Three Reasons You Might Not Like CRM Integration for Call Tracking

At Callbright, we’re big fans of CRM integration. It differentiates today’s call tracking from call tracking 15 years ago. It helps salespeople stay motivated. It does for call tracking what the heated steering wheel does for cars (translation: it adds oomph).

But you know what? There are actually some reasons CRM integration might not be a good fit for you. Here they are.

You Live for Data Entry

Do you get a thrill from entering the same data into multiple systems over and over? Do you love the way your carpal tunnel syndrome makes your wrists ache and your forearms go numb? Do you get a kick out of typos?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might want to avoid CRM integration. The reason is that as soon as a call comes in, the caller's information is automatically gathered and then synced with your CRM system. 

Do you know what that means? You’d have to kiss data entry and typos good-bye. Worse, your wrists and forearms would get a break.

You Don’t Mind Losing Lead Data

How do you react when a phone lead falls through the cracks and doesn’t quite make it into your CRM system? Do you:

1. Celebrate? That’s one less lead to keep track of!
2. Feel disappointed but shrug it off and wait for a new lead to come in?
3. Find out what happened, try to win over the lead and make sure it doesn’t happen again?

If you answered “a” or “b,” you might not see CRM integration as much of a benefit. Because phone leads automatically appear in your CRM, you don’t have to worry about remembering to enter leads into the system.

You Love Having Tons of Programs Open on Your Computer

Are you the kind of person who recognizes the benefits of having lots of programs open on your computer? It’s like a scavenger hunt sorting through the open windows for the one you need, and the system lag gives you time to grab a cup of coffee! You improve your mental focus when a lead calls in because you have to switch between your call tracking program and CRM to cross-check their data!

If you’re not looking to cut back on the number of applications you use on a daily basis, there’s no need to integrate your call tracking system with your CRM. Why? Because when you integrate the two systems, you can view or edit lead data from one central location.

Don’t identify with any of these statements? Great! Then mosey on over to our CRM integration page to see how it can make your life a little easier.  

Three Ways to Improve Your Workplace Time Management Skills: Part 3 of 3

Now your workday is finally coming together. You have a detailed schedule, and you've learned to ask your coworkers for help so you're not overloaded. Those around you are starting to notice how motivated you are to increase your productivity and ultimately your success.

What if there were even one more way to maximize your time? (Hint: There is!)

Utilize Technology

Technology can be extremely beneficial in taking on tasks for you and relieving some of the pressure from your workload. Knowing how to use the tools you have access to and synchronizing them with your daily work routine can make life simpler in the long run.

For example, are you constantly switching between applications and looking up prospect information? Do you sometimes forget to enter phone leads into your CRM system when you're scrambling around on busy days? Reduce the time you're spending switching back and forth between windows as well as the number of leads you're losing by integrating your call tracking and CRM applications.

Or maybe you're struggling to keep up with repetitive customer calls to remind them of an upcoming appointment, notify them of a change to their account or even wish them a happy birthday. Use broadcast messaging technology to prerecord the information you want them to know and let the application relay the message for you.

By using technology to your advantage, getting that task list checked off will be less of a nightmare.

What techniques do you use to create more time in your busy work schedule? Let us know in the comments.

Three Ways to Improve Your Workplace Time Management Skills: Part 2 of 3

Hopefully, you took our advice in part one of this blog series (experiment to find the right schedule) to increase your efficiency throughout the day. But if somehow the to-do pile on your desk has only partially subsided, we have another tip for you: Ask for help!

Delegate Your Tasks

Work tasks can be utterly overwhelming. People who have been successful in their field know that you don't have to do everything on your own. Realistically, if you have more tasks than you can take on, you'll need to rely on others for support.

Closing leadership skill gaps is the main priority for 58 percent of organizations. But 25 percent of organizations say that less than 10 percent of critical leadership roles have ready successors. A key characteristic managers look for when considering promoting an employee is their ability to delegate, which reiterates the importance of this skill in advancing in the workplace.

How can you delegate more successfully?

• Start out by communicating openly with your teammates. Ask them for help with small tasks and eventually work up to delegating bigger projects.
• Don't be afraid to give feedback or teach new skills if your teammates aren't performing up to your company's standards.
• Set a deadline for the due date so you have time to make any last minute adjustments to the delegated projects.
• Return the favor your coworkers helped you out when you were on a time crunch. Later, they might be in the same boat. What can you do for them?

Before you know it, you'll have enough time in your schedule to tackle that expansive to-do list. What tasks can you delegate to increase your productivity?

Three Ways to Improve Your Workplace Time Management Skills: Part 1 of 3

The work phones have been ringing off the hook all day, and there aren't enough team members to answer all the calls. There are 200-plus emails piling up in your queue. You have several prospects to enter into your CRM and several more to follow up with. The to-do list on your desk is so long it now has chapters. Not to mention, your personal cell phone is buzzing nonstop. You're scared you won't hit quota for Q2, simply because you don't have enough time.

Modern-day Americans are forced to multitask due to a lack of time. But only 2 percent of people can actually multitask effectively. In fact, experts believe multitasking leads to a 40 percent loss of productivity.

So what can be done to finally check all those boxes off your list of things to do while avoiding multitasking? In this three-part series, we'll give you some helpful tips on creating more time in your day. Our first tip is to get into a productive routine.

Experiment to Find the Right Routine

The average desk job employee wastes 2.1 hours a day. Whether that's checking their cell phone, grabbing coffee, talking to a nearby coworker or simply deciding which task to tackle next, 2.1 hours a day equals an alarming 546 hours a year. That's almost an entire month of time! 

We agree hardworking employees deserve to give themselves small breaks to reduce the effects that come from overworking, such as burnout, but there must be limits. Need to grab a coffee and reply to an urgent text? Delegate a few five-minute time frames and write them down on your schedule. During these allotted time periods, tackle small tasks like getting that coffee fix or swinging by a coworker's cubicle to chat. You should set aside time to get those things out of your system so you can focus on having a productive day. 

Learning to schedule your tasks more efficiently takes a little more practice, and your schedule will depend on your unique tasks.

