FRIKINtech Taking advantage of the FTC
- By Alex Snyder
- FRIKINtech
- 4 Replies
The FTC CARS Rules say you don't have to disclose state taxes and fees, so we decided we could take advantage of that to get more leads. We are adding a new call to action to get the state taxes and fees after giving their contact information.
You can read more about all the other things we did to not only comply with the CARS rules, but to enhance the customer experience. I believe customers are going to spend some time playing with all the numbers!
Or just watch what we did:
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Ninjas STRUGGLING DEALERSHIP SALES TEAM? YOU NEED A MYSTERY SHOPPER!
- By Chris Vitale
- Phone Ninjas
- 0 Replies
You’ve been going over your dealership sales team’s KPIs and it doesn’t look good. You’ve been spending on training, but nothing seems to work. What’s going on? 
It could be any number of things, but there are a few obvious places to start. In most cases, revenue opportunities are left on the table because of inefficient or dated sales practices that aren’t giving customers what they need to make a purchase. This is especially true when it comes to the phone, and bringing in a mystery shopper can make a huge difference for your bottom line. These undercover professionals can give you the scoop on where your team is succeeding and where they could brush up on skills and consistency.
While you’ve probably heard of mystery shopping before, you may not know just how powerful it can be compared to other forms of feedback. Our team has put together a first-class guide to give you the lowdown on this game-changing customer service evaluation tool.
Additionally, specific product, policy, and pricing details can also start to blur, especially as new information comes in. It’s been demonstrated that memory details can drift 37% in a single year, so it’s important to make training and review an ongoing process at your dealership.
Customer surveys and comment cards occasionally have some valuable information, but in most cases, they don’t point in the direction of positive change. Owners and GMs should invest in tools that generate fast and detailed points for improvement and follow up with actionable advice.
The best training consultants can achieve great results in surprisingly little time by utilizing mystery shops. These experiences deliver real-world examples of your team’s performance and highlight a few critical points for improvement. It’s a fast and efficient way to keep everyone on the same page while driving all your customers toward a sale.
We’re so confident you’ll see the value in our program we’ll perform a demo and two mystery shops of your dealership for free with no further commitment. And we don’t do long-term contracts that lock you into an expensive payment plan. We bill month-to-month, so you partner with us for exactly as long as you need.
Call or email us today so we can start transforming your sales numbers!
It could be any number of things, but there are a few obvious places to start. In most cases, revenue opportunities are left on the table because of inefficient or dated sales practices that aren’t giving customers what they need to make a purchase. This is especially true when it comes to the phone, and bringing in a mystery shopper can make a huge difference for your bottom line. These undercover professionals can give you the scoop on where your team is succeeding and where they could brush up on skills and consistency.
While you’ve probably heard of mystery shopping before, you may not know just how powerful it can be compared to other forms of feedback. Our team has put together a first-class guide to give you the lowdown on this game-changing customer service evaluation tool.
WHY IS MY TEAM FALLING BEHIND?
There are any number of reasons your sales department may be underperforming, and all of them are correctable with the right tactics and training. Some of the more common issues include:Skill Drift
In a surprising way, the smart go-getters you’ve hired to sell your products can negatively impact the overall effectiveness of your sales team if they become too creative in their approach. Today’s customers are looking for consistency of messaging and branding across every aspect of your business—no matter who picks up the phone. Over time, increasing individualization of key content can result in inconsistent experiences that impact sales goals.Additionally, specific product, policy, and pricing details can also start to blur, especially as new information comes in. It’s been demonstrated that memory details can drift 37% in a single year, so it’s important to make training and review an ongoing process at your dealership.
Lack of Accurate Feedback
Even the best employees don’t always know how their daily interactions are impacting a sale, and it takes accurate feedback to make meaningful changes to their game. However, if the information they’re getting isn’t useful, then they might as well not get it at all—and you’ve wasted a lot of money!Customer surveys and comment cards occasionally have some valuable information, but in most cases, they don’t point in the direction of positive change. Owners and GMs should invest in tools that generate fast and detailed points for improvement and follow up with actionable advice.
