Talk to a Competent CSR – Not the Hand

Have you ever been stuck with an automated telephone system after calling a business with questions or concerns? While some of these automated services are able to help, there are many times when one feels trapped in telephone limbo, unable to move forward, but afraid to hang up and be forced to start the whole process over again.  

If you’ve felt this way, imagine what your customers must feel like. When calling a business for assistance, there is something satisfying about having a live human being on the other end of the line, ready to help you quickly and efficiently. Providing clients with a trained call center customer service representative is a worthwhile endeavor that can make business experiences better for everyone involved.  

Many business owners are interested in the cost savings automated services provide, but if customers cannot get the help they need in a timely manner, chances are they will be more than happy to find their services elsewhere. In the long run, satisfied customers mean continuous business, and everyone knows keeping existing clients is easier than finding new ones.  

If you’re concerned about too much staff time going into customer service calls, consider looking into TeleDirect’s CSR service. We know how important it is to give customers the answers and personal attention they need, when they need it.  That’s why we provide reliable, professional customer support services on behalf of our clients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  

We take care of your customers, freeing you up for the job you do best—running your business. This saves you from worrying about stressed employees attempting to field calls or losing time from your own schedule. Our competent call center staff has been trained to provide courteous and timely service, answering calls in 20 seconds or less. For more than twenty years, we’ve been there for businesses looking to streamline their phone communication with customers.  

Take your clients out of limbo and put them into the hands of our competent CSR professionals. Once you’ve made the switch, you’ll see the difference in how you connect with your customers.

How a Call Center can help your business with lead management

Your business, regardless of its size, can make a highly profitable use of a real time and effective lead management system. However, creating such system on your own would require the commitment of tremendous time, energy and expertise. That commitment can seriously distract you from your core business operation. Getting distracted in this economy can be fatal to your business.

The good news is that leading call centers have a state-of-the-art lead management system that is already in place and ready for your use. All that your business has to do is link up with the call center. In an instant, your business can enjoy increased leads without being plagued by huge capital expenses and maintenance costs. Most importantly, you enjoy the benefits of the lead management system without getting distracted from your core operation.

The lead management system in top call centers provides your business with a complete view of your prospects and customers. Your key departments, such as the sales, marketing and customer service departments, can then share and use the information in real time. As a result, your business turns more prospects into customers, and new customers into repeat customers. Efficiency in these conversions puts your business way ahead of your competition.

The key to lead management is consistency. The lead management system consistently monitors inquiries for your business. It then routes these inquiries to the right department in your business organization. Because timing is critical, this process has to happen in real time and without glitches.

State-of-the-art lead management systems in call centers allow your business a mix of automated and manual routing systems. This way, every piece of information lands on the lap of someone in your business organization who would use it productively. Nothing gets wasted.

How do top call centers develop the database? The lead management system gathers information from your online forms. Visitors of your website encode requested information on these forms. Information usually includes the name and email address, along with information on what the visitor is interested in. The system then captures this information and integrates them into the lead management database of your business.

The other sources of leads would be the database of prospects gathered from your other online and offline sources. These include your seminars, conventions, trade shows, direct mails, and the like. The lead management system can import the data from these sources and integrate them into your lead management database. There is minimal need for manually typing the information.

The integration process is where the rubber hits the ground in lead management. Data from all sources come in different formats and data structures. Duplication among leads and existing accounts is also solid reality to be dealt with. Manually done, integration can eat up precious time and resources of your business. By the time it’s done, information is most likely stale. That’s not a good thing for your business.

However, the expertise of call centers in the integration process helps your business digest and store information fast, so that your business can use it while it is still hot. That’s the bacon that you really want to bring home.

In lead management, there is absolutely no need to reinvent any wheel. Your business just has to engage a leading call center. It already has a lead management system in place and ready to use. Your business can then instantly focus on your core business operation and pursue hot leads. You leave all lead management headaches to the experts.

What is Seminar Reservation Service and how it works

The Seminar Registration Service is a call center facility that brings the right kind of audience into your seminars. Just give the necessary instructions to the service through their sign up pages. With these instructions on their monitors, the call center agents would then effectively represent you in calling up prospective participants. Their output would be a list of confirmed participants that you expect to come on the seminar dates.

To avail of the Seminar Registration Service, just sign up for the service. Leave us your instructions. A step-by-step process helps you ensure that you cover key details. After that, you leave everything to us.

