Vanity 800 Number Drives Spike In Call Volumes and Differentiates Dealership From Competitors

1-800-NEW-HONDA

Background: Oldest Honda dealer in the Ottawa area with two dealerships and 38 years of happy customers.

Client: General Manager - Ottawa
The dealership offers their customers the complete range of new and used Honda vehicles, financing and leasing options. They were recipients of the Honda Canada's Quality Dealer Award each year from 2001 to 2009.

Challenge: The dealership had used the same local phone number in their advertising for almost 38 years. Why change? After learning of the benefits of vanity phone numbers, the General Manager convinced the owner to replace their local phone number with an unforgettable 800 number and track the ad response.

Solution: Try 1-800-NEW-HONDA as the focal point of radio and print advertising. Feature the vanity 800 number on all other forms of advertising including racecar sponsorships, on a dealer vehicle parked outside of the Ottawa Senators NHL arena, and a backlit billboard outside of the National Arts Centre in downtown Ottawa.

Results: 1-800-NEW-HONDA has become the exclusive response tool in Dow’s ads. The dealership launched a new radio campaign featuring the vanity number. "We’ve definitely seen a spike in the number of calls that come in as a direct result of our radio spots. By prominently featuring the vanity 800 number in our ads, we have a much better indication that the number is working to drive calls to our stores,” explains the General Manager, Andrew Bearss.

Bearss oversees two locations in Ottawa. According to him, “We use 1-800-NEW-HONDA to advertise both dealerships.” Callers are prompted to choose the location they wish to reach using one of the advanced routing options available with a Custom 800 number. “Featuring one number in our ads lets us cut down on artwork and production expenses for print and radio ads, and allows us to advertise more efficiently with an economy of scale – advertising both locations for the price of one.”

To measure the success of advertising with a vanity number, Bearss says, “I access the call-tracking reports daily, and filter the incoming calls by each location. I share the call data with the respective sales manager at each location and ask that they report back to me on the outcome of each incoming call.” This tactic provides Bearss with an accurate overview of the sales for each location as it relates to phone calls generated by 1-800-NEW-HONDA.

In Ottawa, there are six Honda dealerships, all within a 20-minute radius. “The vanity number is unique and differentiates our stores from the other four Honda dealerships that we compete with,” says Bearss.

Honda is a registered trademark of American Honda Motor Co. There is no relationship between 800response or any of its affiliates and the aforementioned company.