This was a DMSC 2026 session.See the 2027 Agenda
- Agenda
- 2026
- Keynote
Marked as Spam: The Hidden Revenue Impact of Missed Call Connections
Why unanswered calls and low connection rates represent one of the biggest lost revenue opportunities in automotive retail.
Presented by
About the Session
Dealerships invest heavily in marketing to make the phone ring, yet many calls never turn into real opportunities. Today’s customers are increasingly skeptical of unknown numbers, and with spam labeling, call screening, and declining answer rates, simply getting a customer to pick up the phone is no longer guaranteed. In this keynote, Cassie Broemmer will explore why call connection is one of the most critical and overlooked metrics in dealership performance.
Using real dealership data and industry benchmarks, we’ll reveal how missed connections impact revenue, customer experience, and operational efficiency.
Key Takeaways
- Why call connection, not call volume, is one of the most overlooked numbers in dealership performance.
- How spam labeling, call screening and falling answer rates keep customers from picking up.
- What missed connections cost in revenue, customer experience and staff time, measured with real dealership data and industry benchmarks.
Who It’s For
Worth Knowing
From DMSC’s research on Customer Communication. Every number links to its source.
- By the Numbers56%
Sales callers that dealerships in Car Wars' data connected with in the first half of 2026
Source: Car Wars
- Term to KnowSTIR/SHAKEN
The FCC-required framework that lets carriers digitally sign and check that a call really comes from the number shown on caller ID.
- Ask Your Vendor
What STIR/SHAKEN attestation level do our outbound numbers get, and can you show us how each number is labeled on the major carriers?
- Try This Monday
Have your BDC call cell phones on each major carrier from the CRM dialer and write down what the screen shows: your name, a bare number or a spam warning.
Questions About This Session
What is a call connection rate?
The share of callers who actually reach a person at the dealership. In Car Wars data for the first half of 2026, dealerships connected 56% of sales callers and 59% of service callers, while top stores reached 71% and 78%.
Source: news.dealershipguy.com
Why do dealership calls show up as “Spam Likely”?
Carriers use STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication to support blocking and labeling, and they also run their own call analytics, so even a fully attested call can be labeled spam. Ask your phone and CRM providers what attestation level your outbound numbers get and whether those numbers are monitored for labels.
Source: fcc.gov, bandwidth.com
What happens when a sales call goes unanswered?
Most of those shoppers are gone: 64% of sales callers who couldn’t reach anyone never called back, and only 46% of missed calls got a follow-up, in Car Wars data for the first half of 2026.
Source: news.dealershipguy.com
How many people answer calls from numbers they don’t know?
Few. In Hiya’s 2026 consumer survey, 86% of calls from unidentified numbers went unanswered, which is why how your number shows up on a customer’s screen matters as much as whether you call.
Source: hiya.com
Will customer communication be on the 2027 agenda?
Yes. Customer communication is one of the eight topics every DMSC program covers. 2027 sessions are announced as they confirm.
Keep Going
More on Customer Communication
- Workshop · Sunday, April 26, 2026 · 2:30 pmYour Best People Are Buried Under Your Tech StackJiovan Melendez
- Panel · Sunday, April 26, 2026 · 4:30 pmRethinking Your Customer Communication StrategyBrian Pasch, Michelle Goedken, Gary Graves and 2 more
From Pasch Group
See You in 2027.
April 18–20, 2027 at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa. The program keeps its shape, and sessions are announced as they confirm.