Natural Delivery — Not Scripted
A menu is only as good as the conversation around it. Read the menu off CDK like you're reading a script and the customer tunes out by tier two. Deliver it like you're talking to a friend and they actually engage. This lesson is about that delivery.
Present the CDK menu over the phone in a way that sounds like a real conversation — not a sales pitch, not a recitation.
The Five-Part Phone Call
Every menu call follows the same shape. Memorize the steps, then make them sound like you.
- Greet by name + reintroduce yourself. "Hi Mrs. Diaz, this is Mike at Dyer."
- Confirm they got the video. "Did the inspection video come through okay?"
- Recap the headline finding. "So as the tech showed you, the front brakes are the main thing we found today."
- Present the menu. Three options, calmly, without selling.
- Ask which one works. Open-ended. Let them pick.
Word Tracks for Each Step
"Hi Mrs. Diaz, this is Mike — your service advisor at Dyer. Got a minute?"
"Quick check — did the inspection video from the tech come through to your phone?"
(If yes:) "Perfect. Did you have a chance to take a look?"
(If no:) "Let me re-send it real quick — I want you to be able to see what we saw before we talk options."
"So like the tech showed you, the front brake pads are the main thing today. He flagged them at 2mm — that's why we want to get on those soon. Couple of other smaller items he noted too. Want me to walk you through your options?"
"I've got three options for you. First — just the front brake pads today, $480. Gets you safe, covers the main issue. Second — pads plus a brake fluid flush plus the cabin filter, $920. Handles everything that's wearing right now, saves you a return visit. Third — same as the second, plus we resurface the rotors, swap the battery (which is on its way out), and do the coolant flush you're due for. That's $1,540, but you're set for the next 30,000 miles."
"Which one of those works for you?"
The Five Things That Kill a Menu Call
| What kills it | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Reading prices flat: "four-hundred-and-eighty dollars... nine-hundred-and-twenty dollars..." | Round naturally: "about $480... around $920..." |
| Listing every line item in each tier ("front pads, calipers checked, brake fluid evaluated...") | Headline what each tier does, skip the parts list |
| Talking AT the customer non-stop | Pause between tiers. Let them think. |
| Using technical jargon | "Brake pads" not "friction material" / "Coolant" not "DEX-COOL antifreeze" |
| Asking yes/no after each tier | Present all three, then ask which one |
Pacing and Pauses
The biggest single tell of a sales pitch is fast, breathless delivery. The biggest tell of a real conversation is comfortable pauses.
After you finish presenting all three tiers, count two seconds in your head before saying anything else. Most customers start thinking out loud in that window — and what they say tells you which tier they're leaning toward.
The Tone Cheat Sheet
| Aim for | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Calm, conversational, warm | Energetic salesperson voice |
| Confident in the recommendations | Apologetic ("I know this is a lot...") |
| Patient on pauses | Talking through their thinking time |
| Plain English | Technical / industry jargon |
| Smiling (yes, they can hear it) | Flat, monotone, reading |
What NOT to Say
Verbal filler ("uh," "um," "so") kills credibility. Slow down, breathe, deliver clean.
Discount language and "deal" framing puts you in sales mode. The menu is the offer; let it stand on its own.
Social-proof manipulation. Customers can smell it. Let them decide.
Don't ask. The menu lets them tell you by which tier they pick. Asking up front shifts the conversation from value to budget.
The Natural Delivery Checklist
Manager Coaching Tip
If your store records calls, listen to two from each advisor each week. Time the menu presentation. Anything under 45 seconds is rushed. Anything over 2 minutes is over-explaining. The sweet spot is 60–90 seconds with at least one comfortable pause. Coach to that target.