How Many Calls Do You Expect Your ISMs to Make?

[ddavis]

As a part of a previous thread, I asked this question with no responses. My approach has been to use ISMs from cradle to grave.

Some Internet Directors set up their CRMs to set call frequencies for every day until they buy or die. Others will have the CRM programed for a call three or four days in a row, then skip a couple of days etc..

I would be interested to know:

• How many calls do you expect your ISMs to make?
• What is your frequency scheme? For how long?

 

[kcar]

Typing it all out would take forever, so in general I expect them to follow up 90 days, then follow up with general dealership newsletters around the 120 day mark. I don't remember the exact number, but maybe around 9-12 calls per that time line, calling them back can really affect the number though.

 

[john.quinn]

As a part of a previous thread, I asked this question with no responses. My approach has been to use ISMs from cradle to grave.

Some Internet Directors set up their CRMs to set call frequencies for every day until they buy or die. Others will have the CRM programed for a call three or four days in a row, then skip a couple of days etc..

I would be interested to know:

• How many calls do you expect your ISMs to make?
• What is your frequency scheme? For how long?

We don't have the CTG approach, but our expectations: Appointment Setters are responsible for a minimum of 60 calls per day. Understanding that new leads take priority (roughly 110-140 new leads per month), and also that they must send semi-personalized emails (send an email, pick-up the phone approach) daily as well, it's a busy day. That's an 8-hour day. So if we broke it down, that's 7-8 calls and 7-8 emails per hour.

Pure speculation: CTG'ers are factoring-in what, 3-4 appointments per day between sales opportunities and deliveries? If each takes an hour, that leaves 4-5 hours per day working leads. So time for 30-40ish QUALITY calls and emails per day?

The first week? We'll call up to 3 times per day. Next week, once a day, then up to once a day until we hit 30 days. 31-days is the auto-follow-up mark, UNLESS we're caught-up with the other stuff (not too often).

Our approach is seemingly effective with connecting with bottom-funnel shoppers. Every now and then we hear from a few mid-funnelers that we are calling too much (music to my ears!!!), but inevitably, we've provided them with enough information that when they are ready, we know we've got a shot. And the next lead they send us, in 90-days? They pick-up the phone and talk to us, because they know what to expect

A few tweaks and tinkers in the next couple of years -- namely, a better CRM system -- and I think we'll have this process down-pat.

 

[ddavis]

JQuinn, there are some real positives with your approach and the numbers that you posted on a previous thread are impressive. I can't get past the idea of having leads and Internet phone calls going to the best salespeople at the dealership (mine). There is more than one way to skin a cat*. Do you split deals between the salespeople and the appointment setters?


*For any PETA people, car people love cats.

 

[john.quinn]

Hi DDavis -- many ways to skin many animals! After years of ups and downs, I arrived at this AHA moment: people do what you pay them to do.

I wanted leads answered quickly and perfectly every time, and wanted a boat-load of appointments. So we designed a system that does just that: pays people for those specific functions. Appointment Setters are paid hourly, and per appointment show, then bonused on opportunity-to-show ratio, and their primary responsibility's (showroom) overall closing ratio. Our best performers make $3000 - $3500 per month.

I LOVED the "Best Salesman" approach, until that Best Salesman left. This way, we train and pay people for specific actions and skills, and let the salespeople do what they do best: in-person stuff.

 

[joe.pistell]

This is GREAT INFO!!!

I am sitting on the edge of my seat, taking notes and loving the thread!

In my case, our lead counts have gone way up, yet our sales are unchanged. Our weak link is our sales process!! No... that's wrong. Our weak link is a LACK of sales process

thnx DD and JQ (and anyone else that's going to comment!!)

 

[ddavis]

Hi DDavis -- many ways to skin many animals! After years of ups and downs, I arrived at this AHA moment: people do what you pay them to do.

I wanted leads answered quickly and perfectly every time, and wanted a boat-load of appointments. So we designed a system that does just that: pays people for those specific functions. Appointment Setters are paid hourly, and per appointment show, then bonused on opportunity-to-show ratio, and their primary responsibility's (showroom) overall closing ratio. Our best performers make $3000 - $3500 per month.

I LOVED the "Best Salesman" approach, until that Best Salesman left. This way, we train and pay people for specific actions and skills, and let the salespeople do what they do best: in-person stuff.

Our dealership had the highest turnover, in the country, for that franchise. This was not the case in my Internet department. The department sold the majority of vehicles and my people were well compensated.

Joe, you point to lack of sales process as a problem. The sales process starts with the meet and greet. The same is true with the Internet process. Your appointment setter process is efficient. I have seen phone people tell a customer anything to get them into the store, putting the saleman in a very bad situation. I don't think customers like being turned over to someone else. One of the nicest things about being in the Internet, you always feel like you already know the customer when they come in. Many of the defense mechanisms are gone. You never hear an Internet customer say, "I'm just looking" when they come into a dealership.

 

[john.quinn]

I have seen phone people tell a customer anything to get them into the store, putting the saleman in a very bad situation. I don't think customers like being turned over to someone else.

There is certainly some validity to this statement. However, I can aver that people most certainly like meeting the Manager; all of our appointments are set for the Sales Manager.

The TO to the Salesperson then becomes key. You may not have ever heard me mention talent and communication on these threads (tehe), but the negativity of what you describe above is easily overcome when THE MANAGER greets you by name and gives you a 2-minute introduction of the process you are about to enter, then introduces you to our Best Salesperson. The client knows that the Manager was expecting you, is cognizant of your needs, and is pulling all the strings.

Salespeople LUNGE for these clients -- easy sale after that.

 

[bustin dailey]

Our dealership had the highest turnover, in the country, for that franchise. This was not the case in my Internet department. The department sold the majority of vehicles and my people were well compensated.

Joe, you point to lack of sales process as a problem. The sales process starts with the meet and greet. The same is true with the Internet process. Your appointment setter process is efficient. I have seen phone people tell a customer anything to get them into the store, putting the saleman in a very bad situation. I don't think customers like being turned over to someone else. One of the nicest things about being in the Internet, you always feel like you already know the customer when they come in. Many of the defense mechanisms are gone. You never hear an Internet customer say, "I'm just looking" when they come into a dealership.

I agree with JQuinn.

In my store I generate all of the leads, and set all of the appointments. I have made the transition from myself, the manager, to my salespeople very easy when the customer comes in.

When the customer comes in, I bring them into my office WITH whatever sales consultant I have picked to help them. We all talk together and make a gameplan before I send the salesperson onto the lot to pull up the vehicle. While I am waiting with the customer, I explain to them that Mr Salesman is a _____ specialist.. ( truck, suv, buick, cadillac... etc.. ) And that they are in good hands.

The transition is smooth every time. And sometimes it takes less than a minute. Example:

Customer - " Hey I'm here to see the dodge pickup"
Me - "Great, let me grab my truck and towing specialist and have him pull the truck around and tell you a little about it"

People like being "handed off" when they feel like they are being "handed up" to the person best qualified to help them.

 

[john.quinn]

A little off-topic, but something that just hit me too... If you want to talk about "Smooth Transitions," find Uncle Joe's pics of that appointment board -- something for which we were just about to make an investment, then freakin' Lehman Brothers.... (Joe, what thread was that?)

One of the GREAT lines I remember from some training class is that "Customers will never remember your name. They will remember 2 things: 1 -- they will remember their own name, and 2 -- they will remember where you physically tell them to go." In other words, direct them to an appointment board. There's really something to having an appointment show-up and seeing their name on the board -- I'm positive.

Hope to get there soon, too!