We made this list as a helpful starting point:

• Use "batching," which is simply working on related tasks together.
• Prioritize your to-do list by importance, and keep it clearly visible.
• Reward yourself with incentives after completing tasks.

Once you find the most beneficial way to organize your workday, stick to your schedule for maximum productivity.

What have you done to find the perfect schedule?

The Age of Instant Gratification: How to Manage Customer Service Expectations

Instant gratification, the desire to experience fulfillment without delay, has taken hold of our 21st-century expectations and shows no sign of easing its grip. We want what want, and we want it now.

We've traded Blockbuster and DVDs for instant streaming through Netflix and Hulu — why wait a moment longer to watch your show when you can binge watch it right now? We've traded the art of communicating with others for a quick scroll down their Instagram timeline. We've traded walking the aisles of the grocery store for grabbing curbside pickup instantly and heading home to get back on Netflix and Instagram.

Our society has forgotten what it feels like to wait for something. Follow the tips below to enhance customer satisfaction in the age of dying patience.

Make Mobile Seamless and Hassle Free

Approximately 95 percent of Americans have cell phones, and on average, we're checking them 80 times a day. If we went to your website right now, how easy would it be for us to call you immediately? Would we have to search for your phone number? Would we have to type it out on those tiny smartphone buttons?

Regardless of the size of your company, it's more important than ever that you make the mobile experience as seamless as possible. Consider implementing clickable numbers that will let prospects instantly call you with the click of a button. Now your competition will be frustrated instead of your customers.

Contact Leads Quickly

A study from MIT found that if a rep waits 30 minutes to call a prospect who submitted a web page form, the rep is 100 times less likely to make contact. If the rep waits five hours, the odds drop by 3,000 times. The longer your staff waits to get in contact with prospects, the more potential sales you're losing out on.

How can you ensure your staff isn't missing inquiries from interested customers? Should you just make them hit refresh on their emails every 30 seconds? We don't think so! There a much easier answer to end this problem: a solution that empowers your employees to respond to webs form submissions in a timely manner. When a prospect submits a form, the application calls the next available rep in a round robin rotation to guarantee the lead is contacted. Once an agent is reached, text-to-speech technology converts the text of the web submission into a recording. After listening to the recordings, the rep can then place a call to the customer. This saves your reps the hassle and wasted time of digging through emails to respond to potential leads.

Make the Purchasing Process Easy

Back in 2000, the process of buying an item online was as follows: Take an absurd amount of time out of your day to connect to the internet through dial-up. Once it finally connects, access your favorite retailer’s website and check out with shipping options (like seven business days at the earliest for around $10). Patiently wait a week or longer for the item to arrive.

The process of buying an item online in 2018 is as follows: Simply pull out your smartphone, search for an item on Amazon, check out via your Prime account for free shipping and find it on your doorstep within 48 hours — sometimes even sooner.

Whether or not you’re in the retail biz, customers’ experiences with retailers shape how they view their experiences with other companies. Your customers expect a high-speed quality service experience. If they’re ready to sign the dotted line and give you their money, give them your full attention and do everything in your power to close the sale ASAP.

What steps have you taken to satisfy the demanding expectations of today’s customer base? Let us know in the comments.

Help Your Customer Service Team Put on a Great Show

Jumping through hoops, lying on a bed of nails, fire eating, sword swallowing, lion taming. Is this just a list of entertaining circus acts? Or is it how your customer service team members describe their experiences dealing with challenging customer phone calls?

P.T. Barnum, the inventor of the circus himself, said, "The noblest art is that of making others happy." Your customer service team should be channeling this motto every day — even on those difficult calls. By the year 2020, customer service will surpass product and price as a key differentiator for your company, meaning exceptional customer service isn't optional anymore. It's a requirement.

So how can you ensure your team will always go above and beyond?

Make Happiness Their Job

The circus wouldn't be the circus without the clumsy, fun-loving clowns who thrive on others' laughter. Their main goal is to entertain the audience at their own expense. While some customers might be easy to please, there will always be some that are a "tough crowd." If the audience isn't clowning around, do you think the clown just gives up?

Of course not! Like handling a tough audience, managing frustrated customers can be quite challenging, but it is possible as long as your staff feels the customer (or audience) out and then does their best to help. Ensure they're polite, asking questions, listening intently and doing everything in their power to come up with a solution.

Teach Them the Differences in What Your Company Can Offer

What makes the circus so thrilling? Back in the day, people use to come from miles around because they heard tantalizing rumors of the unknown. A dog man? A bearded lady? Circus employees were experts on being different, and their audience flocked to them to learn more.

In the same way, ensure your staff is knowledgeable about what makes your products different, what your customers need, and how trends are changing in the industry. Eight-four percent of customers are frustrated when the service agent doesn't have helpful information. To avoid customer frustration, it's important to continually train your employees so they feel prepared to answer any questions your customers may have.

Provide Them With the Right Tools

A clown without a nose. A trapeze artist without a trapeze. A magician without a magic hat. What do these things have in common? These performers are crucial components to the circus, but without the proper tools, they can't perform their jobs and the audience won't be pleased.

What tools are your customer service team missing? Whether it's a CRM application to easily store and contact prospects, an easy-to-use outbound calling feature or even hiring more coworkers to reduce the amount of missed calls, identifying and fixing problems your staff may be having will benefit both them and your customers.

Need more inspiration on how to improve your team's service? We've rounded up the best customer service stories from 2017.

How to Fix Three Simple Blogging Mistakes That Cost You Readers

Blogs are a great way to publish dealership-branded content online without overwhelming potential customers with the same old advertisements for incredible one-day-only deals. Regular and insightful posts on your dealership's blog can help you engage customers and become a trusted source of useful car information long before those customers are ready to buy a car.

Of course, if you already operate a blog for your dealership and you're frustrated by the lack of an obvious ROI, you might be unknowingly making mistakes that are keeping you from becoming that trusted source for your customers and sending them clicking elsewhere.

Routine errors and typos, posting too much (or too little) or even a lack of simplicity can turn off readers, keeping your traffic numbers low and leaving your engagement levels lower. Here are some ways you can remedy those issues and make the time you invest into blogging worth it.

