Are Missed Calls Being Properly Logged in Your Dealership CRM?

[Dhruven]

How are dealerships handling missed calls from potential customers?

Does your CRM automatically log missed calls and help sales teams follow up, or do managers have to track them separately?

I’d be interested to know how other dealerships manage missed calls and measure follow-up performance.

 

[kchristine1744]

In my experience working with dealerships, the biggest challenge usually isn't whether the CRM logs the missed call, most systems can do that. The real question is what happens next.

Is there a process for responding quickly? Is someone accountable for the follow-up? Are managers reviewing missed-call recovery as part of their coaching?

We've seen stores with great technology still lose opportunities because there isn't a consistent process behind it. Technology can identify missed calls, but people and process determine whether those customers ever make it into the showroom.

 

[Alex Snyder]

How do you know the call is missed in the first place? Systems like one of our sponsors, GoTo, will catch that. But where are you finding your missed call? Do you even know they're being missed...

Or they aren't being missed and the person who answered the call did not log it?

 

[Dhruven]

In my experience working with dealerships, the biggest challenge usually isn't whether the CRM logs the missed call, most systems can do that. The real question is what happens next.

Is there a process for responding quickly? Is someone accountable for the follow-up? Are managers reviewing missed-call recovery as part of their coaching?

We've seen stores with great technology still lose opportunities because there isn't a consistent process behind it. Technology can identify missed calls, but people and process determine whether those customers ever make it into the showroom.

Absolutely agree. Logging the missed call is only the first step. The real value comes from knowing who is responsible for the follow-up, how quickly it happens, and whether the customer was actually contacted.

I think having a simple report for missed calls, follow-up status, and response time can make it much easier for managers to identify gaps and coach the team.

 

[Dhruven]

How do you know the call is missed in the first place? Systems like one of our sponsors, GoTo, will catch that. But where are you finding your missed call? Do you even know they're being missed...

Or they aren't being missed and the person who answered the call did not log it?

That’s a good point. The bigger issue may actually be the gap between what happens on the phone and what gets entered into the CRM.

 

[alihenryofficial]

Great question!

We've noticed that many dealerships still lose potential leads because missed calls aren't tracked properly. The best approach is to automatically log missed calls, notify the assigned salesperson, and track callback performance so no opportunity is missed.

I recently read a blog about dealership call metrics that highlighted an important point: simply logging missed calls isn't enough. Dealerships should also track callback time, follow-up completion, and missed call trends to ensure potential buyers don't slip through the cracks. These metrics provide better visibility into sales team responsiveness and help reduce lost opportunities.

For anyone interested, this article explains the impact of missed calls on automobile sales: The Cost of Missed Calls: Poor Call Handling in Automobile Sales