Do service advisors need to know how to overcome sales objections?
My answer is yes but the real question is, What went wrong in the service advisors’ process for them to have to overcome sales objections? The connection between the advisors and their customer is the recipe to success.
“Could you train our advisors” is a question that we tend to hear most. Typically, it isn’t because of the advisors. It could be the need for more techs, or simply just better systems. The increase that we look for in our service advisor performance, has very little to do with advisor training in the beginning.
“It’s the systems, in addition to production.”
– Chris Collins
When does an advisor get into a situation where they need to overcome a sales objection?
Most of the time, what you are recommending to a customer as a service advisor is needed, like brakes and suspensions. So why is it that advisors are getting objections on necessary services? In reality, it comes down to your customers not liking or trusting you. We perceive our advisors need sales training to overcome sales objections, but in reality we simply need to adjust our systems. Here’s how to create a system where objections don’t happen.
Creating Control
Create a controlled connection with your customer. Keep the customer at your hip. Your customer wants to know that they can trust your service. Being punctual with the information, and making the customer feel comfortable is a great recipe for success.
Building Connections
Let’s build rapport. Build the connection with your customer. Ask them where they’re going, what they do for work, or just compliment them on their car’s accessories. This will create compliance and can help understand exactly what the customer wants, so that you’re not just throwing prices at them.
Establishing Trust
“I don’t like you. I don’t trust you.” These are two sales objections that I feel could cause a service advisor to be a bit discouraged. As harsh as those objections may sound, I believe in our process to produce. You never want to put yourself in a position where you are trying to talk the customer into buying something that they can’t afford.
The Process that Works
- Listen
- Understand & Respond
Being an active listener with your customer will do the work itself. Showing them you care and earning their trust will help you build compliance. If you’re ever in a position where you have to overcome sales objections with your customer, you are doing something wrong earlier in the process.
Listen
Be attentive and take time to fully listen to the objection. Don’t react defensively, we are all human.
Ask open ended questions. Stay focused on what the customer is saying and the business problem you’re trying to solve. Monitor your words and body language. Everything can play a factor in this moment.
Once we’re listening effectively, the customer notices. We gain control and trust from the customer, avoiding any reason to overcome sales objections.
I think you should work on building the rapport, because recommending service is not a hard sell. If you’re getting objections, you are doing something wrong earlier in the process.
“They’re not building rapport. And then we’re trying to sell customers on something either they don’t really need, or they don’t trust us in whatever we’re saying. We’re just going to come off as trying to sell.”
Understand and Respond
Always respect their position, but look at this objection as a possible opportunity to gain control. Whether or not the objection seems like a serious issue to you, show your customer that their concerns are valid. Empathize with the customer by telling them that you understand how they feel.
Now that you have control, you have successfully made a new friend at the dealership.
This customer is completely fulfilled with your service and will return to you every time.
The most important part of the communication is about how you did not just make your customer feel like they were a part of the process. They were comfortable and actually had a great time with you.
Selling value also requires that you quickly demonstrate to the customer you can be trusted. The best reactions to sales objections are the ones that have been planned and thought out. In case an objection caught you off guard, you can still land the perfect reaction. You just need to genuinely care about people and recommend what they need.
In Conclusion
The goal is not to become better at overcoming sales objections, but to become a better listener. Building rapport and getting to know your customers so that we can give them exactly what they need. We have to build a better production capacity for our advisors. Prioritize and make the customer trust you.
Consider these additional articles:
Overcoming Sales Objections: The 5-Point Guide
4 Steps to Overcoming Sales Objections