Limited or Ineffective Training
In an environment as dynamic and ever-changing as car sales, training has to be an ongoing priority. Ideally, dealerships should have a dedicated training partner who works with your team on a weekly or monthly basis to introduce new information, keep their skills on point, and make sure they stay in line with current best practices and policies.The best training consultants can achieve great results in surprisingly little time by utilizing mystery shops. These experiences deliver real-world examples of your team’s performance and highlight a few critical points for improvement. It’s a fast and efficient way to keep everyone on the same page while driving all your customers toward a sale.
HOW DOES MYSTERY SHOPPING WORK?
Your training partner usually has a team of trained mystery shoppers they deploy to call your dealership and explore specific aspects of your phone service. However, not every consultant’s mystery shopper program delivers great results. Here’s what you should look for to get an ideal mystery shopper experience for your business:- Mystery shoppers (or their agency) prepare a rubric in consultation with you to ensure everything you need to have evaluated is covered. You’ll have priorities, and good partners can point out details you might not have considered.
- The shopper calls your dealership posing as a customer. A great mystery shopper is sufficiently trained and experienced to avoid tipping off your sales team.
- The mystery shopper poses pre-planned questions and investigates issues organically as they come up.
- Afterward, you should receive a detailed report and a recording of the call to reference.
- Your training partner uses the elements of the call to celebrate success and offer specific advice to your team on how to improve the interaction.
- Employees are individually coached over time to ensure new skills are integrated.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO MY BUSINESS?
A long-term investment in a mystery shopping partner can have a major impact on your overall sales numbers. They will:- Identify revenue opportunities.
- Catch small issues before they grow and cost you money.
- Deliver fast, accurate feedback on the effectiveness of your sales strategies.
- Identify valuable differentiators from your competition.
- Improve and unify your team’s presentation, procedures, and efficiency.
- Help craft your overall CS protocols to reflect the true needs of your customers.
PHONE NINJAS DOES IT ALL
We founded Phone Ninjas as a top-to-bottom training program for automotive dealerships, and the mystery shopper experience is one of our most important tools for identifying issues and coaching toward success. We use these powerful evaluation tools to uncover key areas of improvement and use them to create a comprehensive training strategy that is tailored to the needs and resources of your business. Then, we use mystery shops to check in on your team over time and hone in on teachable moments that translate to better sales numbers.We’re so confident you’ll see the value in our program we’ll perform a demo and two mystery shops of your dealership for free with no further commitment. And we don’t do long-term contracts that lock you into an expensive payment plan. We bill month-to-month, so you partner with us for exactly as long as you need.
Call or email us today so we can start transforming your sales numbers!
The Illusion of Choice: Why Too Many Options Lead Nowhere in Auto Sales
- By Chris Vitale
- I'm Angry and Need to GRIPE!
- 1 Replies
Picture yourself excitedly browsing a car dealership’s website and clicking on your dream car's vehicle display page (VDP). You're greeted by glossy images, detailed specs, and an array of options beckoning you to take the next step. Call us, chat now, schedule a test drive, apply for financing, or simply inquire — each button promises a gateway to your new car. But here's the catch: despite these myriad options, most roads lead to a dead end. 
Let’s Break Down the Customer Experience “Breakdown:”
In this digital age, dealerships proudly tout their "online sales" capabilities, yet the reality is anything but a seamless online shopping experience. The promise of convenience and efficiency remains just that — a promise unfulfilled. Do customers really need five different ways to reach out if none effectively lead to meaningful interactions or transactions? It begs the question: has anyone at the dealer level actually researched to determine which call to action is most effective and preferred by customers?
The current overabundance of options confuses customers and dilutes the quality of interactions. If dealerships cannot follow up adequately, wouldn’t adopting a "less is more" approach be better? Simplifying the process could lead to more direct and meaningful engagements, reducing frustration on both ends.
