Posted on 04/23/2011 9:10:38 AM PDT by piytar
I have a friend who just started a job selling cars. Used to be a stock broker. This is a desperation move.
Problem is one of the other salesmen sits with his finger on the phone and insta-answers every incoming call on the first ring. That means he gets all the leads. Management knows and doesn't care.
Once upon a time, I read that the phone line actually has a change in voltage before the first ring. Any Freeper know of a box or program that detects that and could answer/forward a call BEFORE the first ring? (I figured if such exists, some Freeper would know about it.)
Thanks!
The guy must leave his desk to deal with customers occasionally, no?
...there is no voltage on the phone line until "ringing current" is applied...
He can do the same thing. Or, he could have a “friend” or two start making nuisance calls to break the habit, lol.
But, seriously, it’s not all passive waiting. He can generate his own customers without moping by the phone like a teenage girl. Hand out cards with only his cell number on them. Do so with “affinity groups” that he has credibility with or people who know him. If he has any residual goodwill left with the brokerage, that’s a natural start. His gym, his church, network network network. If he’s likable at all he’ll find some business this way. It’s draining though, very hard work. Gotta do it though, play the hand that you’re dealt and all that.
If they’re looking for a specific car it’s gotten quite easy to find it, even rare new models, but they come with a price. He needs to get inventive, he can’t just sit there and expect business to come to him, especially with an aggressive little turd hogging all the inbound inquiries and shutting him out.
Have him ply his co-worker with coffee.
He’ll have to leave his desk....
put a small battery operated radio near the phone (or cell phone) and you might hear a “crackle” type noise just before it rings. Just a thought.
We should all FReeperize the dealership manager with calls saying that you just spoke to the phone-hog sales guy, that he was a rude a**hole, and that you’d like to speak with another sales guy. What’s the phone number?
...if there is a dealership operator working there...she may be forwarding calls to his phone with some sort of deal worked out between them.
A sale only takes place at the dealship. Customers calling in are just making pricing inquiries they can take to another dealership, its difficult to get them into the showroom. They're typically a waste of time.
Indeed. Coffee with a teaspoon of mineral oil works especially well. LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!
Cold phone “ups” rank high on the payoff:effort scale - it’s for lazy salespeople.
The business card breadcrumb technique for me yielded better prospects.
A phone call to the dealership is merely looking for information.
A person who shows up on the lot with your card in hand is looking for YOU!
Sounds like the guy is a jerk, but sales is a cut throat business where Clymers excel.
Love some of the suggestions, esp the offer to Freep the phone hog. Thanks!
And the hammer and coffee ideas made me LOL.
Some great stuff here. Will pass it along!
You will go far my son.
Have him slip a laxitive in the other guys coffee, that ought to keep him away from the phone for a while.....heheh
He could duct tape the guys hands together. Hard to answer the phone that way
I made similar arrangements with a few service writers in the dealership, and the owner of a local towing company.
When the situation warranted the towing guy says, “Hey, you might want to give McBean a ring, if you need wheels fast.”
The service writers would give me a heads up if there was an orphan customer in the shop, and a new/different car would be a competitive option to having work done on their current car. These leads were gold. The used car appraiser wouldn’t have to guess at what the trade might take to get front-line ready, and if we did the deal, there was no extra pack for a shop check on the trade.
From the customer standpoint, they’re already familiar AND comfortable with the dealership = less unexpressed resistance on their part.
Oh, and whatever arrangement$ are made with whomever - be darn sure you payoff on them. The last thing you need is someone in a position of need/trust telling a potential customer, “Stay away from that guy, he’s a liar.”
Not true. If there wasn't any voltage, the phone system wouldn't be able to recognize when you took the phone off the hook.
New cars, new & used, used cars? Japanese, domestic, European, high end exotic? What is he trying to sell? It matters as far as how to go about finding customers rather than waiting for them to wander in or call up, and getting whatever shmoe runs out onto the lot or snags the phone first.
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