Except for a telephone greeting along the lines of “Thank you for calling (Dealer Name).  How can I assist you?”, there is one phrase your people use almost as much.  “Sorry, my computers running slow.”

Does your computer suck?  Does it really?  Is it the Internet speed of which your desktop operates?  Is it the crappy Internet service your dealer has signed up for?  It very well may be and if it is, tell your dealer to step out of the dark ages and get you the proper technology so you don’t have to keep throwing that poor, defenseless computer under the proverbial bus in front of your customers.

“Internet is going really slow to day.  (sigh and a plea) C’mon.  (twenty seconds later) “There you go.  Yes, it looks to be in stock.”

I don’t think your computers are always the problem, but you have no problem blaming it on the computer when a customer calls.  It can’t ALWAYS be the computer.  Sometimes it is the user that is causing the error.  One thing is for certain as we listen to sales calls on behalf of our dealer clients, and that is, your computers take a verbal beating.  I’m here to stick up for them.

Get your desk in order.  Stop answering the phone if your websites aren’t up, screens aren’t open, DMS isn’t at the ready, and CRM isn’t front and center.  If your monitor is prepared for the call, then you can get the answers out quicker and stop making it look like your dealership operates on Dot Matrix machines.  It is often the people and not the programs, so blame yourself.  It’s not the computer, it’s your phone skills. If you don’t have the skills to capture the customer’s information and set an appointment without logging into your computer then it is your job to have it ready to go for the customer and stop using your inability to navigate the machine as the primary obstacle in the call.  Have you no feelings for your poor, sad computer?

Let the customer think that you are 100% in control of your work station, able to answer their questions within seconds rather than forcing them to listen to awkward silences while you verbally abuse your desktop and Internet service.  They will think you are more professional and hold you in higher regard.

It is not your computer’s fault that “give me a few seconds.  It seems to not want to work for me.  Haha.  C’mon.  C’mon.  Here it comes.  No.  Shoot.  This computer always does this to me.  Here it is.  Wait.  What kind did you say?  That’s right.  The 1500.  And… it looks like…. Hold on a second.  Running so slow today” you are the slow one.