In 2025, your customers aren’t just online — they’re trained by it.
Every Uber ride, Amazon return, and DoorDash order has reshaped what “good service” feels like. Fast. Seamless. Friction-free.
So when they pick up the phone to call your dealership?
They’re not just asking for a price.
They’re testing whether you’re worth showing up for.
🧠 Digital Retailing Rewired the Buyer’s Brain
Let’s be clear — digital retailing didn’t kill the phone.
It elevated its importance.
Customers now expect the phone to feel like a continuation of their online experience:
- Clear answers
- Minimal repetition
- Personalization
- Speed
And if the person on the other end fumbles? They bounce — back to the browser and off your radar.
📞 Old Habits Die Hard at the Dealership
Here’s the disconnect:
Your BDC or sales team is still trained like it’s 2015 — when the phone was a gatekeeper.
Today, it’s a validator.
That means:
- Vague greetings don’t cut it
- Info dumps don’t build trust
- Slow transfers or long holds kill conversion
The customer has already done their research. They’re calling to confirm if you’re easy to work with.
🚦The 3-Second Rule of 2025
By the third second of a phone call, most customers have already made a judgment:
- Do I trust this person?
- Are they professional?
- Will they waste my time?
That first impression used to happen in the showroom. Now it happens in a voice — often on a mobile phone, with low attention and high stakes.
Training your team to own that moment is no longer optional.
💡 The Opportunity GMs Are Missing
Most GMs invest in digital — websites, lead-gen tools, automation — and then underfund the human layer.
But your phones are the final bridge between online interest and in-store appointments.
And that bridge either builds trust or breaks it.
Final Thought
Digital retailing raised the bar.
If your phones haven’t caught up, it’s not just a training issue — it’s a brand issue, a revenue issue, and a leadership opportunity.
Want to win in 2025?
Train your voice to match your tech.