Moreover, as the industry still buzzes about transparency, what customers truly desire seems to have been forgotten. They want clear, straightforward purchasing paths that are easy to navigate and understand—a far cry from the cluttered and often misleading current practices.
So, when will dealerships discard the unnecessary and focus on the essentials? It’s time to return to the basics of customer service: understanding what the customer wants and consistently delivering on those expectations. Two clear, functional options might be more effective than five convoluted ones. If we tell customers what they can expect, it’s imperative we mirror that expectation internally — otherwise, we're just spinning wheels, going nowhere.
Let’s Break Down the Customer Experience “Breakdown:”
- Call Us — The line rings without an answer or loops back to an automated menu — or worse, rings to someone who doesn’t answer the customer's questions or ask for the next steps. Oh, and they forget to ask for their name and number. Oops.
- Chat Now – A bot responds, rarely escalating to a human who can actually help.
- Schedule a Test Drive — Forms submitted disappear deep into the CRM, but they do get an autoresponder.
- Apply for Financing – Leads to one of two events. Immediately contact. Or leave alone.
- Contact Us – Often the most promising yet equally neglected.
In this digital age, dealerships proudly tout their "online sales" capabilities, yet the reality is anything but a seamless online shopping experience. The promise of convenience and efficiency remains just that — a promise unfulfilled. Do customers really need five different ways to reach out if none effectively lead to meaningful interactions or transactions? It begs the question: has anyone at the dealer level actually researched to determine which call to action is most effective and preferred by customers?
The current overabundance of options confuses customers and dilutes the quality of interactions. If dealerships cannot follow up adequately, wouldn’t adopting a "less is more" approach be better? Simplifying the process could lead to more direct and meaningful engagements, reducing frustration on both ends.
Moreover, as the industry still buzzes about transparency, what customers truly desire seems to have been forgotten. They want clear, straightforward purchasing paths that are easy to navigate and understand—a far cry from the cluttered and often misleading current practices.
So, when will dealerships discard the unnecessary and focus on the essentials? It’s time to return to the basics of customer service: understanding what the customer wants and consistently delivering on those expectations. Two clear, functional options might be more effective than five convoluted ones. If we tell customers what they can expect, it’s imperative we mirror that expectation internally — otherwise, we're just spinning wheels, going nowhere.
Ninjas WHAT IS MYSTERY SHOPPING FOR DEALERSHIP SALES TEAMS?
- By Chris Vitale
- Phone Ninjas
- 1 Replies
One major component of any automotive Owner’s or GM’s due diligence is a constant and ongoing evaluation of your sales team members’ skills, growth, consistency, and quality of delivery. If you don’t invest in training upkeep, their skills slowly become outdated and develop holes, and that means one thing for your dealership: lost revenue opportunities.
But you’re already slammed in a dozen different ways. Twenty-four hours simply isn’t enough time to do regular deep dives into each employee’s performance. What’s the answer, then? Internet surveys? Nope, only 44% of those are returned. Receipt surveys? Much worse, with just a 1% return rate. And all of these rely on customer memories being recalled days, even weeks later.
Mystery shopping, on the other hand, is a precise and accurate tool that will reliably give you an ongoing X-ray of your team’s skill sets. By incorporating mystery shops into your training program, you’ll save time and give your employees actionable advice from real-world experiences they can take to the phones today. If you’re new to this and asking, “What is mystery shopping?”, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know to deploy this fast and powerful technique.
This is why a lot of dealerships have moved to using dedicated business development centers (BCSs) and phone scripts. The specialists in a BDC save time for your sales team by engaging with customers on a range of topics and directing traffic. That frees up the salespeople to focus on giving the customers exactly what they’re looking for and pairing it with financing and service plans that make sense.
How well they manage those interactions on the phone translates directly to dollar signs. Mystery shops look at what’s really going on during those calls and provide instant feedback on a range of important areas.
