In the 1920’s, an experiment meant to improve employee performance took place at the Hawthorne Works Factory in Hawthorne, IL, where management thought that changing the lighting in the factory might improve employee productivity. Indeed, when the lighting was raised in the factory, productivity increased. Conversely, when the lighting was decreased, productivity increased. What?

In short, what the experiment concluded was, it wasn’t the increased and decreased lighting that improved productivity, but the fact that someone was monitoring productivity at all that was actually responsible for the increase. Employees increased output because they were aware they were being observed. The result of that experiment is now known as, “The Hawthorne Effect.”

In much the same way, when your employees are aware their inbound and outbound phone calls are being monitored, it is likely that they will execute required outbound phone calls and respond to customers’ and prospects’ inbound phone calls in a more timely manner than were they not being monitored. Additionally, you will most likely reduce time spent on personal phone calls.

Moreover, it goes without saying how important it is for your dealership to capture and protect all phone call records. With the right telephone integration system in place, your records will contain detailed information about inbound and outbound calls to include caller ID, time the call was made or received, length of the call, and the extension making or receiving the call. This information will show up in your customer records.

The “effect” of a great telephone tracking system is that it will ultimately ensure you never lose a sale due to a missed or ignored phone call. Sufficiently monitoring your calls will lead to accountability from your employees and no customer will ever be left behind.