Step 1 - Log in to TeleDirect.com. If you don’t have an account yet, you can create one for FREE. Yes, there is no charge for signing up with us.

Step 2 - From the TeleDirect Dashboard, go to Seminar Edge. Click create a new account. You have the option of carrying over your TeleDirect profile to the Seminar Edge account.

After completing all information, you would see the Seminar Control Panel. This panel keeps track of all your current and pending seminars. You will also see here some incoming messages.

Step 3 - Create a seminar. Indicate the title of the seminar, the seminar dates, the opening greeting, the closing line and a few other requested information.

Step 4 - Create the reservation call scripts. You won’t literally create it. Just check the boxes opposite each standard script when deemed applicable to your seminar. You may also add some custom-made responses if you wish.

Step 5 - Indicate the number of meetings for the seminar. This is one of the many beneficial features of the system. It can let you organize several meetings in different locations for the same seminar.

For each meeting, indicate the date, time, location, answers to frequently asked questions and related information. This is also where you encode the meal plans.

Step 6 - At this stage you will be shown a summary of all meetings you have organized. You have the option to edit or delete them. Otherwise, just confirm them.

Step 7 - Select a Pricing Plan. You will be billed for the services only at this point. Payment is easy, fast and secure.

Step 8 - Choose the toll free number you want.

Step 9 - Sit down and wait as the call center works for you. You may even want to dial the toll free number that you have chosen just to see if work has indeed started.

The system allows you to view the list of participants as names get added to it. For a more personal touch, you may print mailing labels for sending letters to them. You can use the printable labels provided by the System so that you can focus on sending the mails.

Most interestingly, the system will give you hints about what each participant is looking for in your seminars. With these hints in mind, each one would go home feeling that you created your seminar just for them. They won’t forget you.

You have a seminar that people can benefit from. TeleDirect has the means to help you make your seminars happen. You focus on your message. TeleDirect focuses on bringing in people.

Your success is what the Seminar Reservation Service is all about.

Increase Customer Conversions With Phone Answering Services

What is the number one question asked when a company has to make the choice to continue letting phones ring off the hook or attempt to have help from others? Will using an answering service really increase my conversions or is my company going to fall flat on its face? Now how could extra hands, ears and a mind for your company be a bad thing? Really, it’s a simple question but many tend to juggle if it’s actually worth it or not.

How many times have you lost a prospect only to learn later they went to another company, a competitor for the lack of support your company is providing (or not providing)? People research before they purchase or even lease. On the web, by the phone, in person - they will test you. If you are willing to let your hard work slip away, continue missing calls & customers then please stop reading. But if you want to increase your sales, give 24/7 support and increasing the overall gain please read on.

Right now many companies have switched over to answering services and there are many reasons for this. One is that no one can ever be 24/7/365, people are humans not robots and we all need our down time. No one can work every hour of every day, so for those hours an answering service of fresh and upbeat staffers are available to take your calls (inbound) or give the calls you need (outbound) during the hours you cannot.

Another great reason is labor, not all companies have the same budget in mind for their employees working overtime. With a service though, you can be assured that there will always be someone on the other end of the phone in case a call comes in when an in-house employee is unable to do so. Why spend that extra money on over time when you really do not need to? Save the money, have guaranteed help when needed and not waste your budget at the same time!

Quick, simple and dependable – an answering service can save you time and money. Now do not forget, the service is only as good as the representative behind the line so when you are checking out possible services make sure they vet their reps otherwise you get what you pay for. Do you have a company behind you that will stand for exactly what your company will? Are they going to provide top notch service to your customers or prospects like you would? How about being professional? What are their average conversion rates for similar company needs like your own?

When you are looking for a company to help your own, make sure you are able to ask questions and get the answers you need to make the proper decision for your specific needs. It’s possible you may need an agent who can work with you to fine tune everything that they can offer to you and what you need, not just what you want or what they want for you.

Automated Voice Menus Can Save Your Business Time & Money

What exactly comes to mind when you hear “Automated Voice Menus”, even more what is this foreign language that you have just been asked about? Does it talk to you when you are bored, when you may need a listening ear or even to listen in while you practice an important speech? Of course not, but it can help to save you time and money when you break down exactly what its role is with you – company side or client side.

