The world is changing, techniques and habits are evolving. Whatever the field, big changes are necessary in order to stay in the race. Telemarketing, the flagship technique of the 2010s, is certainly not left behind. In order to remain competitive, it has become urgent for any company using it to outsource. But what are the real advantages of such an approach?
What is telemarketing?
Also called telemarketing or telephone marketing, telemarketing is the action whereby a salesperson makes direct contact with prospects or customers by telephone. The purpose of such a maneuver includes two levels:
- generate interest in the products of the vendor or the company they represent;
- identify the needs of prospects or clients.
Telemarketing is part of the direct marketing branch. It is therefore a powerful B2B and B2C tool. Very popular a few years ago, there is now a certain decline in general interest in it. However, this tool remains very effective. Used wisely, it is a support for the marketing strategy of any company.
In the past, many companies had their own telemarketing branch. Even if this practice still exists today, things have changed. Call centers or agencies specialized in telemarketing have emerged.
These professionals are specifically trained and highly qualified in this field. In other words, they are experts in the field. They are always up to date with the latest innovations in the sector. It has therefore become common practice to entrust these agencies with the task of managing the telemarketing of companies: this is telemarketing outsourcing.
The benefits of telemarketing for your business
Even if the abuse of telemarketing in the past has greatly tarnished its image, new technologies and intelligent processes have made it possible to restore its reputation in a certain way. It is now possible to use it discreetly and sparingly so as not to make it too intrusive.
If telemarketing is still relevant, it is because of the many advantages it has. This list has grown with the practice of outsourcing.
Establish a direct link with customers
Instant messaging, e-mailing, radio or television broadcasting of an advertising message, etc. These are all ways to communicate with customers or prospects. However, they will never be as direct as telemarketing and this is a strength. Telemarketing allows for a more direct, more measurable approach.
Reduce costs
Telemarketing actions can save you money. First of all, the travel expenses of the sales representatives are reduced thanks to telephone calls. Secondly, when you entrust this task to a specialized agency, it is less expensive than hiring an internal staff and paying them a salary. In addition, you can be sure that the work will be done by experts.
Gain time and efficiency
Letting professionals handle your telemarketing will save you a lot of time. Our telemarketing agency in Quebec has all the experience necessary to handle your request with professionalism. You will have more time to concentrate on other tasks that require your full attention. You will also experience a significant jump in efficiency.
Expand the company’s commercial area
With the telephone, it is easy to contact prospects regardless of their location in the territory. This increases the possibility of acquiring new customers tenfold.
Take advantage of an efficient channel
Telemarketing allows for instant returns. For example, the average return rate of phone calls in B2B is 10% compared to 1% for emails.
Obtain accurate data and measurable results
It is easier to measure the impact of the current campaign. Through the interactions with customers and prospects, you can determine any conversion or sales problems. This makes it easier to make the necessary adjustments.
In addition, the advancement of technology has made it possible to increase the dematerialization of telemarketing. It is therefore easy to communicate from anywhere in the world.
The benefits of telemarketing for your customers
Companies are far from being the only ones to benefit from telemarketing. Indeed, customers are also not left out because they can :
Express their needs
With the direct link between the company and the customers through the phone call, the customers can instantly express their needs. Generally, these needs are taken into account by the company in order to continue offering better products.
Feeling valued
If telemarketing is well done, the customer will feel valued. They are listened to and their feedback, expectations and needs are taken into account. This brings him a certain satisfaction and reinforces his loyalty or his good image of the company.
Find what they are looking for more easily
Thanks to telemarketing, the customer often knows where to find a certain product. Indeed, since the products of the companies are often presented, the customer knows which one to contact if he is looking for a certain good or service.
Discover new products
Some telemarketing campaigns allow customers to discover new products. They may come across very interesting offers.
The possible disadvantages of a bad outsourcing
When a company’s telemarketing outsourcing is done properly, it has clear advantages. However, if it is poorly done or entrusted to non-competent agencies, unpleasant surprises can quickly occur:
- Loss of autonomy: if you work with a telemarketing agency, it goes without saying that this will affect your autonomy to some extent because this aspect will not be directly managed by you. That in itself is not the problem. The real problem lies in the way this is managed. If it is poorly organized, the overall functioning of your structure will suffer. On the other hand, if it is well set up and correctly managed (by our telemarketing agency in Quebec for example), your company will be more efficient;
- Loss of confidentiality: a bad outsourcing is a danger for the confidentiality of your data. Indeed, it facilitates a leak of your sensitive data;
- Dependency on the telemarketing agency: Normally, a well done outsourcing makes the telemarketing agency a strength and a help for the company. However, when it rather makes the company dependent and threatens its autonomous functioning, then it has been badly done;
- Hidden costs: when outsourcing is clear and well defined, all costs are exposed from the beginning. Moreover, it reinforces the professionalism of the agency in front of you. However, when hidden costs start to appear here and there, then there is a problem with the outsourcing process.