Reduce Your Errors

Everybody that contributes to your dealership's blog should be putting a lot of effort into making sure the content is correct. Are you making suggestions for how to winterize a car? Don't mess up and tell them to put heavyweight oil in their car! Recommending the "Penny Test" for checking tire tread depth? The tread shouldn't be as thin as a penny. It should overlap Lincoln's head! Obviously, you need to verify that your advice is accurate.

However, even great advice can be overlooked if your posts are littered with typos and spelling mistakes. A comments section filled with quips like "OMG! EDIT MUCH?" and "Who edits this thing?" isn't a good form of engagement. Make sure every post is read multiple times by several people in the dealership before you publish it. If your options for editors are limited, give your brain a break after writing a post and review it again a day or two later. After reviewing it with fresh eyes, it should be ready to post.

Strike the Right Frequency

So you started a blog for your dealership and you were really excited about the possibilities. You had a ton of ideas for content and you've been churning them out as fast as you can. Maybe tap the brakes there, Dale. It's great that you have a lot of ideas, but do your customers really want to be bombarded with all of that fresh, new and awesome content all the time?

In theory, frequent and fresh content will help you move up Google's rankings, making it easier for interested customers to come across your blog and maybe even get a viral hit. But viral spikes are only temporary. Long-lasting and meaningful traffic is built by being an authority on what you write. Investing time in writing good, error-free content is more important than a splurge of short posts that hinge on the flavor of the day.

Keep It Simple

Cars are complex. From the sales process to even basic maintenance, it can be easy for somebody in the industry (like you) to forget who you're writing for and slip into using dealership jargon. I know you want to be helpful and give your readers information that they'll find interesting, but not all of your readers will understand complex descriptions of complex practices. Readers won't bother coming back if they can't relate to or understand what you're writing about.

You need to know your audience and keep your writing simple. I'm not telling you to water down your ideas, but try to use relatable metaphors that make a confusing idea sound a bit simpler. For example, explaining the reasons why older cars should be warmed up prior to driving in cold weather can sound boring when you start breaking down oil viscosity numbers. Instead, compare the practice to stretching before exercising.

If you're having a hard time understanding your target audience or knowing if your blog efforts are really generating leads, you need to look into a way to track your lead sources. Have you seen your lead traffic bloom after adjusting your blogging habits? What approach did you change? Let us know in the comments.

Three Feel-Good Customer Service Stories From 2017

So you'd like to hear a few stories about amazing customer service from this year? My pleasure. Anyone who has ever visited Chick-fil-A probably understands that reference. What is it, exactly, that makes us flock to the mile-long line wrapped around the parking lot?

Excellent customer service. (Well, that and the chicken, of course!)

Chick-fil-A, the fast-food Mecca of a great customer experience, has taken new heights to ensure its name is synonymous with unmatched customer service. Someone even made a hilarious rap about it on YouTube. The chain's employees do everything with a smile — even during lunch-hour chaos! But even Chick-fil-A knows that negative customer experiences can happen to everyone. Did you know that it takes 12 positive customer experiences to make up for one negative experience?

What did we learn from customer service in 2017? And how can you encourage your employees to treat customers well in 2018? Check out these real-life lessons below.

Drive Your Customers to Tears of Joy

Betten Baker, a Michigan dealership, is receiving a great deal of recognition for an act of pure kindness. Some used car dealerships can get a bad rap for selling cars with problems, but Betten Baker is turning that stereotype on its head.

Three months after Marty Helton bought a vehicle from Betten Baker, the vehicle's engine died en route to North Carolina. Having purchased a used car as-is, he knew the dealership owed him nothing. However, he had no other option, so he decided to ask for "a used Junker... with a million miles on it and rusty" that he could drive for a few weeks. Betten Baker responded to this request— and then some. Not only did the dealership loan him a shiny new Silverado, it told him they would retrieve his vehicle from North Carolina and work with the warranty company to get his car fixed.

Marty was so moved that he shared his experience on social media. His post generated over 3,000 likes, 450 shares and 200 comments.


What a great story! While you might not be able to demonstrate such extreme levels of generosity in every situation, you can always encourage employees to exceed customer expectations. Any personal touch, whether it's a handwritten note or gesture, is sure to enhance the customer experience. The potential for improving your brand's reputation is an added bonus.

Fly Past Customer Expectations

Lost luggage? We've all been there. It's undoubtedly a huge inconvenience, but for one Pennsylvania woman, being reunited with her things was especially urgent. Stacy Hurt, a wife and mother battling cancer, was brought to tears when she realized she wouldn't have her luggage, which included her chemotherapy medicine and a few good luck charms for her treatment the following day.

When Stacy made an emotional phone call to Southwest, Sarah Rowan, the employee who spoke with Stacy, promised to do what she could to make sure Stacy's luggage was delivered before her appointment at 9 a.m. the next morning. When the bag finally arrived at the airport at 2 a.m.— after all the couriers had left for the night — Sarah made it her mission to hand deliver the luggage.

Stacy's luggage arrived on her front porch at 3 a.m. with the following note:



It's good-hearted employees like Sarah from Southwest that will ultimately build up your business's reputation for being customer-service oriented. Because many companies are giving their employees more autonomy to make decisions like this one, it's crucial that you clearly communicate and live out the values you expect so your employees know how to best represent the company — especially in a challenging situation!

Walk Your Team Through Top-Notch Customer Service

When an elderly gentleman known as Mr. Roy walked into his local Walmart one day, he wandered over to the customer service desk to request help. Because he was blind, he needed assistance finding his groceries. While the store didn't typically offer this service, customer service agent Brittany Walton walked hand-in-hand with him for two hours until he found every item he needed. The picture went viral on Facebook and was a warm reminder that showing kindness, especially in this day and age, is never a bad idea.

 Customers can easily sense when an employee doesn't like their job or is in a rush to be doing something else. Whether it takes two hours or two seconds, be a support system by carefully walking them through anything they may need help with. Not only will you build a good reputation for your company and yourself, but you might gain a customer for life!

