Inbound Call — How to Win the Call
Every checkpoint below is a box our graders review while listening to your call. This page shows you exactly how to win the call — and how to ACE it.
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How to ACE the call
To pass: the Greeting + 3 of the Phone Pop 5 + the Summary. An ACE is a perfect call — every one of these:
- All of the Phone Pop 5 hit
- Great tone from hello to goodbye
- New greeting — incl. how's your day and what city
- Their name used throughout the call
- The Summary — next steps and the text opt-in
- Thanked them for calling Toyota of San Bernardino
- Tagged the manager in DriveCentric when an assist was required
Miss the Greeting or the Summary and the call is an automatic fail — no matter how many of the Phone Pop 5 you hit.
The Greeting
Required · Auto-fail if missedAlways first. Open every call the same way, word for word. This one is scored on whether you said it.
You:“Thank you for calling Toyota of San Bernardino. My name is [YOUR NAME]. I am a sales assistant. Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?”
Customer gives their name.
You:“Hi, [CUSTOMER NAME]. How is your day going?”
You:“Great! What city are you calling from?”
Completed when: you gave your name, said you're a sales assistant, asked for theirs, asked how their day is going, and asked what city — within the first 90 seconds.
The Name Game
The most important one. Their name inside the first 20 seconds, their full name and phone number inside the first minute, and their name used at least twice during the call.
Completed when: you got the name and number, and used their name twice. · Saying it in the goodbye does not count. Ask if they've been to the dealership before.
Sell the Store
Every call, brag about the store — and match the brag to what the customer is calling about. Use a complimentary word: great, amazing, or fantastic. A flat fact doesn't count.
| IF THEY'RE CALLING ABOUT… | SAY SOMETHING LIKE… |
|---|---|
| Financing | “We have great financing.” |
| A vehicle / inventory — in stock or not | “We own two Toyota stores, so we have a fantastic selection.” |
| Location or directions | “We're right off the freeway — amazingly close to anywhere in the Inland Empire.” |
| Spanish-speaking customer / language | “We have a great bilingual staff.” |
Completed when: you praised the store with great, amazing, or fantastic — tied to what the customer called about.
Trade Talk
Ask it this way. A customer planning to sell to CarMax will say “no trade” — but they'll still tell you what they drive.
Best:“What are you driving now?”
Second choice:“Do you have a trade-in?”
Completed when: you raised it — or the customer brought up their trade on their own. If they truly have no trade that's fine — never asking is the miss.
Finance Ask
Suggest — don't ask. Suggest that they'll be putting some money down and financing. It assumes the sale and invites them to correct you.
“Most folks are putting a little money down and financing — is that what you had in mind?”
Completed when: you suggested money down and financing.
Appointment Ask
Ask for a specific day and a specific time — same day preferred, within 72 hours at the most. Invite them to the dealership on every call, no matter what.
“I've got today at 4, or would tomorrow at 10 be better for you?”
Completed when: you asked. You don't have to land it to pass — but landing it earns you extra credit below.
THE CLOSE: THE SUMMARY
Required · Auto-fail if missedAlways last. Every call ends the same way. Before you hang up:
- Recap the call — the vehicle, their trade, the money-down-and-finance plan, and the appointment day and time.
- Tell them what you'll do next for them.
- Text opt-in — tell them to go ahead and opt in to your text.
- What happens next — including a manager reaching out to them, when appropriate.
“[CUSTOMER NAME], I'm sending you a text right now with my contact information and everything we discussed — go ahead and opt in so we can stay in touch. Next, [WHAT HAPPENS NEXT]. Thank you for calling Toyota of San Bernardino.”
Every call ends: “Thank you for calling Toyota of San Bernardino.”
AUTOMATIC FAIL — NO MATTER YOUR SCORE
- No Greeting — the call didn't open with the script.
- No Summary — the call didn't close with the recap and thank-you.
- Quoting a monthly payment, interest rate, or term over the phone. Invite them in and let the desk do the numbers.
And remember: no appointment = manager assist, tagged in DriveCentric — every time.
EXTRA CREDIT
These only ever help you. They can never lower your score.
- Appointment set — you landed it
- Great tone — warm, never rushed
- Strong communication — clear and easy
- Controlled the call — you led it
- Strong summary — clear next steps
- Great overall call
Top 10 Winning Word Tracks
Say them word for word. Use them on every call to take control, build the relationship, and win the appointment.
- 1
What are you driving now?
Why it wins: Opens the trade conversation. Even a customer headed to CarMax will tell you what they drive.
- 2
Have you been to our dealership before?
Why it wins: Tells you if they know us — and sets up your “Sell the Store” brag.
- 3
Let me ask you a question…
Why it wins: Then ask one. It focuses the customer on your question — and gives you a moment to form the best possible question.
- 4
Have you bought a car from us before?
Why it wins: Spots a returning customer — welcome them back and pull up their history.
- 5
What's most important to you in your next vehicle?
Why it wins: Gets their real needs on the table, so the appointment is about their car — not just any car.
- 6
Who else will be part of the decision?
Why it wins: Finds every decision-maker so they all come to the appointment — no “I need to talk to my spouse first.”
- 7
When are you hoping to be driving your new vehicle?
Why it wins: Learns their timeline and builds urgency for a same-day or next-day appointment.
- 8
If that exact one isn't available, would you be open to something similar?
Why it wins: Keeps the call alive when the car is gone — and we own two stores, so the selection is fantastic.
- 9
What's the best number to text you at?
Why it wins: Locks in their cell for the Name Game and the text opt-in — the lifeline if the call drops.
- 10
I have today at 4 or tomorrow at 10 — which works better? And bring your current vehicle so we can appraise it.
Why it wins: Two choices, no “no” — and it ties the trade to the appointment.
SELL THE SIZZLE — GET PEOPLE IN THE DOOR
You're not just a phone agent. You are a salesperson.
- Be complimentary. Get people excited. Use urgency.
- Invite them in — every call, even if we don't have the car.
- That's why you ask what city they're calling from. In the Inland Empire? There's no reason they shouldn't come in. Sell them on it.
- We come up with cars for people all the time. We dealer trade, we find it, and we make people happy.
OUR JOB: GET MORE PEOPLE IN THE DOOR.