These evaluations will:
Is mystery shopping the best way to evaluate your talent? The data doesn’t lie: while any method of data collection has its flaws, mystery shoppers consistently deliver higher quality data that is more accurate than any collected through other channel metrics, such as receipt surveys.
More importantly, it is conducted with a professional and exacting approach that has more in common with a science lab than a random collection of individual opinions.
These calls:
Here are some areas you can expect to improve through mystery shops:
That means finding an expert training partner who knows how to use mystery shops as part of an overall dealership strategy—and that’s why you need Phone Ninjas.
At Phone Ninjas, we’ve turned training your sales teams and BDCs to generate revenue into an art form. We work one-on-one with each staff member to develop their skills over time to make sure everyone is learning as thoroughly and quickly as possible.
And once our mystery shoppers evaluate your team’s hard work, we again meet with them individually to work on any lingering issues and celebrate the successes they’ve already achieved.
If you‘re still wondering, “What is mystery shopping going to do for my dealership sales teams?”, drop us a line! We’re so sure you’ll love us, we start out with a complimentary demonstration and two free mystery shops.
But you’re already slammed in a dozen different ways. Twenty-four hours simply isn’t enough time to do regular deep dives into each employee’s performance. What’s the answer, then? Internet surveys? Nope, only 44% of those are returned. Receipt surveys? Much worse, with just a 1% return rate. And all of these rely on customer memories being recalled days, even weeks later.
Mystery shopping, on the other hand, is a precise and accurate tool that will reliably give you an ongoing X-ray of your team’s skill sets. By incorporating mystery shops into your training program, you’ll save time and give your employees actionable advice from real-world experiences they can take to the phones today. If you’re new to this and asking, “What is mystery shopping?”, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know to deploy this fast and powerful technique.
HOW PHONE INTERACTIONS LEAD TO REVENUE
All business boils down to one simple question: “Is my customer satisfied?” In customer service-heavy industries like car sales, that means spending a lot of time on the phone listening carefully, answering specific questions, and supporting a purchase process with all your options and service packages. There are a TON of opportunities to generate revenue in that narrative—and many more to lose it.This is why a lot of dealerships have moved to using dedicated business development centers (BCSs) and phone scripts. The specialists in a BDC save time for your sales team by engaging with customers on a range of topics and directing traffic. That frees up the salespeople to focus on giving the customers exactly what they’re looking for and pairing it with financing and service plans that make sense.
How well they manage those interactions on the phone translates directly to dollar signs. Mystery shops look at what’s really going on during those calls and provide instant feedback on a range of important areas.
These evaluations will:
- Measure your sales team’s performance and productivity.
- Gauge how well your sales team supports your brand message.
- Evaluate every aspect of your sales plan, from lead generation to follow-up calls.
- Identify revenue opportunities that are being left on the table.
- Make sure those appointments are asked for—and set!
- Provide real-world examples of what to change and how to change it.
HOW DOES MYSTERY SHOPPING WORK?
Mystery shopping involves trained consultants going undercover posing as customers so they can experience your sales team’s skills and delivery. This eliminates the observer bias that gives you a false picture of what’s actually going on. After all, if your team knows the boss is in the room they’re going to behave much differently, and you need to know how they perform on an average call.Is mystery shopping the best way to evaluate your talent? The data doesn’t lie: while any method of data collection has its flaws, mystery shoppers consistently deliver higher quality data that is more accurate than any collected through other channel metrics, such as receipt surveys.
More importantly, it is conducted with a professional and exacting approach that has more in common with a science lab than a random collection of individual opinions.
These calls:
- Use trained professionals.—these people know how to blend in and not tip off your sales team.
- Test specific sales tactics. Mystery shoppers find out what’s costing you money, and can explain what to change afterwards.
- Explore aspects of service. Because mystery shops are live experiences, they allow for digging deeper into interactions that may be costing opportunities.
WHAT IS MYSTERY SHOPPING GOING TO BRING TO MY BUSINESS?