After hearing these three stories about outstanding customer service, we hope it inspires your company to go above and beyond to take care of your customers this year! Check out the infographic "Customer Service: The Forgotten Marketing Channel" for more tips on retaining customers with excellent service.

Solutions for Your Resolutions: Call Attribution and Click to Call

New Year, new you. With 2018 in full force, everyone has a fresh wave of motivation to finally conquer those lingering resolutions they've always talked about. For example, one of the top resolutions for 2018 is to lose weight. What's on your list? Whatever it may be, now is the time to begin working toward achieving both personal and professional goals.

Now is the time to evaluate your company top-down and compile resolutions to complete by 2019. Whether you want to enhance customer service, invest more in data analytics to keep up with the competition or increase your bottom line to meet demands from corporate management, implementing an action plan starts now.

Not sure where to start? Ask yourself the following questions and check out some of our tips!

Which Campaigns Are Working?

Picture this: It's January 1, 2019. Your image in the mirror scares (and delights) you because you look like your fitness idol. You actually did it! You persisted in pursuing your resolution to be in better shape. The only problem is you can't remember any of the last 12 months. What have you been doing that actually worked? How are you supposed to know what to keep doing for next year to continue this progress?

Much like this scenario, good campaigns don't work unless you know what makes them successful. It's crucial to know whether it was the billboard ads you used all around town or simply the pens with unique toll-free numbers (TFNs) that produced an influx of calls and ultimately spiked your ROI. Being able to pinpoint which advertising efforts convert to hot leads will not only help you delegate your department's budget, but it will also send you in the right direction to find more where that came from.

How Are Your Prospects Reaching You?

Imagine you walk to the produce section of your local grocery store but immediately feel the need to take a step back when you see the impossibly large amount of people with carts lining the walls. It's a blur: someone trying to get the last bag of kale, attendants taking too long to restock the bananas. You question your healthy-eating resolution remembering that no one was on the macaroni and cheese aisle when you passed it. As you contemplate leaving, you realize this would be the third year in a row you gave up. You decide to wait a few minutes for it to clear out but eventually become too impatient. Oh well, maybe 2019 will be your year. Cheesecake for dinner, it is!

Your customers feel the same way when they visit your website and can't find a simple way to call you. More than half of mobile users said that not having an easy call option on a website would make them more likely to turn to another brand while becoming frustrated with your brand. Make it easy for your customers to connect with clickable numbers and secure your leads more frequently.

How Can You Use Data to Enhance Marketing Performance?

It's May. As swimsuit season is now here, you realize it's probably too late to pick back up with your forgotten resolutions to achieve a healthy physique, but you decide to do it anyway. Arriving back at the house due to some agonizing side pains after that strenuous run, you look at your smartwatch realizing you've only burned 15 calories... yikes. Time to get back out there! Thank goodness you had on wearable technology to track your progress throughout your run, or you would be back inside binge-watching Netflix.

Now it's time to use that type of granular data to get your business back in shape. Forbes predicts that 2018 will be a year full of technological advancements — one of the main topics of interest is different types of data collection. With only 28 percent of respondents confident that their company is able to measure marketing performance effectively, change is inevitable. If you don't leverage your data smartly in 2018, your organization might not have any resolutions in 2019. You can't make any business resolutions when your business doesn't exist!

Looking for more ways to improve in 2018? Check out these four marketing resolutions.

'Tis the Season to Implement Call Tracking Solutions

During this holiday season, sleigh bells aren't the only things ringing. Holiday sales represent 20 percent of total retail sales in a year, explaining why call centers' phones are ringing off the hook. How are you preparing to handle the hustle and bustle?

To get the manpower needed to take on the complexity of the holidays, companies like Target are hiring 100,000 temporary employees. For many companies, however, it's more difficult and expensive to recruit, hire and train seasonal employees for such a short period of time.

So what can you do to prep the employees you do have for the massive influx of calls they'll receive? Follow the tips below.

Work Hard

With tinsel-lined cubicles, snowflake decor lingering overhead and office buzz about Secret Santa circulating, 62 percent of companies agree productivity is affected during the holidays. Besides the obvious distractions around the office, 45 percent of employees are also taking more vacation time than usual.

It's crucial to remind your team that they are indeed at work to: work. Consider starting a quota competition and be forthright about the expectations you have for your team this winter season. Setting hard goals and deadlines will remind them that although it is an exciting time of year, they still have to focus on the tasks at hand.

Play Hard

While setting challenging goals to keep your team on track is crucial, you do catch more flies with honey than vinegar...

Help your team find the work-hard-play-hard balance. Celebrate everyone's hard work by hosting an office party even if it's just a 15-minute break on a Friday afternoon. Incentivizing employees during this time and showing some appreciation will keep your team relaxed yet motivated, giving them stamina to answer the ambush of calls you're expecting.

Provide Constant Feedback

Imagine excitedly giving someone a gift, only for them to open it and not thank you.That wouldn't feel great, right? Now imagine an employee continually producing good work and going above and beyond, always seeking recognition but never receiving it. Your employee won't keep up that momentum long without getting any praise.

Sixty-five percent of employees said they want more feedback from their employers. Most companies have annual or quarterly employee evaluations, but providing constant feedback gives many employees the drive to work harder.

A call tracking and evaluation system can help you give more beneficial evaluations of your employees' work. Motivated employees will deliver better service and your productivity will skyrocket.

The holidays are right around the corner, and so are all those phone calls. What other ways do you plan to keep sidetracked phone agents on task and motivated before the holidays? Let us know in the comments.

Three Ways to Motivate Disengaged Customer Service Representatives

Did you know that 70 percent of customer service representatives will quit their jobs within the year? Yikes. Not only is turnover expensive, but it's discouraging for the teammates who do stick around.

Companies around the U.S. are recognizing this and adjusting the structure of their organizations to keep their employees motivated. Southwest Airlines is a great example. Southwest says the secret to making employees feel appreciated and motivated is this:

"In our 'order of importance', we put our employees first, then our customers, then our shareholders...and in turn that results in increased business and profits that make everyone happy."