How to successfully outsource your prospecting service?
The disadvantages mentioned above reinforce the fact that a bad outsourcing will have a negative impact on the company concerned. It is therefore crucial to succeed in this phase. In order to achieve this, it is important to observe the following rules:
Define your objectives
Successfully outsourcing your prospecting service begins with a clear and concise definition of your objectives. Indeed, thanks to this, it will be easy to establish the necessary means, methods and budget. Following this, the company will have an idea of the agency that best meets its expectations.
Choosing your partner
The telemarketing agency or company you choose is very important. Since it will be your working partner, and often for a long time, it is important that it suits you.
Even if the price criterion is very important and will inevitably impact your budget, you should not stop there. It is much better to focus on the quality of the work that the agency provides. Thus, the selected telemarketing company must :
- Be able to align with your vision;
- To present you with certain guarantees;
- Understand your products and services in order to represent you effectively to prospects;
- Benefit from an impeccable reputation;
- Understand your goals and be able to help you achieve them.
It is important to put these points first rather than the price. Indeed, high price does not necessarily rhyme with quality of service. On the other hand, you should also be wary of offers that are too attractive.
Our telemarketing agency in Quebec or Montreal is committed to providing you with the best possible service. Our references and our professionalism are the proof.
Communicate with the chosen agency
In order to promote the success of the outsourced prospecting service, it is important to communicate regularly and smoothly with your partner. It is your duty to provide him with all the information he needs to do his job.
In addition, efficient communication allows your partner to get a feel for your corporate culture, expectations and needs. Of course, this does not mean that you have to reveal everything (think about your confidentiality) but it is important to communicate all useful and necessary information.
Use KPIs to track
Outsourcing your telemarketing does not mean that you have to leave everything in the hands of the partner agency and rest on your laurels. It is necessary to monitor what is being done. Various tools can be used but, in the case of a telemarketing campaign, the most important are the KPIs.
KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators, are tools used to monitor and measure the performance of a project. They vary depending on the project, but the best and most used in a telemarketing campaign are the following:
| KPI | Description |
| Contact rate | The percentage of calls that result in a meaningful conversation with a potential customer |
| The cost of lead acquisition | The ratio between telemarketing costs and the number of leads generated. |
| Customer loss rate | The ratio between the number of customers likely to be lost and the number of customers actually lost over a given period |
| Sales conversion rate | The percentage of prospects who place orders or express interest after being contacted |
| Customer loyalty rate | The percentage of customers retained over a period of time |
| Average call duration | Average time spent in communication with each prospect |
| Response time | The time taken by a prospect to answer the phone call. It is measured in seconds |
| Market share | The percentage of prospects who respond positively to your telemarketing campaign |
Choose Direct B2B : your call center in Quebec
Specialists in telemarketing since 2005, we are the partner you need. Our professionalism and especially our great experience, make us one of the best for several years.
Located in Quebec, our call center is available to take care of your telemarketing and all its aspects. Take advantage of a highly qualified team that will accompany you and help you reach your objectives. We work with you and for you. It is not a dependency relationship that will be established, but rather a win-win partnership.
Entrusting us with your prospecting service is to assure you :
- High-quality and adapted contacts: thanks to our huge internal database;
- Resources strictly dedicated to the campaign: that promote a good learning of your vision, your products and services while ensuring a close collaboration and effective communication;
- Great flexibility: depending on your needs, you can choose the amount of time we dedicate per month to your telemarketing. Our team is extremely flexible and adapts to your expectations;
- Regular reporting: To demonstrate our good faith and promote transparency, we provide you with regular reports and call summaries;
- An implementation adapted to your needs: we first analyze your needs before setting up a fully customized campaign. This way, the strategy implemented will be as optimal as possible for your company.
In addition, we have excellent references that you can check out at your leisure.
Conclusion
Even today, telemarketing remains a powerful tool to help a company acquire prospects or build customer loyalty. In order to get the most out of it, the best way is to entrust this task to specialized companies or agencies. At Direct B2B, our telemarketing company in Quebec, benefit from exclusive support and a highly qualified team to help you achieve your goals. Contact us and let’s talk! We are sure to have the answer to your needs.