With the best companies bringing you super-accurate data, you can begin to pinpoint existing systemic issues, emerging problems, skill and presentation drift, and consistency. Only once you know why your KPIs aren’t where they need to be can you begin actually moving the needle on them.Here are some areas you can expect to improve through mystery shops:
- Higher appointment and conversion rates
- More efficient communications and customer service
- Optimized lead generation
- Increased referral rates
- Higher engagement with service agreements and in-house service departments
- Durable customer relationships and loyalty
CHOOSING THE RIGHT PARTNER
Of course, mystery shopping by itself is not going to deliver you the results you need. It is a measurement tool that allows you to make sure your training, policies, strategic vision, and dozens of other variables are impacting your business.That means finding an expert training partner who knows how to use mystery shops as part of an overall dealership strategy—and that’s why you need Phone Ninjas.
At Phone Ninjas, we’ve turned training your sales teams and BDCs to generate revenue into an art form. We work one-on-one with each staff member to develop their skills over time to make sure everyone is learning as thoroughly and quickly as possible.
And once our mystery shoppers evaluate your team’s hard work, we again meet with them individually to work on any lingering issues and celebrate the successes they’ve already achieved.
If you‘re still wondering, “What is mystery shopping going to do for my dealership sales teams?”, drop us a line! We’re so sure you’ll love us, we start out with a complimentary demonstration and two free mystery shops.
FULL PRICE FOR HALF THE EXPERIENCE: THE UNSUSTAINABLE PRACTICE OF SELLING OVER MSRP
- By Chris Vitale
- I'm Angry and Need to GRIPE!
- 1 Replies
The days of selling at or above MSRP are numbered. What once seemed like an industry standard is now as antiquated as dial-up internet. Dealerships banking on extracting top dollar while delivering subpar service are finding their approach increasingly untenable. 
Today's consumers aren't merely purchasing a vehicle; they're investing in an entire experience. And they have an abundance of options. While paying full MSRP might be justifiable if the service mirrored the luxury and attentiveness of a five-star hotel, the reality often resembles a fast-food drive-thru. As inventories swell on dealership lots, the pressure intensifies for them to reassess their pricing strategies and customer engagement.
Furthermore, selling vehicles above MSRP may yield immediate profits, but it sets the stage for long-term issues, particularly negative equity. This financial burden becomes glaringly evident when customers return to the market. Shackled by loans exceeding their vehicle's value, they face daunting obstacles in purchasing anew without carrying over substantial negative equity. Such predicaments not only strain customer finances but also corrode brand loyalty, a cornerstone of the automotive industry. Who would willingly subject themselves to repeated financial disadvantage?
The risks are palpable. A customer embittered by negative equity is a customer lost, potentially for life. The automotive sales landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, and dealerships steadfastly clinging to outdated practices are in for a rude awakening. It's a rollercoaster ride they won't enjoy.
Let's be clear: relying on cash for clunkers is not an option this time around. As inventory levels normalize and consumer expectations for value soar, the days of inflating prices are numbered.
Dealerships must confront a critical question: Is the fleeting allure of sticking to full MSRP worth the enduring peril of forfeiting customer trust and loyalty? And perhaps more crucially, is this the legacy they wish to leave behind in an industry ripe for transformation?
Today's consumers aren't merely purchasing a vehicle; they're investing in an entire experience. And they have an abundance of options. While paying full MSRP might be justifiable if the service mirrored the luxury and attentiveness of a five-star hotel, the reality often resembles a fast-food drive-thru. As inventories swell on dealership lots, the pressure intensifies for them to reassess their pricing strategies and customer engagement.
Furthermore, selling vehicles above MSRP may yield immediate profits, but it sets the stage for long-term issues, particularly negative equity. This financial burden becomes glaringly evident when customers return to the market. Shackled by loans exceeding their vehicle's value, they face daunting obstacles in purchasing anew without carrying over substantial negative equity. Such predicaments not only strain customer finances but also corrode brand loyalty, a cornerstone of the automotive industry. Who would willingly subject themselves to repeated financial disadvantage?