Pretty bold statement, right? But the numbers don't lie. Southwest has posted positive net income for the last 44 years, with record profitability in 2015 and 2016. Southwest teaches us all that putting employees first positively affects their attitudes and reduces turnover. Want to follow Southwest's footsteps? Try these three steps to increase employee drive.

Re-evaluate Your Mission and Values

Are your company's mission statement and values in line with the service your agents provide? If not, it could be that they aren't familiar with your company's values. That might sound crazy, but only 39 percent of employees are aware of their company's mission statement. Of those that do know it, 57 percent aren't motivated by it.

Take a look at your mission and values and make sure they set clear expectations for the type of experience you expect your customer service agents to provide. Getting your employees more involved with carrying out your mission statement will help build employee morale and make them more passionate about being good customer service agents.

Introduce New Incentives

How do you incentivize your customer service agents? Are employees who do the bare minimum treated the same as employees who go above and beyond? The best way to show your top performers you appreciate them is to reward hard work. Consider implementing an employee recognition program that includes some or all of the following types of incentives:

• Compensation — Offer raises, bonuses or prizes.
• Recognition — Thank your employees. If they're the type of person that's motivated by public recognition, praise their hard work in front of the rest of the team.
• Special Events — Have an ice cream social, buy a cake for the department or take top performers to a sporting event.

Whether you award the employee with the most outbound calls or the one who had the best survey results, any of these methods will help your agents feel like their work matters. Experiment with incentives to see what motivates employees most.

Empower Your Employees With the Right Technology

Chase R. on the phone. Literally.

Do your employees have the tools they need to succeed? Listen to their needs to see how you can help make them more successful and productive at their jobs. As an example, say you have an agent — we'll call him Chase R. — who has a hard time handling challenging phone calls with upset customers.

As you talk to Chase R., you realize he gets flustered switching between the call management application and CRM to get a complete picture of the customer's interaction history. While he searches for the information he needs, he sometimes has to put the caller on hold, which creates a negative customer experience.

It turns out that many of Chase R.'s coworkers have the same problem. To help them out, you realize you can improve their jobs with one simple change: integrating your CRM with your call management application. Now all your agents can spend less time flipping back and forth between different applications to look up caller info. Chase R. is happy, your customers are happy, and you're happy!

Whether it's investing in training so your agents feel prepared at work or technology to make tasks easier for them, listening and responding to your employees' needs will make a world of difference.

We won't lie: Reducing turnover in customer service is no walk in the park. But with these three steps, you have a shot at creating an environment that makes your employees want to stay. Just ask Chase R.

Call Tracking Isn't Just Tracking Calls Anymore

When caller ID was introduced, the world was revolutionized. We no longer had to pick up the phone to know who was calling. We’ve come a long way since then. Now, customers expect you to know why they’re calling, give them instant answers and quickly solve any issues they have. This can be a feat for any business, but luckily there’s a solution.

Here are three ways call tracking can help your business succeed.

Be Prepared for Callers’ Questions

When it comes to reducing call handling times, getting the caller off the line ASAP isn’t the goal. After all, they want to know that you can meet their needs. Instead, focus on simplifying processes like looking up caller information, taking journal notes about the call and recording pertinent caller information.

If you want to reduce call handling times without sacrificing customer service, try a Windows desktop application such as Callbright Interactive, which pulls up information about your calls in real time. It’ll allow you to monitor inbound and outbound calls, receive call notifications, listen to call recordings and update lead information directly from your desktop.

Send Prerecorded Messages to Prospects and Customers

It can take a while to make sales and marketing calls to your customers and prospects, especially when you consider the time it takes to dial the number, wait for the line to connect and slip in short breaks between calls. In a single hour, an agent will only spend an average of 55-60 percent actually talking to a customer. Save time, energy and money by sending prerecorded custom messages to your customers with our Broadcast Message Manager.

Maximize Your Online-to-Offline Conversions

Ever lost an important sale because you overlooked a web lead that got lost in your inbox? Ouch. Keeping track of those leads can be difficult, but it’s important because the longer a prospect waits to hear back from a sales rep, the more likely they are to take their business elsewhere.

Implement an online-to-offline conversion tool like Lead Chaser that uses text-to-speech technology to convert the contents of the form to a recording. The agent then has the option to immediately call the prospect without even checking their email first!

How will you use call tracking to enhance your business? Let us know in the comments!

Vishing: How to Avoid Taking the Bait

Scenario: It's been a hard week at work, and you're sitting there daydreaming about a white sandy beach with shimmering blue water somewhere far away. Suddenly you receive a phone call from a number you've never seen before, but the area code is local, so it must be important. You go outside to answer, and to your delight, the caller says, "Congratulations, you're the lucky winner of a five-day getaway in Jamaica!" Now all they need is your card info to credit your account. Wow, how lucky are you?

Not very.

Phishing, or the act of attempting to obtain confidential or financial information from people via email, has been running rampant among everyone with an email address since 1996. But hackers aren't just using emails to seize your personal info. Vishing, which is phishing via phone calls, is rapidly advancing. Every month, more than 86.2 million vishing calls are made in the U.S. So what can you do to avoid being lured into their trap? Follow these simple tips.

Don't Fall for Their Lines

Does that phone call sound a little phishy? It probably is. Educate yourself on the most common scams now so you can recognize when one is happening to you:

• The IRS scam: One of the most prevalent scams within the past year, the IRS scam occurs when an "IRS agent" calls to inform you that you either have refund due or that you owe money to the government. The IRS will never call about taxes owed without mailing you first. To avoid this situation, hang up and on another line call the official IRS number for a reliable source to verify the situation. 
• Vishing combined with malware: This vishing tactic involves a support representative calling from a company you are familiar with. The scammer tells you that you have a virus on your computer that can easily be fixed with their help. They then request that you grant them remote access to your computer so they can troubleshoot the issue. What they're really doing is installing malicious software that'll encrypt all your data. Never click on questionable links or follow instructions if something seems off.
• The "yes" scam: Some vishers attempt to record you saying the word "yes" by asking a simple question like "Can you hear me?" They can then use the recording to access your account and provide verbal confirmation for wire transfers or some other questionable reason. The scammer may also ask if you'd like your name on the Do Not Call (DNC) registry. Well, of course you do, but the government never calls people to ask them if they want to be added to the DNC list. If you get one of these calls, hang up immediately and go to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website to register your number instead.
• The bank scheme: In this scam, hackers call businesses in search of passwords or financial information by claiming they're your bank or business adviser. Alert your staff to never give out PINs or passwords over the phone, and let your bank or financial adviser know what happened.

