WardsAuto wanted to get inside the mind of the Cardinale Automotive Group CEO, Erich K. Gail, on how to get customers to show up to their appointments. With a majority of U.S. car dealerships having high no-show rates, the strategies and automotive sales training that are utilized by the Cardinale Automotive Group should be implemented at more dealerships across the country. One of the most important actions a dealership should be continuously doing is picking up the phone and calling the customer to confirm an appointment. Gail states, “You want a quality manager’s confirmation.” By having a manager give the customer a call, there’s more of a VIP feel surrounding the appointment as the job title has more weight to it. Aside from confirming the appointment, you want to “make the call experiential,” according to Gail. This experience includes, asking the customer what their preferred beverage is and informing them that they should be prepared for an exceptional experience.
Principals Making A Call Will Make A Difference
When a dealership begins to make picking up the phone a habit, they will notice an increase in show rates. That small action gives a dealership more credibility and adds a more human aspect to the experience. Gail says, “The confirmation has to be a voice-to-voice conversational engagement that promises the expected guest in our home an upcoming exceptional experience when they show up.”
Always Ask For Referrals
An additional, successful practice is to inquire names of referrals from car buyers. Most people would not feel comfortable giving out names and phone numbers of friends or family, so Gail has a way to ask with finesse. Gail’s recommended approach is to “Tell the customer, ‘You’re buying a new car because you’ve fallen out of love with your old one. Do you know anyone else who has fallen out of love with their current vehicle?’”
These practices should be implemented into a dealership’s strategy in order to increase the show rates for service and sales appointments.