Automated Voice Menus have been around for years now and if you are not too sure exactly what we are talking about, call up the first large company you can think of. That little voice inside the phone that picks up to help you navigate through the system, that’s your AVM working hard to take care of you the client, to make sure your needs for that company are met and handled with ease, quick & simple.

Not all automate voice menus are built the same, and it’s true! You want to make sure the AVM that you are using for your company does exactly what it should; it needs to be able to recognize many voice types (even with accents) in a clear and precise manner in order to route the call to the proper department. There are many people who hate AVM systems for this reason alone, however doing it right the first time prevents you from having to back pedal later to fix a useless IVR.

Think of the time and money that you spend for your company or charity; whichever the case may be. How many man hours, the building rental fees (or mortgage) take up another chunk of funds, the electric bills, the furniture, and everything else you could add in cut into your bottom line? How much money are you spending on an entire staff to take care of the needs that an AVM can drastically cut?

What would you do if you were able to save those funds, put them to better use and still have the top shelf service that everyone expects from every company out there right now? Would it be worth it? Of course it would, but how can you start a slow trickle of change and focus it onto the larger picture over time? An automated voice menu allows just that, an auto attendant that lets you do the same job for more savings to better fund other areas of your business.

The options are almost endless. If you have high or low call volumes, need support help 24/7 or just part time, an AVM is a great asset to have. As a menu system that allows for the routing of calls to specific departments of your company to others which allow for line coming in which can be routed to another extension for support representative, something general like taking a voice mail or even a greeting after hours that can help to provide information for your company.

Sending SMS Messages Can Increase Revenue

To stay relevant in the world for personal or business, you have to stay up to date in regards to the technology used to send and share information. Mobile phone applications have increased tenfold in the past decade, and there’s no telling if or when the advancements are going to slow down any time soon. And the savvy business person will take advantage of those many applications and turn them into ways of increasing their revenue. There’s more truth now to the old saying “Time is money” then there ever was. SMS messaging is another term for instant messaging, and this is the perfect communications medium in this high tech business environment.

Even locally based businesses have global ties these days, so the fact that that SMS messages can be sent or read at any time is a big help in staying in touch with business associates around the world. If your competition is working around the clock, so should you. Whether you’re checking on the status of a sale, trying to pinpoint exactly where an order is right now, or simply touching base with a sales lead, SMS messaging is slowly becoming the medium of choice for on the spot communicating.

Communicating in this fashion is not restricted to the usual conversation type of talking either. Communicating with a sales lead can mean sending an advertisement, or a survey of what products and services they need and pointing out that you have what they need. A soft sell approach such as this works very well with SMS messaging. Advertising in this manner is very cost effective also, in that you are not paying for this advertisement aside from any standard messaging fees that may apply. And keeping a low overhead will help ensure increased revenue.

And you don’t even have to worry if the message you’re sending is on the same network as the person or company you’re sending the message to. SMS messages are supported by 100% GSM [Global Mobile Systems] phones and can be exchanged between any and all wireless carriers.

All GSM mobile phones support this. So whether you’re local, statewide, nationwide, or worldwide, you should be seeing an increase of revenue by using SMS messaging in that you are getting your sales, shipments, and payments expedited regardless of when or where you are doing your communicating.

This method of communication has so many applications, from ad sales, to ring tone sales, to binary data exchange, that it may take the novice awhile to make use of them all. But once you’ve adjusted your level of expertise to your business needs, you will see a definite rise in revenue because you are now on the cutting edge of technology. This technology is vital in today’s business world in that it helps you keep pace with your competitors. And the more competitive your business is, the more important it is to keep your revenue high. This not only keeps you relevant in the business world, but respected as well.

Add Live Chat Support & Increase Your Website's Conversion Rate

Wouldn’t it be great if every visitor to your website became a paying customer? Of course it would, but it just doesn’t turn out that way. The average conversion rate is roughly 2.3%. Adding live chat support can significantly increase that upwards of 20%. The why is obvious, you want more business. The how can be a bit more elusive. This article will hopefully shed some light on the subject for you, and help your online business become more successful. Let’s turn a casual visitor into a paying customer. There are three strategies we’ll focus on: Human interaction how cost saving measures can increase conversion, and keeping customers in the buying cycle.

Live chat support puts a human interaction into a website visit, and most visitors are still used to that aspect of the shopping experience. It makes them more comfortable, and that in turn leads to more sales. A highly trained staff will help give them confidence not only in the product that they’re buying, but the company that they’re buying from. A website visitor who is comfortable with a product and it’s seller, turns into a customer. And a highly trained staff will also provide instant answers to help ensure that conversion. You want a first time customer to become a repeat customer, so it’s important that their live chat experience is a pleasant one.