Although this is not an exhaustive list, knowing about four of the most-used vishing scams will help you prevent scammers from taking advantage of you. Because scammers are always plotting ingenious ways to trick you, err on the side of caution every time you answer your phone.

Verify Callers' Identities

Determining which calls to take and which to avoid can be tricky. When you get a call you weren't expecting, consider these tips from the FTC (we like to call them the Four W's):

• Who's calling? Identifying the caller should be your first line of defense. Bear in mind that laws require sales callers to state their name and product before they begin selling you something.
• When are they calling? Telemarketers can only legally call between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. If a call comes in outside that time frame, ignore it. However, even if a call does fall within the correct time frame, you should still check for other signs of fraud.
• What's the rush? Everyone is in a hurry these days, but if someone seems exceptionally pushy, that's a telltale sign of a scammer. If the caller won't take no for an answer, just hang up.
• Why are they asking for sensitive information? Don't provide or confirm sensitive information if you're not sure of the caller's identity. If the caller claims to represent a specific company you do business with, hang up and call the number posted on the company's website to verify that the caller's request is legitimate. If so, make sure you understand why the business is asking for confidential information before providing it.

Be cautious when providing sensitive or confidential information over the phone, or you could lose thousands of dollars — or your job, if you put your business at risk of a security breach — and then you definitely won't be going on any beach vacations!

Report Suspicious Calls to FTC Officials

Or should we say ophishals? The FTC wants to hear about any scams that happen to you. The agency even took two companies to court after they attempted to call people on the DNC registry and sell them fake warranties.

By following these tips and utilizing these resources, you can thwart vishing attempts. Have you heard of any other vishing scams occurring recently? Let us know in the comments.

How to Rescue the Leads That Get Away

The one that got away — we've all experienced it. Going all in at the poker table with a full house and losing to a four-of-a-kind hand. Waving goodbye to your middle-school sweetheart when they move away during the summer. Having a fish spit out the hook right before it lands in the net. Coming up short is practically a fact of life.

Dealerships often feel the same way about leads that slip away. These days, every lead can make a difference, but tracking down leads lost to unanswered phones, dropped calls or even bad customer service experiences can feel like a herculean task. Is it worth the effort and resources?

The good news is that rescuing lost leads doesn't have to be a nightmare. Here are some things you need to know about lost leads and how to save them.

Recovering From Bad Customer Service

Research firm Luntz Group recently revealed that 40 percent of Americans dread the idea of buying a new car. Basically, they're already cringing when they pick up the phone to call your dealership. That means the first impression is critical to make sure your buyers feel comfortable in working with you and your reps.

However, phone conversations don't always go as planned. A new sales rep might not have much training, and a flubbed pitch could lead to a frustrated customer hanging up the phone. The poorly trained rep will probably just move on to the next lead, and management will be none the wiser. But what if you could be notified when these types of calls happen?

Consider deploying a service that listens to and reviews calls going in and out of your dealership. A team of highly trained professionals can spot mishandled calls like the one above and let you know when a call needs to be followed up on to work out the problem. This way leads aren't left frustrated and telling their friends how unhappy they were with your dealership. Instead they'll be impressed that you took time to make things right.

Returning Missed Calls

Sometimes customers simply slip through the cracks. In an ideal world,  your dealership employees answer every call — whether they're to your sales reps' direct lines or a general line that a receptionist should answer. However, for various reasons, some calls just don't get through. And since many people don't leave voicemails, how will you know who needs to be called back?

It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking a customer will try to call again if they don't get through the first time, but that next call could be to a different dealership. If your employees aren't answering calls, customers might think they're not important to you. At that point it's not as simple as a call that slipped through the cracks — callers view lack of responsiveness as bad customer service.

Be sure you have a way to capture call information whether the caller leaves a message or not. It would also help if you could be notified that a call was missed and needs to be returned. You might not know exactly what the customer was calling for, but following up with a missed call can let customers know that you care and you want their business.

Letting leads slip away because you don't want to go through the trouble of following up or you don't have correct contact info is unacceptable in today's competitive market. What are some ways you've made sure your dealership's leads don't fall through the cracks?

Grill up Some Dealership Marketing Success

The weather is starting to cool off, meaning that if your grill isn't reserved for football game tailgates, it's likely already in storage for the winter. But down here in Texas, it's almost always grilling season, and it's hard to beat a big, juicy grilled steak.

As easy as grilling the perfect steak might sound, steak is fickle and can become tough if you're not careful. Likewise, when your dealership is trying to create a rich marketing campaign, it's just as easy for things to go bad quickly.

If you're craving a delectable steak and want to make your dealership's marketing campaigns as enticing as a filet mignon from a high-end steakhouse, here are some tips for you.

Don't Overcook It

How you like you steak prepared — whether it's rare, medium or well done — is entirely up to you. While some of us might prefer a medium-rare steak, even a well-done steak can be tasty. But no matter how you like it, you usually cut into it to make sure it's not too dry.

Marketing campaigns can end up dry too. If you let a campaign run too long, it can start looking tired and overused to your potential customers. You need to make sure the campaign is producing your desired results. If it is, great job! If not, put it on pause and take it back to make it perfect. Be sure you have a way to measure marketing impact so you know when a campaign isn't generating leads anymore.

Know When to Keep It Simple

The temperature of your cooked steak can dictate flavor, but seasoning and marinades can play big roles as well. While complex marinades are perfectly acceptable, you should consider using a basic seasoning if you want the meat to speak for itself. Sauces and marinades can complement a prime cut of beef, but a simple sprinkle of salt and pepper will allow the steak's natural flavor to shine.

