Is Your Workshop Leaking Money Through the Phone?

You’ve worked hard (and spent a lot of money) to get the phone ringing. But here’s the thing, if you or your staff don’t handle calls properly, every missed enquiry is money left on the table.

Here are 5 ways to stop losing business over the phone:

1. Staff
Customers buy from people, not workshops. Your staff need to first sell themselves as trustworthy, likable experts. A simple smile, answering the phone clearly and ending with a question that invites a response can set the right tone.

Use clear simple language by avoiding overly technical terms, abbreviations and cultural slang. Listen to the customer's language and match their tone and formality, and don't be afraid to ask for clarity.

2. Tonality
On the phone, tone matters more than words. Research shows 38% of influence comes from how you say something, while words account for just 7%. Remind staff to slow down, smile and speak with genuine interest, the customer will hear it. ☎

3. Customer Concerns
Train staff to bullet-point concerns and repeat them back. This shows the customer they’ve been heard and starts building trust straight away.

4. First-Name Basis
Move quickly from caller vs. advisor to Andrew vs. Rebecca. Share your own name first, then ask theirs. It humanises the interaction and builds trust fast.

5. Price

If you’ve ever heard me talk about top line vs bottom line customers, you’ll know this…

When someone rings and the first thing they ask is:
💬 “What’s your labour rate?” Without any other context?

❌ I can’t help them.

Why?
Because this isn’t really about price.
👉 It’s about fit.
👉 It’s about value.
👉 It’s about whether they’re a top line customer (putting into the tank 🚗) or a bottom line customer (draining your tank 💧💸).

If price is their only concern, they’re not my customer. And that’s okay.

Final Thought
How vulnerable is your workshop right now?
How much money are you leaving on the table every time the phone rings?
Strengthen your fences — because weak phone skills are costing you more than you realise.

 
Kelly

Systems - Strategies - Support