The risks are palpable. A customer embittered by negative equity is a customer lost, potentially for life. The automotive sales landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, and dealerships steadfastly clinging to outdated practices are in for a rude awakening. It's a rollercoaster ride they won't enjoy.
Let's be clear: relying on cash for clunkers is not an option this time around. As inventory levels normalize and consumer expectations for value soar, the days of inflating prices are numbered.
Dealerships must confront a critical question: Is the fleeting allure of sticking to full MSRP worth the enduring peril of forfeiting customer trust and loyalty? And perhaps more crucially, is this the legacy they wish to leave behind in an industry ripe for transformation?
Is The Facebook Timeline Dead? AI Images & Phishing Issues!
While I still 100000% suggest Facebook for ads, it's really starting to feel like Facebook itself is falling apart from a timeline standpoint.
Every other post is an AI-generated monstrosity with thousands of comments and shares from clickbait farms. So my question is, if Facebook is making so much money from advertising, why would they not even attempt to fix issues that are driving people away from even wanting to use the platform?
Dealerships are still getting incredible results from ads and quality posts with post engagement spend behind them. Still, I've definitely started noticing that ordinary people are becoming extremely wary of leaving any form of comment on question posts, or they'll flat-out accuse the post of also being a phishing attempt.
An article on The Verge stated, "Meta will start labeling AI-generated photos uploaded to Facebook, Instagram, and Threads over the coming months as election season ramps up around the world. The company will also begin punishing users who don’t disclose if a realistic video or piece of audio was made with AI." but is it too late? Do you think Facebook will get it's together?
Every other post is an AI-generated monstrosity with thousands of comments and shares from clickbait farms. So my question is, if Facebook is making so much money from advertising, why would they not even attempt to fix issues that are driving people away from even wanting to use the platform?
Dealerships are still getting incredible results from ads and quality posts with post engagement spend behind them. Still, I've definitely started noticing that ordinary people are becoming extremely wary of leaving any form of comment on question posts, or they'll flat-out accuse the post of also being a phishing attempt.
An article on The Verge stated, "Meta will start labeling AI-generated photos uploaded to Facebook, Instagram, and Threads over the coming months as election season ramps up around the world. The company will also begin punishing users who don’t disclose if a realistic video or piece of audio was made with AI." but is it too late? Do you think Facebook will get it's together?
Ninjas 5 Things Mystery Shopping Companies Can Do for Your Team's Skills
- By Chris Vitale
- Phone Ninjas
- 1 Replies
Evaluating your team’s performance is one of the most difficult and time-intensive jobs facing any management team. It takes effort and money to do the work yourself, and the data can be flawed for any number of reasons.
There are several training options available, but many of them can’t give you true insight into what your team can do to improve their performance on calls to boost your sales numbers and hit your monthly goals. Pick the wrong one and you’ll end up frustrating your team and getting little in return.
That’s where mystery shopping companies can make all the difference. These training experts offer your business the most accurate feedback because their people interact with your employees as if they were customers. But how do they do it? Here are five of the most important things these companies can do for your business.
1. REAL-TIME REVIEW
Receipt, phone, and internet surveys are popular, but they are fraught with poor-quality data. Human memory is fallible, and you’re hardly getting a true picture of customer interactions because they have to send feedback long after the experience actually took place.
Mystery shopping companies measure your employees’ performance in real-time, which produces a much more faithful and authentic interpretation of interactions. And because their mystery shoppers are trained, experienced, and working according to an evaluation rubric prepared in advance, you are measuring the same variables professionally and consistently every time.
2. ENSURE ACCURATE BRAND MESSAGING AND LEGAL COMPLIANCE
The former is necessary, and the latter is non-negotiable. Mystery shopping companies evaluate not only your team’s customer service skills, but their underlying conformity with company procedures, policies, brand messaging, and the law.
