Think Beyond Telemarketing with Outbound Call Centers
When outbound marketing is used in a tactical way, it strengthens customer relationships and heightens engagement. Progressive companies are looking beyond the idea of telemarketing to the unique opportunity to build a relationship with customers and work to fully establish a brand with the current customer base. Outbound calling is a vital part of customer care, but must be used in the right way in order to engage customers and provide a pleasant experience. We have several core tasks that should be used to turn outbound sales into more of an attempt at building a relationship with the customer that is positive. With these three basic steps, the customer becomes more engaged and invested in a product or brand. New Customer Welcome First impressions are important, and how you greet your new customers plays directly into how they feel about your brand. Welcoming your new customers can create a memorable impression – either positive or negative. While it may be faster to outsource customer service or welcome new customers through email, you create a personal, friendly, warm vibe when you connect with new customers through a phone call. A personal call placed at the perfect time can set you off on the right foot with every customer. Your outbound call center agents should be offering assistance to those who are buying for the first time, explaining promos and perks and introducing any services the customer may be entitled to. Taking the Pressure Off Inbound The goal of an outbound agent is to anticipate what the customer will need and reach out to them before they have a chance to dial an inbound center. When done correctly, this removes a large amount of strain from the inbound call center, and provides a positive customer service experience for the consumer. In order to meet their goals, outbound agents must have a unique skill set and a close relationship with inbound agents. Data analytics should be used for outbound agents to connect current customer with the correct services and products. Insights are extracted through previous transactions to determine exactly which services can be helpful to a customer. Calling Triggered by Events Your outbound agents are essentially looking to connect with the customer at just the right time. In this sense, they are telemarketers that know when to make the call. Special occasions, anniversaries and birthdays are ideal times to reach out to customers and offer them a special promotion or product. If you know what is happening in your customer’s lives, then your agents are likely to get the timing just right with a phone call. Be Proactive About Customer Care Free up your inbound agents with an outbound call center that functions correctly. Your agents should be using proactive activities in order to take the pressure off your inbound center and provide exceptional customer service. Start the process with a simple welcome to new customers, and gather data about how customers respond to your efforts. Once you’ve identified your target market and how they respond to your changes, you can design additional programs that match their needs.
