Telemarketing call centers can be a powerful medium for driving new sales, because it works through direct contact with the prospect. It’s not surprising that telemarketing call centers boast ambitious results. When handled properly, telemarketing can work miracles on your close rates. But not all services are up to the sensitive task of reaching out to consumers directly. The following criteria help businesses distinguish the telemarketing call center experts from the amateurs, and establish a lasting partnership capable of delivering on the promises.

More than a Rainmaker: The Complete Telemarketing Picture

Finding qualified leads and driving sales are just the beginning of effective telemarketing. The best telemarketing services not only achieve results, but also enhance public perception of the client’s brand in the process. These two functions go to the heart of effective sales and marketing, and have the potential to deliver value far beyond the cost of the service.

When evaluating telemarketing services, it pays to consider these important factors:

1. Call Center Agent Training. No telemarketing service can be effective without a team of trained agents staffing the call center. Agents with experience in customer-facing roles and formal customer service or telemarketing sales training are more likely to be adept at handling sensitive situations and maintaining a professional demeanor. These are the agents a business needs on the frontlines of the customer relationship.
2. Track Record. Candidates should be able to present and defend the methods they use by pointing to case studies of past successes. An experienced telemarketing service will have the industry expertise to implement the current best practices in telemarketing, as well as the firsthand experience to develop tactics of their own.
3. Legal Compliance Measures. As important–arguably, more important–than a proven track record in telemarketing sales conversions is a flawless legal compliance record. Federal legislation in the 1990s has produced a thicket of legal regulations to rein in telemarketing practices. Foremost among them is the Do Not Call List. Before entering into a contract with a telemarketing service, a business should inquire into procedure for scrubbing leads against this and other privacy lists. In-house auditing teams also indicate a telemarketing company’s commitment to legal compliance. Businesses can check for past abuses by contacting the Better Business Bureau and other external compliance organizations.
4. Technological Infrastructure. The top telemarketing companies invest in up-to-date call center software, hardware, and communications service plans. Some of the available technology includes CRM and data management applications, digital recording, off-site monitoring of the system, web-enabled call stations, and digital backup.

These essential criteria will help businesses narrow their list of telecommunications candidates to those services capable of delivering the best value. From this point, finding the right partner is a matter of checking business references, evaluating available services, and negotiating contract terms such as performance guarantees. The reward of this due diligence: a lasting partnership capable of realizing a business’ full potential in the marketplace.

Tags: Call Centers, Telemarketing

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