The value of consistently branded messaging can’t be overstated in the current sales environment. Customers often interact with your website long before they ever call, and they are more informed than ever. If your team’s messaging doesn’t match their expectations—and deliver accurate information in critical areas like financing and service agreements—they’re going to hang up quickly.
3. CATCH EMERGING ISSUES EARLY
No matter how well-trained an employee is, the fact is, skills drift, trained concepts fade or blur in memory, and subtle variations that may not be perfectly aligned with your business are introduced by individual team members. This means that unless you measure your team’s skills on a regular basis, your current amazing customer service will start to shift out of focus. This is not a result of bad or lazy employees—it’s just human nature!
These skills are especially critical to monitor in high-stakes, high-dollar sales environments like automobile dealerships, marine dealerships, etc. With so much on the line for every major transaction, you need to catch skill drift and customer service issues at the earliest possible moment before they start costing you sales and tanking your appointment rate.
This is why a sound business strategy always invests in long-term relationships with mystery shopping companies. It costs a little money upfront, but it definitely delivers huge returns in the long run. Plus, with regular timetables for review and solid working relationships between employees and your training partner’s team, these issues can be corrected quickly and positively.
4. IMPROVE OVERALL TEAM SKILL LEVELS
Whether you’re looking at mystery shopping companies to support your business development center (BDC) or just to keep your sales and service teams on point, the benefits they’ll deliver translate to every aspect of the job. Mystery shops often reveal principles that can apply to a range of situations, and these insights can be shared with the entire team to build everyone’s skill set. And because they typically focus on a few specific instances of how language is used, your coaching partner can work in short, efficient training sessions that don’t waste valuable time.
It’s important to keep these sessions positive and use them as opportunities to celebrate success and grow skills as opposed to punitive experiences for less-than-perfect results. You should prioritize:
5. HIGHER MORALE
By encouraging a growth mindset at your business through the positive follow-up to mystery shopping feedback, you raise more than just your customer service. It’s proven that companies that foster a growth mindset have significantly happier employees.
By working with a top mystery shopping partner, you can give your team the expert advice and supportive training they need to close more deals and develop more successful careers. That translates to more money and a better work environment they will definitely value at the end of the day.
CHOOSE YOUR PARTNER WISELY
There are a lot of different models mystery shopping companies may use, and finding a true expert can be the difference between higher revenue and sagging sales. For most businesses, the best return on your investment will come from partnering with a company that really takes the time to get to know you and your team. They should work with you to develop an evaluation rubric and mystery shop protocols and to manage the follow-up sessions and subsequent training.
At Phone Ninjas, we pride ourselves on making sure our training and mystery shopping fit your business’s needs and goals. Our mystery shopping services are a core component of our business model. We’re a training powerhouse with a track record of boosting KPIs by 300% and beyond and gladly perform follow-up reviews and training to maximize and unify your team’s skills. And we’re a great long-term partner because we work with each team member in weekly one-on-one sessions to make sure everyone is learning thoroughly and quickly. Learning never stops, so neither do we.
We’re so sure you’ll see the benefits we’ll bring to your business, we put our money where our mouth is by performing two dealership mystery shops completely free of charge. Reach out today to access these complimentary services with no further commitment, as well as schedule an in-depth demonstration of our training and mystery shopping programs.
There are several training options available, but many of them can’t give you true insight into what your team can do to improve their performance on calls to boost your sales numbers and hit your monthly goals. Pick the wrong one and you’ll end up frustrating your team and getting little in return.
That’s where mystery shopping companies can make all the difference. These training experts offer your business the most accurate feedback because their people interact with your employees as if they were customers. But how do they do it? Here are five of the most important things these companies can do for your business.
1. REAL-TIME REVIEW
Receipt, phone, and internet surveys are popular, but they are fraught with poor-quality data. Human memory is fallible, and you’re hardly getting a true picture of customer interactions because they have to send feedback long after the experience actually took place.
