The telemarketing campaign is a powerful tool to promote a message, gather information and even make a sale. The predictive dialer is often used in the process to eliminate wasted time and manual processes. It allows the agent to focus solely on the call and the ultimate goal. After all, he who controls the call controls the outcome of that call.
To ensure that the agent has the upper hand, proper training must be in place, as well as the support of proper tools. The predictive dialer, combined with other proven technology and processes, helps to support the most effective telemarketing campaigns. The agent has little time to capture and maintain a prospect’s interest, making focused attention critical.
Likewise, an agent must be prepared for anything thrown at him during the call or risk the loss of the opportunity. This often requires that the agent pre-determine potential questions to reduce the chances of the prospect dominating the call. An agent over time will learn the patterns that tend to exist in the customer call and can time the conversation to accommodate these patterns and potential objections.
A certain order generally exists in the typical telemarketing call, whether a predictive dialer was used to make the connection or not. The agent will introduce, discuss, overcome objections and then set an appointment or follow-up action. The sequence is important, as it demands that critical information is shared, the prospect’s time and intelligence are respected, and that acceptance is earned before an appointment is requested. As such, it’s critical that the transition from one phase to another is very smooth.
The ultimate goal, of course, is to set the appointment or simply get the sale. While the agent may not want to rush to this stage, it’s also important that he doesn’t over-discuss the product or service. Doing so could kill any interest demonstrated by the prospect and quickly end the call. To avoid this outcome, there has to be a good balance of information and transition. Likewise, the agent has to be able to overcome any objections.
This is where the agent proves his worth. If the prospect gives a hard no, the conversation is generally over. The soft no, however, still leaves open a door for opportunity. The prospect may not be ready to commit at the time, but may be open to another call in the future. Protecting that opportunity takes skill and the right approach, both valuable traits in a telemarketing agent.
Edited by Blaise McNamee