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Study: 28% of Dealership Callers Will Buy a Vehicle

Experts say a Marchex analysis of more than 300,000 inbound calls proves auto dealers and sales professionals who optimize call-handling are poised to capture more customers and revenue.

January 23, 2019
Study: 28% of Dealership Callers Will Buy a Vehicle

Marchex analysts dedicated a specific intent to purchase in 57% of inbound calls to a dealership sales department.

Photo by andresruiz via Pixabay

2 min to read


SEATTLE — Call analytics provider Marchex released a new report analyzing how call-handling impacts purchasing decisions at car dealerships. After analyzing more than 300,000 inbound phone calls to more than 650 U.S. dealerships through Marchex’s speech analytics software, research found that salespeople who answer inbound sales calls have a significant influence on how likely a caller is to book an appointment or visit the dealership.

The findings include:

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  • At least 28% of auto buyers who make a call will purchase a vehicle.

  • 57% of inbound calls to the sales department specifically have intent to purchase.

  • Sales calls convert to a purchase an average of four times the rate of email.

Analysts found a strong correlation between high-performing salespeople and customers who make appointments. Salespeople who manage inbound calls have a direct, statistically meaningful, impact on how likely a caller is to come to a dealership and make a purchase. Top salespeople were found to be 12% more likely to set an appointment over the phone than the lowest-performing agents.

“With mobile adoption, consumers can research online and click-to-call car dealers in real time, showing a high intent to purchase. It’s clear that phone calls not only matter to businesses but are a viable revenue source for brands — especially within the auto industry,” said Matt Muilenburg, head of automotive at Marchex. “To make the most of these inbound leads, for both sales and service, dealerships need to be able to identify callers with intent to purchase and ensure employees know how to manage those calls.”

Topics:Showroom

Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today

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