F.A.Q #1 When S.I.R’s customer support
staff is working in conjunction with our customer support staff, how do you assure
the customer gets connected to the right person?
The easiest solution is to outsource the entire function, but circumstances don’t
always allow for that. Instead, we simply list the type of requests that occur and
identify where a current relationship exists between the customer and your current
customer support representative. Existing relationships are maintained just as they
have been – the customer simply asks for their current rep or presses the rep’s
extension number. New or prospective customers are directed to your staff or S.I.R’s
based on the type of request they have.
For example, warranty questions or highly technical questions can be directed to
your staff; minor technical questions, requests for brochures, names and phone numbers
of closest dealers, etc. can be directed to S.I.R. You determine where the requests
are directed and your receptionist or voice mail system is then set up to accommodate
this request breakdown. When S.I.R answers the phone, we answer as your customer
support department transparent to the customer.
In cases where technical expertise is required, S.I.R can be trained prior to start
up. Methods to transition S.I.R into the needed level of technical understanding
are easily put into place.
In all cases, S.I.R has the experience to make the outsourcing transition easy and
smooth with the outcome being better support for your customers and at a cost savings
to you.
F.A.Q. #2 Explain the difference between an ongoing lead prospecting campaign
and a telephone-prospecting blitz.
A lead prospecting campaign is intended to establish and maintain an ongoing relationship
between your company and its prospective customer base. It assumes that when S.I.R
calls on your behalf, we will encounter a certain percentage of organizations that
are interested in meeting or talking with someone from your company because they
have an immediate need for your product or service. It also assumes that a significant
percentage of the contacts don’t have an immediate need, but are willing to allow
us to call back at a future date because things may change. S.I.R then maintains
that callback until we turn it into a lead for you.
On the other hand, a telephone-prospecting blitz is intended to provide maximum
penetration into targeted markets for a fixed period of time and then stop the campaign.
These types of blitzes are excellent when dovetailed with other direct marketing
initiatives such as:
- Permission based e-mail
- Direct mail efforts
- Special offers
- Public relations campaigns
- Customer service initiatives
In some cases, both of these types of campaigns make sense for our client, in which
case, S.I.R stands ready to customize the effort to get you the best possible result
for your budget and need.
Contact Us if you have a different question or want to discuss a specific
application for your marketing effort.
