When a customer calls your dealership, they’re already out of online answers and getting serious about buying a car. How your people perform in the next few minutes will be the difference between moving forward and moving on. The average dealership has a 28% appointment set rate, but the top players are getting 60%+ out of the same phone traffic.
What’s happening on those calls? Is your phone performance meeting customer expectations?
We’ve spent decades in the automotive industry helping our clients hit these big numbers, and we can tell you that phone etiquette in 2025 is much more than just “Come on down and see us!” Let’s go through the key parts of a sales call and discuss which of the following is proper phone etiquette for a high-performing dealership.
Script or No Script?
Customers today don’t want wheeling and dealing when they pick up the phone—they’re looking for answers from a trusted professional about one of their biggest life purchases. Showing them respect starts with valuing their time and efficiently escorting them through the process.
This is our favorite example of a bad sales call (it’s real…), and there are a hundred things that go wrong. But realistically, it only takes one or two to lose an appointment—especially when the number-one reason sales reps don’t set one is they forget to ask.
Do your people get all of it right every time, or are there a few things from that terrible sales call that sound eerily familiar?
Great phone scripts ensure consistent, professional communication—and that’s why you’ll find them at all the top dealerships. When a team is coached to use them naturally and flexibly, phone scripts put the customer at the center of the transaction and gather all the information you need to set an appointment that sticks.
Answering the Phone and Returning Calls
If you don’t answer the phone or return calls quickly, customers will simply move on to another dealer. Good etiquette starts the moment the phone rings or someone hands you a message—not when you start talking.
Always try to answer within 2-3 rings, and return phone calls the same day whenever possible.
When the call starts, an associate has one shot to make a great first impression, and if it goes wrong, it’s very hard to dig out of that hole. Getting it right in 2025 means:
- Being polite and respectful.
- Maintaining a positive and engaging tone of voice.
- Asking for clarification rather than contradicting a customer.
Of course, the best way to ensure your team’s delivery is always on point is with customized phone scripts and active coaching using real sales calls. That way, inexperienced associates have the support they need, and veterans have efficient tools to help boost their commissions.
Gathering Customer Information
It’s always awkward when someone remembers your name but you’ve forgotten theirs. If your dealership doesn’t get all of a customer’s necessary information, you can’t help them get what they want. That’s bad phone etiquette!
A great phone script guides employees to get all of the following critical details:
- Customer name
- Address
- Phone number and email
- Best time to call
- Questions and concerns
Your scripts should also include language for confirming information, and employees should enter it in the CRM right away.
Finally, customers may be calling multiple dealers, so make sure everyone sells your information as well and provides a first and last name. Give customers a direct number—not an 800 line—so they have fast access to their contact at the dealership.
Asking for an Appointment
When it comes to buying a car, customers will rely on your team to guide them through the process. However, they should always feel like they’re in control of the experience. Your people can’t come off as pushy when they’re trying to lock down appointments, but they shouldn’t be hesitant either.
When asking for an appointment, which of the following is proper phone etiquette?
- The easiest thing would be for you to come in for an appointment. When’s good?
- We have a lot of great options in the range you mentioned—would you like to set up an appointment?
- If you want to come in sometime, I can go through the options with you.
#1 tells the customer what to do, puts them on the spot, and makes them do all the work. On the other hand, #3 is way too open-ended and doesn’t offer much in exchange for a trip to the dealership.
#2 is ideal. It responds to a need, builds value in the appointment, is closed-ended (can be answered “yes” or “no”), and puts the ball in their court. And if a customer is hesitant the first time around, your script should direct them to ask at least once more later on.
Appointment Setting
Once a customer sets an appointment, good phone etiquette means doing everything you can to help them succeed—even after you hang up. Everybody forgets things, and it doesn’t really matter why they didn’t show—the opportunity is lost!
Collecting and confirming all their information is a must, but the best dealerships go above and beyond to ensure everything works out, including:
- Emailing confirmation. Include names, dates, times, addresses, your phone number, and anything else they might need on the day.
- Sending directions. These should be from the customer’s house to the dealership, not general. Also, include any relevant traffic issues or construction they might encounter.
- Following up. Before you hang up, let them know someone (typically a manager) will be touching base about any questions they have and confirming the appointment.
It’s a little more work, but these details are the difference between no-shows and done deals.
In-Depth Coaching on Call Etiquette Makes All the Difference!
The last thing any customer wants to hear is an employee fumbling through a badly-organized, generic script, wondering, “Which of the following is proper phone etiquette for this moment?” Great phone etiquette that boosts your appointment rates from your current phone traffic comes from getting great scripts backed by efficient coaching from an industry expert.
Phone Ninjas provides comprehensive coaching for your team with our customizable phone scripts. Our weekly, one-on-one coaching sessions transform your sales team into appointment-setting machines by examining the actual calls they’re taking at your dealership. And the best part is, we do all the work so you can focus on running your business.
Our most committed clients are seeing appointment rates as high as 87%. Reach out to us today to schedule a free demo of what we can do for your business. We’ll even throw in two free dealership mystery shops so you can gauge your current phone etiquette game.
