Customer Service Training for Car Retailers
For most people, the decision to purchase or lease a car is not one they’ll take lightly. The car buying experience can be exciting and happy or stressful and difficult, depending on the customer’s situation. The good news is that a high-quality automotive retailer whose staff is equipped with the training, skills and awareness of how to deliver effective customer service can make the experience a positive one regardless of how the customer might feel to start.
The customer has options when it comes to where they’ll carry out such a significant purchase. The secret to earning a customer’s repeat business is giving that customer a buying or leasing experience where they felt their needs were heard, respected and considered. Customers who felt they were pushed or pressured into a sale will certainly not return or recommend the dealership to friends and family. Now more than ever, automotive retailers are using a combination of in-person and online services to ensure customers have access to the options they’re looking for. Excellent customer service applies in both contexts. That will be the difference between a customer who is briefly perusing the dealership’s stock and a customer for life.
Learning to Listen = More Revenue for your Dealership
When deciding which car to lease or purchase, customers will likely have a lot of criteria to consider: budget, seating and storage needs, vehicle safety, available warranties, payment options – and the list goes on. A customer who brings with them a list of necessary considerations is offering the salesperson a cheat sheet to make the service experience a great one. When well trained salespeople learn to listen effectively, they’re able to utilize information from the customer to make accurate and helpful suggestions. Conversely, some customers will enter the showroom or lot equipped with an excess of information, having done their own research. Knowing how to discreetly gauge which type of customer you’re working with and adjusting the sales technique to match is a skill. The good news for car retailers is that this skill can be developed through learning and practice.
The ServiceSkills Difference for Auto Retailers
ServiceSkills courses teach automotive sales staff how to listen to customers and integrate information they’ve learned into the sales process. Our courses can also teach car retailer salespeople how to take control of a sales situation when the customer is getting distracted or off topic. Additionally, automotive salespeople will learn how to build business friendly relationships with their customers. This means they’ll remember to ask how the grandkids are doing the next time that customer is looking to purchase a car. Once you’ve taken the time to get to know the customer and determine how best to approach the sales process, the negotiation phase of the purchase becomes easier to navigate as well. The resulting deal is sure to be mutually beneficial for both dealership and customer. Finally, by learning how to effectively follow up with customers to ensure continued satisfaction, automotive retailers will increase the number of customers who return time after time to purchase or lease from their dealership.