More necessary than ever, telephone reminders are an indispensable sales tool. But what strategy should you adopt? Carry it out in-house with your own resources, or delegate it to a specialized partner? Here's an overview of the 7 criteria you need to consider in order to make the best decision for your situation.
When demand shrinks, the telephone reminder regains all its commercial relevance. This raises the question of how to implement it. What's the right choice: in-house resources or a qualified outside call center? As we know from experience, this is often a preoccupation for business leaders, especially those running customer-oriented companies. To help you take a step back and decide objectively, here's a look at the 7 key points to consider.
1 - call volume
First criterion: the scale of the project. Does the product, photovoltaic panels for example, require a large-scale prospecting campaign? In that case, it's best to use a call center and its specialized resources. It is estimated that, depending on the business, 1 to 2 operators are needed to fill a salesperson's diary. Do you have a limited number of precisely-targeted reminders, as, for example, in the real estate sector? In-house, each salesperson can make 3 to 4 calls a day.
2 - approaching the target
Once again, it all depends on what's on offer. Each option has its virtues. The call center, playing on the law of large numbers, makes it possible to broaden prospecting via standardized scenarios. This approach is essential when the target is little or unknown. When prospects have been clearly identified beforehand, when they have been the subject of an initial contact and an initial offer, and even more so when they are already customers, in-house follow-up is more appropriate.
3 - a rigorous approach
Objective: regular, exhaustive follow-up? The call center relies on professional know-how: structured organization, dedicated staff, strict procedures, call scripts, follow-up software... all proven tools that guarantee a rigorous approach. In-house, however, without sufficient mobilization, the approach is likely to be more "relaxed", and actions less regular or less thorough.
4 - the skills you need
The call center brings together teams and resources specifically dedicated to the task, enabling specialization of tasks and matching of profiles to missions. To achieve a comparable level of efficiency in-house, a real investment in training and management is essential. This effort is reflected in the development of in-house skills.
5 - stakeholder involvement
Delegating the telephone reminder process runs the risk of disempowering the company's players, and creating a feeling of passivity within the company.
By involving all the players concerned internally, they acquire new skills. What's more, they develop an affinity with the customer, creating an "intuitu personae" relationship and thus a bond within the company, with customers and prospects... "pluses" that guarantee a return on investment.
6 - personalizing the message
To be modulated according to the offer. For relatively commonplace products, such as telephony, the call center establishes simple scripts. In more complex relationships, for products that are more involving, such as the purchase of a kitchen, the sales pitch needs to be more "pointed", more detailed. In-house relaunching enables us to develop personalized call scenarios and pertinent responses to the main objections.
7 - the cost of the operation
While the use of a call center naturally comes at a price, which may increase communication budgets, it can also reduce sales costs, particularly when the sales force, whose hourly rate is high, is very busy. Handled in-house, telephone reminders can help optimize payroll, especially during periods of low activity.
In conclusion: Adapt your strategy to the situation!
When it comes to cold calling, there's no absolute truth or single solution. It all depends on the company's specific commercial objectives, its sector of activity, the products or services it offers, the size and level of its sales force... Many companies, therefore, do not hesitate to implement one or other of the solutions depending on the situation. Flexibility and responsiveness, a lucid and objective appreciation of the issues at stake, and an ability to adapt that's always on the alert are the keys to success.