The steak, which is the focus of the flavor, is a bit like the message you want to convey in your marketing campaigns. Marinades, sauces and seasonings are like the ways you try to draw attention to your campaigns. It's easy to let the bells and whistles — such as a script-heavy website or a big PR stunt — take precedence over the message. Use only as many attention-grabbing techniques as you need, because using too many can smother your original message, leaving prospects wondering what you're even selling.

Occasionally Go Against the Grain

There are many cuts of steak to choose from when you want to grill some meat, but most are pretty similar in thickness and shape. If you want to try something really different, look at a "cowboy cut" rib eye — just make sure you grill it right. Since it's a thick, bone-in cut, the cowboy cut can't just be thrown on the grill for a few minutes. It takes longer to cook over low heat and must be flipped frequently. That time investment can create a dinner that's a little different and delicious.

It might take more time to see success when you stray from your traditional approach, but a new approach can be worth the wait if it's done right. Much like how you don't want to overextend your traditional campaigns or use too many bells and whistles, a new approach should follow the same pattern. Just be sure you take the time to make it right, because even a minor mistake can be expensive and damage your dealership's brand.

So how do you like your marketing campaigns prepared? Do you like to keep them simple and on-message, or do you go the extra mile to make them stand out? Let us know in the comments.

Data-Backed Decisions Can Take Your Sales to Stellar Heights

Do you think the engineers planning the Mars missions haphazardly lob rockets into space hoping they make it to Mars? When billions of dollars of infrastructure and hardware are at risk, a ton of data collection and research go into every little decision.

Collecting and using data to make marketing, sales and training decisions can set you apart from your competitors, but ignoring the information available to you can send your dealership toward disaster. Here's how you can use the right data to your advantage.

Improve the Sales Process

Data collection needs to be a priority for your company so you can more efficiently direct your marketing and training efforts. Surveys after a sale can give you information on why customers picked a particular vehicle, why they picked your dealership and how they felt about the sales process. Recording and monitoring calls can also give you insight into how reps are performing.

For long-term improvement of your sales process, you're going to need more than just accurate contact data. Detailed demographics of your customers can reveal what kind of features they're looking for, how they feel about one brand over another and even where your sales process might be faltering.

Know What the Customer Wants

If you knew a customer were shopping for a certain type of car with certain features, wouldn't it benefit you to put a targeted ad in front of their eyes before they visited one of your competitors? Wouldn't you like to know some key pain points that might make them change their preferred make or model? Knowing what a customer is looking for before your competitor does gives you the perfect opportunity to strike while the iron is hot.

Data also gives you insight into which advertising methods are working and which ones aren't. Paying for ineffective advertising doesn't do anybody any good. Tracking lead sources, whether through phone calls, clicks or search terms will allow you to focus your efforts on the more successful sources.

Meeting Customers' Expectations

Dealerships are frequently happy to let sales figures do the talking. After all, if a rep isn't make sales, there must be a problem. Having access to performance data and being able to see where that sales rep is falling short can give you insight into how to improve their training. Don't buy into the myth that training should have a one-size-fits-all approach. Everybody has a different way of learning.

Meeting customers' expectations and providing stellar service can be the difference between them sticking with you or leaving for your competitor. Most Americans have given up on a transaction at some point because of a poor service experience, and the majority of those who have done so likely won't consider you again once they leave. Improved data analysis leads to better training and happier customers.

The next time you want to make decisions on the fly, take a moment to realize how much you can learn from the data. Otherwise, "Houston, we have a problem," because dealership margins are too slim for dealers to be making haphazard and unguided decisions.

[INFOGRAPHIC] Customer Service: The Forgotten Marketing Channel

How does your customer service look? If you've been neglecting training your staff, you might be suffering consequences you don't even know about. For example, did you know that 89 percent of consumers stopped doing business with a company after a poor experience?

Check out the infographic below for more shocking customer service statistics.

(Snack) Attack Your Marketing and Sales

One of the most relevant subjects to the human race is food.

Brace yourselves (and maybe grab a snack); a lot of food talk follows.

We absolutely love food. And rightfully so — it’s delicious. Most of us consume it at least three times a day to keep our bodies going from sun up to sun down. We prepare it ourselves. We pay restaurant chefs to make it. We wait in lines of vehicles to take it on the go. The list goes on and on.

But perhaps the most underrated food form is the good ol’ afternoon snack. So grab your favorite tasty treat and nibble on these marketing and sales tips.

Take Advantage of Chip... Er, Cheap But Effective Options

A bag of tortilla chips paired with a nice big bowl of zesty salsa is a cheap but effective way to fill you up. Can a snack get any better than that? If you said no, you’re wrong. That might sound harsh, but we’re serious about our chips and dip here. The only downfall to this tasty snack is that some chips are going to break off into the salsa, leaving you half-chipless and completely dipless. It’s a sad but inevitable truth. But don’t fret, because your next dipped chip will return the savory goodness back to your eager taste buds.

Similarly, starting a new social media campaign is a low-budget way to upgrade your marketing. Posting on social media sites costs you nothing (except for a small portion of your time), but it can increase the reach of your marketing activities significantly. Unfortunately, new content is posted so often that some posts tend to get lost in the salsa that is social media. On the bright side, the accelerated content turnover allows you to post as frequently as you desire, so you can make up for any posts that get swallowed up.

Create the Perfect Mix 

Trail mix is quite possibly the most diverse (and deliciously nutritious) snack on the shelves. What makes trail mix so great? Every single ingredient is essential to perfecting the overall concoction. Each has an individual purpose. Without the nuts, you wouldn’t have the salty component. Without the M&Ms, you wouldn’t have the sweetness. Without the raisins… well, you get the picture. With every ingredient you add, the trail mix continues to improve.

With that in mind, implementing an advertising campaign with diverse components is an effective way to boost your marketing. Using a variety of platforms like social media, direct mail, mobile marketing and traditional media can increase your ROI by 24 percent. Each platform gives your company a better chance of reaching your target market, so add some new marketing channels into the mix for your next campaign.

Get It While It’s Hot!

Whether you prefer your popcorn buttered, salted, caramelized, or heck, even kettled, we can all agree that it's best when it's fresh and hot. Some like to savor the flavor and take time eating it, even setting it aside to save for later. We don't judge these outcasts, but we do have some advice: Don’t wait too long to eat it, or it’ll get cold and stale.