Mystery shopping companies measure your employees’ performance in real-time, which produces a much more faithful and authentic interpretation of interactions. And because their mystery shoppers are trained, experienced, and working according to an evaluation rubric prepared in advance, you are measuring the same variables professionally and consistently every time.
2. ENSURE ACCURATE BRAND MESSAGING AND LEGAL COMPLIANCE
The former is necessary, and the latter is non-negotiable. Mystery shopping companies evaluate not only your team’s customer service skills, but their underlying conformity with company procedures, policies, brand messaging, and the law.
The value of consistently branded messaging can’t be overstated in the current sales environment. Customers often interact with your website long before they ever call, and they are more informed than ever. If your team’s messaging doesn’t match their expectations—and deliver accurate information in critical areas like financing and service agreements—they’re going to hang up quickly.
3. CATCH EMERGING ISSUES EARLY
No matter how well-trained an employee is, the fact is, skills drift, trained concepts fade or blur in memory, and subtle variations that may not be perfectly aligned with your business are introduced by individual team members. This means that unless you measure your team’s skills on a regular basis, your current amazing customer service will start to shift out of focus. This is not a result of bad or lazy employees—it’s just human nature!
These skills are especially critical to monitor in high-stakes, high-dollar sales environments like automobile dealerships, marine dealerships, etc. With so much on the line for every major transaction, you need to catch skill drift and customer service issues at the earliest possible moment before they start costing you sales and tanking your appointment rate.
This is why a sound business strategy always invests in long-term relationships with mystery shopping companies. It costs a little money upfront, but it definitely delivers huge returns in the long run. Plus, with regular timetables for review and solid working relationships between employees and your training partner’s team, these issues can be corrected quickly and positively.
4. IMPROVE OVERALL TEAM SKILL LEVELS
Whether you’re looking at mystery shopping companies to support your business development center (BDC) or just to keep your sales and service teams on point, the benefits they’ll deliver translate to every aspect of the job. Mystery shops often reveal principles that can apply to a range of situations, and these insights can be shared with the entire team to build everyone’s skill set. And because they typically focus on a few specific instances of how language is used, your coaching partner can work in short, efficient training sessions that don’t waste valuable time.
It’s important to keep these sessions positive and use them as opportunities to celebrate success and grow skills as opposed to punitive experiences for less-than-perfect results. You should prioritize:
- Leading with the employee’s successes.
- Rewarding people materially for their good work.
- Address deficiencies in a kind and mentoring manner, stressing you believe in them and this will make them even better at their job (a powerful motivator in commission sales jobs such as automotive sales).
5. HIGHER MORALE
By encouraging a growth mindset at your business through the positive follow-up to mystery shopping feedback, you raise more than just your customer service. It’s proven that companies that foster a growth mindset have significantly happier employees.
By working with a top mystery shopping partner, you can give your team the expert advice and supportive training they need to close more deals and develop more successful careers. That translates to more money and a better work environment they will definitely value at the end of the day.
CHOOSE YOUR PARTNER WISELY
There are a lot of different models mystery shopping companies may use, and finding a true expert can be the difference between higher revenue and sagging sales. For most businesses, the best return on your investment will come from partnering with a company that really takes the time to get to know you and your team. They should work with you to develop an evaluation rubric and mystery shop protocols and to manage the follow-up sessions and subsequent training.
At Phone Ninjas, we pride ourselves on making sure our training and mystery shopping fit your business’s needs and goals. Our mystery shopping services are a core component of our business model. We’re a training powerhouse with a track record of boosting KPIs by 300% and beyond and gladly perform follow-up reviews and training to maximize and unify your team’s skills. And we’re a great long-term partner because we work with each team member in weekly one-on-one sessions to make sure everyone is learning thoroughly and quickly. Learning never stops, so neither do we.
We’re so sure you’ll see the benefits we’ll bring to your business, we put our money where our mouth is by performing two dealership mystery shops completely free of charge. Reach out today to access these complimentary services with no further commitment, as well as schedule an in-depth demonstration of our training and mystery shopping programs.
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