If you already have a customer service department or customer care callers in place, you’re already halfway there. Maybe you want to enhance the way it’s currently operating? Or maybe you don’t have any callers in place yet. Either way, let’s break down each question and get down to some answers:
Who’s going to call? You can utilize receptionists and dispatchers for these calls if you don’t have a customer service person. For some companies, it might make sense to hire temporary and/or part-time call center callers. Be sure your callers have social skills and phone etiquette and are able to answer simple questions. Further, it’s imperative that they understand what they’re objective is and what they’re selling.
Who will you be calling? This is determined by your customer list. Firstly, it’s important for you (or someone in your office) to run through your customer list and eliminate anyone that you shouldn’t call, don’t want to call, etc. Examples of these types of customers are: “do not call as per customer”, bad debt, a zip code you don’t wish to target, etc. Then, it’s important to have your customer list handy while making the phone calls, as well as have the customer’s service history; this will enable you to have a more productive conversation with the customer as well as document your most current interaction with them.
When should you start calling and what’s the best time to call? If applicable, begin calling 3 days after a direct mail piece has been delivered—don’t wait any later than 5 days after delivery. The call center staff at Hans Heating and Air makes calls Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am – 8:00 pm, and on Friday they finish at 5:00 pm.
What area(s) should you call? It’s important to visualize the type of homes to which you’re marketing. Not only will you be calling on existing customers, you’ll also be calling on new business or potential prospects. An easy way to recruit new business is to target areas that have a similar demographic to the areas in which you already have a well-established customer base.
What are you going to say? Hopefully, you’ll try to touch on the same points within each call. For consistency and maximum impact, a training script is needed; however, you’ll want your callers to develop their own “spin” rather than simply regurgitating the script.
What information is important? Here are a few fundamentals for the Hans Heating & Air Customer Service History: Age of the system? Maintenance Agreement Customer—Yes or No? Date of Last Service?, etc.
What are you offering? If you’ve sent a direct mail offer to your customers, the promotional piece should be given to everyone in the company. This way, whenever any of your team members interact with your customers, they will understand what the promotion is and what the features/benefits mean for the homeowner. It would be helpful to meet with your call center staff to discuss objectives, features, benefits, phone etiquette, and the script, as well as anything else they might need to know before beginning a promotion.
Compensation: Give your team a goal, and then compensate them for their success!