Leads are the same way — you need to capture them while they’re still hot. When new leads pop up, it’s crucial that your sales team take action immediately before the leads turn cold and stale. In fact, 35-50 percent of sales go to the sales team that contacts customers first. Responding with urgency so you’re the first to contact a lead can make a huge difference in your business’s conversions.

Want to chip in some of your own marketing and sales tips? Dip into the comments below to let us know.

How Mario Can Help You Save Customer Calls

The classic Mario games presented a way for people of all ages — adults included — to have some video game fun. Whether you prefer to play the games on a Nintendo 64, GameCube or Wii, you’re bound to have a good time.

You can learn a lot from these games, like how to dodge a Koopa shell, or how to strategically maneuver around other characters. Even better, you can learn how to up your game with customer interactions. Wait, what? That’s right; Mario can help your business. Let a couple of our favorite Mario games teach you how.

Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. provides endless hours of obstacles and levels. Each world and villain creates a new way to challenge your gaming skills while helping Mario rescue Princess Toadstool from the evil Bowser.

Your company may have some Princess Toadstools that need to be saved too. The challenges you face when contacting customers probably aren’t turtle shells or fire-spewing plants, but poor call etiquette could be just as hefty a barrier blocking you from business prospects. Have no fear, there's a way you can rescue some of those mishandled calls.

Monitor your sales reps’ conversations when they’re talking to customers on the phone. By sitting in on calls or reviewing call recordings, you’ll be able to pinpoint what led to a lost customer and tailor employee training to limit that risk. As an alternative, you could outsource the call monitoring and have call evaluation professionals notify you of missed sales opportunities.

Mario Kart

Similar to Super Mario Bros., Mario Kart allows you to use devices such as banana peels, ink blots and Koopa shells to deter competing carts in the race. Mario Kart also has several racetracks with various hurdles such as icy roads and sand. Your business is also competing in a race. But instead of competing in a video game race, you’re seeing who can get to a potential customer the fastest. 

In Mario Kart it’s not unheard of to distract and sabotage competitors, but if you focus on boosting your speed and enhancing your abilities, you’re more likely get to the finish line the fastest. The same idea applies to your business. Instead of focusing on how to divert competitors, focus on how to reach customers the fastest. Since you’re 21 times more likely to qualify a lead by contacting them within 5 minutes versus 30 minutes, it’s imperative to increase your response time. To do so, dedicate an employee to lead response or invest in a tool that'll notify you of online leads. By increasing your response time, you’ll better your odds of winning the race to the customer.

What's your favorite Mario Game? 

Improve Your ROI and Customer Service by Digging in to ‘Jurassic World’

Image courtesy IMDb

“Jurassic World” was one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2015, and with roughly $1.67 billion in box office sales, it clearly didn’t disappoint. The fourth film in a series of entertaining attempts at recreating dinosaurs dug up roughly two decades worth of nostalgia fossilized in its fans.

The first anniversary of the flick got us thinking of a few takeaways that you could use to improve your business activities.

Aside from the obvious recommendation to never recreate dinosaurs, we found that “Jurassic World” also provides some helpful hints to increase your ROI and enhance your customer service.

Know What Your Assets Are Made Of

One important factor that contributed to the downfall of the Jurassic World theme park was the ignorance of what the terrorizing creature known as Indominus Rex — or “the asset” as it’s casually called in the film — actually was. Apparently a 40-foot killing machine (a T. Rex) wasn’t entertaining enough, so the park scientists decided to make a dinosaur that would be more exciting for the public. The result? A cocktail of classified creatures’ genes, making Indominus Rex the first genetically modified hybrid dinosaur ever created. There’s no way that could ever go wrong.

Since the park crew was unaware of the hybrid’s genetic characteristics, they failed miserably in their attempts to corral Indominus Rex once she broke loose from her enclosure. Had they known what the dinosaur was capable of, we imagine their approach would have changed significantly.

Likewise, knowing the characteristics of your target audience typically gives you a better idea of how to market to them. So how do you improve your knowledge of prospective customers?

By using a call tracking software, you can generate call reports that may provide information like callers’ zip codes, age groups and average income so you know exactly who’s in your market. This information enables you to adjust each marketing campaign to best fit customers within certain demographics. If you want to round up a lot of leads, we suggest acquiring as much information as possible on your target market.

Have Professionals Ready to Step In

If a giant, dangerous dinosaur gets loose, the last thing you want is for it to reach people. You need to do whatever it takes to regain control. In the movie, the park managers opt to send in an "expert" team to take down Indominus Rex, equipping them with glorified stun guns. By the time they elected to employ the abilities of Owen Grady, an expert dinosaur trainer — yes, dinosaur trainer — it was far too late.

Like in the movie, if an asset (client) gets away, you don’t want them reaching competitors. If a dinosaur trainer is unavailable to retrieve your lost leads, we recommend engaging the expertise of call monitoring professionals. The professionals will listen to your recorded calls to identify any missed sales opportunities. They'll alert you if a lead needs to be recovered, and you can either rectify the situation personally or assign it to a sales rep. While you could listen to every call on your own to find these escaped leads, they'll likely be long gone by the time you uncover them.

Tracking Solutions Are Ultimate Resources

You didn’t think a single human could take down a colossal dinosaur, did you? Even a dinosaur trainer as remarkable as Grady needed the help of his team of Velociraptors. Despite the glaring concerns of releasing a group of known killers (reference any of the first three films), the raptors complete the mission by using their exceptional tracking skills to find Indominus Rex and eventually bring her down.

Create your own tracking team that’s as relentless as the Velociraptors. If your business is struggling to take down the competitor, put together a group of call tracking solutions to boost your business’ ROI. Inbound lead tracking helps determine your most effective marketing campaigns so your business can focus on the advertisements generating optimal returns. Outbound lead tracking monitors and tracks your employees’ calls, which increases accountability among staff and encourages elite performance. With a team of tracking solutions, your company has the resources to take down its competition.

Love business tips from featured films? Check out these dealership marketing tips from the Griswolds.