Your manager gets the weekly coaching call report for the teams’ sales calls. It lists some generic suggestions for making these handful of calls better.
This same manager (who has little time for this to begin with) is now tasked with sharing these suggestions with the team, hoping they not only understand the feedback, but that they take the time to course-correct and implement the changes.
Basically, it becomes a ‘here’s what to do…now go do it.’
Effective? No.
Many dealerships rely on automated call monitoring systems to generate these reports but they lack the human element. While technology certainly has its place, nothing replaces the power of a real call coach, a human being, when it comes to transforming the sales & service teams’ call performance.
Automated Reports Have Many Limitations
Dealerships already struggle with having a way to effectively capture, track, and convert high-intent inbound calls, and this alone costs millions in lost sales and revenue. And while there are call tracking platforms popping up throughout the industry, most are only providing AI-powered transcripts with generic tips to improve the call.
They miss the nuances of human interaction and emotional intelligence…the little things that make us who we are. They can tell you WHAT happened on the call but often can’t teach your sales team HOW to do it better.
Another missing component of automated call coaching? Context.
Imagine your salesperson has a call reviewed and it’s ‘flagged’ for being too short. While this report sees it as negative, a skilled coach would understand that there are times when brevity may actually close a deal faster.
A shorter call simply could be all that was needed for that particular customer.
Your sales team doesn’t need one-size-fits-all automated feedback…they thrive with personalized ‘human’ coaching that leans into individualized learning and a student-teacher connection. When combined with situation-specific role play that only a human coach can provide, your staff will be armed with powerful, actionable tools to make every call count.
The Power of Human Coaching
Call-Q makes human coaching a foundational part of the service we provide, helping dealerships improve call quality, appointments booked, and closing rates for salespeople.
Our Customer Success Teams meet with dealers weekly to review opportunities to improve their call-to-appointment conversion rates.
Just people helping people..
What are some of the benefits of human coaching?
- Relationship building - Trust is built faster and it fosters an environment where feedback is better received.
- Real-time problem solving - Human coaches can address specific concerns and offer immediate solutions while understanding the salesperson’s perspective.
- Emotional support - Coaching is not all about technique…it’s about building confidence and motivation.
Why the End Result is Always Better with Personal Coaching
Call-Q found that dealerships that invest in call training with a strong personalized coaching component saw an average increase in sales phone call appointments of 21% in 2024.
And the average service BDC phone call appointment rate increased 16% in the same year.
Impressive numbers but why are these results so closely tied to personal coaching vs. AI transcript alone?
- Accountability - Establishing personal relationships between the coach and the salesperson leads to a higher commitment to putting the feedback into practice.
- Immediate feedback - Minimal time to get the feedback needed to improve a call. Your salespeople don’t wait on a report to tell them what needs to be fixed. And here’s where role play can be implemented easily to help staff practice for specific call scenarios.
- Custom Improvement Plan - Coaching can be tailored to the specific employee and the nature of their unique calls. The goals may be the same but a sales call is different from a service call.
Making the Case for Investment in Better Call Coaching
Anyone who has ever tried to learn something new or improve a specific skill would tell you that nothing replaces an actual teacher or coach to work with you one-on-one.
We respond best when we have someone helping us who understands our challenges and is eager to see us succeed.
Now more than ever, dealerships need to invest in robust and comprehensive call coaching programs. Here’s why…
- Retention - Employees who receive quality coaching are not only more engaged but also less likely to leave the dealership. They feel a real investment has been made in their professional development and a recent study by LinkedIn reinforces this. Coaching is cited as one of the main drivers of employees feeling valued and engaged.
- ROI - This one’s easy…better phone skills translate to more appointments and higher close rates. When it works, cost shouldn’t matter.
- Competitive Advantage - Dealers are not only competing with other stores in their market but also digital sales platforms. A well-trained sales staff can compete against anyone and help your dealership grow every month.
Technology Can Support, Not Replace, Human Coaching
AI is a part of everyday life and even here at Call-Q, we recognize the efficiencies it allows as a support for our call coaching service. It can analyze dozens of conversations and can monitor, score, and return tips for improvement.
But it can’t replace the impact of highly skilled coaches working with your staff. The impact and human connection is too important and too closely tied to the success of your dealership to be ignored.
Call-Q can evaluate your existing call training and show you how personalized coaching, with the support of AI, can help empower your staff to make every call count.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
