they asking question to offer alternatives

BEST PRACTICE

Each call still has an opportunity. A large percentage of customer wind up purchasing a completely different vehicle from what they called about. Make sure your sales team is asking plenty of qualifying questions before discussing availablity. This allow you to gain knowledge to offer alternative.

Check Comp Report for Agent For Appt Percent. Do they even offer the appt?

BEST PRACTICE

Make sure the team is inviting the customer in when applicable.

Use Employee Reporting to see who your rockstars are and who may need some assistance/training

BEST PRACTICE

Employee report card and employee details report will show who is handling phones well and who needs help

Is connectivity causing phone ups to not connect

BEST PRACTICE

Best practice see Connectivity section

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Dealer should have more Specified Time Appts than Tentative.

BEST PRACTICE

Specified Time Appointment have a better show percentage compared to tentative.

View Same Day Appt

BEST PRACTICE

View Employee Report Card and/or Employee Detail report to view team.

Qualify the customer they should use open ended question to get more info out of the customer but when getting to the appt section, they should use either/or question to narrow the caller down to a specific time. Verses saying "When can you come in" try "Are you planning to come in today?" then work your way through. 

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PreCovid we wanted this to be low. If Appointment are low due to inventory, you would want this to be higher because the team is keeping in touch with the customer

BEST PRACTICE

Best practice, if this is high the contact info should at least match contact info collect plus appts. If not that is an area of opportunity

Look through the calls to see what is happening. Do they seem to have the inventory and are mishandling the call

BEST PRACTICE

If they have the inventory, provide example of what's happening, why aren't they scheduling. Are they offering to call back with more info or pricing? Why cant they do that now.

View Employe reports to see who primary off-liners are.

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View Calls, always read transcription because the person who answered may not be the person who promised the call back.

BEST PRACTICE

These are hot leads, these are customers trying to do business with you.

Make sure if your team offers a call back or promises to send info that they are setting realistic time expectations, it is better to under promise and over deliver thant to over promise and under deliver.

Not everyone will give your team a second chance. So if these are high, you may have more leads that aren't followed up with 

Billing Admin in 360 will show you exactly what package and items the dealer has. You can also look at YayPay to see current and past invoices

Click to Call is a function through the CRM that allows the dealer to "click" on the customer's phone number and it prompts and outbound call that will be recorded. Outbound Dial is essentially a way to recorded Outbound calls for stores where we aren't integrated with the CRM and if the Chrome extension isn't available. This provided a number for the employee to call and specific code for each employee, they enter the code and it will prompt them to dial the customer's number.

Telephone ID are required in order for the Call Handler to get Credit. If they are showing as unidentified, we either don't have them on the roster or we are missing information.

If Connection issues, more info is needed, is everyone experiencing the issue or just one person? Does the call ring their cell phone or desk phone? Does issue occur using both lines? If dealer is experiencing delay or lag on the call, we can remove the "Press One to connect" but know this will immediately start to dial the customer, so dealer needs to make sure to answer.

Dealer needs to set up a new phone line within their system that acts and operates just as the local line does.

Dealer needs to set up a new phone line within their system that acts and operates just as the local line does.

Once their new number is good, we create new tracking line listed as Main Line Redirect. Tracking line should ring the dealer's new number.

Have dealer point the local number to our tracking number.

All other Tracking number need to be updated to ring to the dealers "new" end point to avoid duplicating calls.