Autotrader Telephone Numbers

[J.T 39]

Sorry if this has been discussed already but I went on to Portal today and this pop up appeared which said from the end of the month they won't be advertising my telephone numbers, they will be displaying their telephone numbers and it will be compulsory to do this by the end of the month. 

So I rang them to complain, I don't like that they do this on Ebay and always add my telephone numbers to my adverts. I explained that I wasn't happy and that I pay a lot of money for my adverts and I want them to have my telephone number on them, not some made up telephone number that just looks dodgy. To which I was told that I have no choice.

Is everyone else happy with this or am I just being a bit old fashioned? 

[Casper 272]

I agree would look more professional with the business name and number 

[NacMan 67]

So is it there tracked telephone numbers that are gonna be on there that leads to us?

[Mark101 536]

I also had the pop up message and I am not happy either. They will sell it to you as a way of seeing how many calls you get but I think it is their way of trying to retain your business. I.e. you drop off the package and someone has saved that number, they can't reach you.

[BHM 994]

12 hours ago, J.T said:

I don't like that they do this on Ebay

If you send an email to ebay they’ll happily change the no. to whatever no. you want in there.

[Rory RSC 596]

Why would you possibly not want call whisper?  

Knowing where customers have seen your car, which sites performing for you best and knowing where the calls are coming from is great. 

They just change your normal number to a geographical one anyway so area codes the same etc.

 

Ultimately come April 2020 you will have to pay an extra £100 per week for your phone number to be displayed on your adverts anyway won't you    ( remember I said this when it happens right).

 

Far more positives than negatives with this situation.

 

 

[Nick M.K. 574]

Call whisperer is critical for measuring the AT response and I for the life of me can’t see a downside in using it. 

There is no problem with a made up number being displayed, every big reputable company out there has multiple phone numbers, punters will not even know the difference 

[have a word with the wife 299]

Because  i am not a number i am a free man 

[Mark101 536]

1 hour ago, Nick M.K. said:

Call whisperer is critical for measuring the AT response and I for the life of me can’t see a downside in using it. 

There is no problem with a made up number being displayed, every big reputable company out there has multiple phone numbers, punters will not even know the difference 

Because when you miss a call and try to call back, you will be calling from a different number and people don’t always answer calls from numbers they don’t know.

[Casper 272]

8 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

Because when you miss a call and try to call back, you will be calling from a different number and people don’t always answer calls from numbers they don’t know.

I agree Mark plus if it's not your own number it can look suspicious and some people don't answer strange numbers I'm guilty of it on my personal mobile phone it's normally you have been involved in accident or something 

[Nick M.K. 574]

After 15 years of selling cars from online adverts the idea of not answering my phone to strange numbers is a novelty to me :-) 

If I try to return a missed call and get no answer I follow up with a text message. I wish there was also a way to know which car they were calling about. On all my photos I have my web address covering the number plate so when I include it in the text message it rings a bell for people. 

[Casper 272]

44 minutes ago, Nick M.K. said:

After 15 years of selling cars from online adverts the idea of not answering my phone to strange numbers is a novelty to me :-) 

If I try to return a missed call and get no answer I follow up with a text message. I wish there was also a way to know which car they were calling about. On all my photos I have my web address covering the number plate so when I include it in the text message it rings a bell for people. 

I only don't answer them on my personal mobile phone which is separate from the business have separate phone contracts for the business I just kept my own number that I've had for 20 years as a personal phone it's got cheap now anyway over the years 

like you on the business one I always follow up . 

Out if interest do you use plate covers with your web address on them 

Edited October 27, 2019 by Casper

[Nick M.K. 574]

Yes I do and my website address is the same as my trading name so it makes sense. 

[awc1000 93]

Another hijack job by AT, generic numbers instantly give those who don't fly straight the same credibility as those of us who have had a city business landline forever, so it's good news for those who sell shite from the side of the road, local buyers recognise long standing local landline numbers and that instil's confidence in ringing, exactly the same if i miss a call from a landline - i know where they have called from no matter what they say.

There is zero need in having a third party involved between a buyer and seller no matter how small that hurdle is, and we are all capable of monitoring our own leads.

There was talk sometime ago regarding AT gathering information via email contact with mutterings that they could then up sell a lead to others and that others were interested in buying your lead - ie supermarkets who spend more with AT, perhaps this new number system could be the start of something similar? who knows, but i do know that if a customer rings me direct then AT have no knowledge of this and hence zero chance of being involved in what is a private matter between a seller and buyer.

[Mark101 536]

58 minutes ago, Nick M.K. said:

After 15 years of selling cars from online adverts the idea of not answering my phone to strange numbers is a novelty to me :-) 

If I try to return a missed call and get no answer I follow up with a text message. I wish there was also a way to know which car they were calling about. 

I was referring to my personal number, not work.

CarGurus you can see which car they have called about via email.

[Casper 272]

6 minutes ago, Nick M.K. said:

Yes I do and my website address is the same as my trading name so it makes sense. 

Yes mate see a lot of people using them who supplies them Ive seen then online at a few places .. 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

It

On 10/26/2019 at 6:21 PM, J.T said:

Sorry if this has been discussed already but I went on to Portal today and this pop up appeared which said from the end of the month they won't be advertising my telephone numbers, they will be displaying their telephone numbers and it will be compulsory to do this by the end of the month. 

So I rang them to complain, I don't like that they do this on Ebay and always add my telephone numbers to my adverts. I explained that I wasn't happy and that I pay a lot of money for my adverts and I want them to have my telephone number on them, not some made up telephone number that just looks dodgy. To which I was told that I have no choice.

Is everyone else happy with this or am I just being a bit old fashioned? 

Its just another way for AT to be more controlling and take away our independence. The only reason AT have done it is to benefit THEM not us.