You want a higher conversion rate to increase your profit margin. And live chat support is a cost effective way of doing that. On average, it costs about 25% less than your typical call center. The main reason is that for every 4 staff members in a call center, only 1 is needed as a live chat support agent. It is also an easy system to implement. While most systems are hosted, there are a few that you can run from your own server. If you are just starting out, then a hosted live chat is probably going to be the most cost effective for you.

You want your live chat support team to be proficient in keeping your visitors in their buying cycle while online. This is key in converting them from a visitor to a buyer. With live chat support, you can track your visitors and provide them with a chat box that is pro-active. That way, if they have any questions, you can give them instant answers. This is excellent customer service, and they are 15% more likely to complete their purchase if you are able to give them that.

Most visitors to your website, upwards of 75%, would rather find all the information that they need at their fingertips while they’re there. Convenience is a big selling point, and live chat support is a big part of that. There are plenty of deals out there that can help get you started in live chat support, so you can test the waters cost effectively. You will find that adding this option to your sales arsenal can help your business grow faster, and it can continue to meet your needs as it does.

How to Dramatically Reduce Shipping & Fulfillment with TeleDirect

This is a fast paced business world we are working in these days. If you want to keep a leg up on the competition in the shipping business, you will want to make sure your response times are competitive. In this article, we will discuss how TeleDirect will help you in this regard. Organization is the key here. And this includes being able to streamline your entire process. No process is perfect, but you can work on reducing your errors, and the right call center will help you do just that.

TeleDirect has been a leader in the industry for 39 years, and in that time has streamlined the process to meet any and all of your needs. Their order fulfillment software and 24/7 live support call center work seamlessly with each other to keep your needs flowing in real time. 2 shipping bays that store product as well as perform same day shipping services work with web-based software to give you a seamless view of your customer requests and the fulfillment of those requests. Their up to date web based software is what makes it all happen.

Their live support call center is highly trained in every aspect of the business. Not only will they keep you informed of your highly maintained inventory levels, but they can also help you stay on top of what moves the fastest. In addition, automated voice menus are used to separate customer service calls from order calls, essentially pre-qualifying leads before sending them back to TeleDirect. Interactive voice response, or IVR direct, works together with their call center software providing you with real time oversight of your customer’s experience. This is all part of the process that helps you dramatically reduce the response time between you and your customer.

Getting in front of your customers is also a good business practice that TeleDirect is expert at. E-Mail and SMS messages that automatically go to your leads and customers will keep your communications on top of the game. They will also keep on top of your internet leads. An online request for services that is handled promptly and professionally will not only help greatly in acquiring a new customer, but it will give the customer a good idea of how quick and efficient your services are. If your response time to their initial request is an indicator as to how expedient your shipping and fulfillment services are, you’re as good as gold.

So if reducing your shipping and fulfillment response times are a main concern to your business right now, they shouldn’t be. With TeleDirect you have a leader in the industry with all the latest software, and the most highly trained call center staff at your disposal 24/7. Whatever it is that you need for them to do, they are not only up to date in the methods by which they need to get done, but they are highly trained to implement them. Their response time to your needs, translates into the response times to you customers’ needs.

The Benefits of Using Interactive Voice (IVR) System

If you've ever pressed 1 for English, entered your zip code at a phone prompt, or said "Yes." to reach an operator, you have used IVR. You may ask yourself "What is IVR?" IVR stands for 'Interactive Voice Response'. An interactive voice response system is a system that connects a consumer to a computer or vice versa to more efficiently mediate transactions.

A previous blog post discussed the pitfalls of using interactive voice response systems. However, when used properly and designed with care, IVR solutions offer numerous benefits to both customers and businesses alike.

An IVR system can increase convenience for the customer. This can be provided in the following forms: 1) extended hours for automated transactions, 2) more rapid transactions in cases where customers know what they wish to do (find locations, pay a bill) or 3) shortened wait times for customer service agents who, as a result, have a lightened consumer assistance load.

The experience for a consumer can also increase trust in a company. For example, information collected by consumer input can direct the customer to the agent or employee most able to assist with their needs. The same input can be used to cross reference data to make sure information provided to the customer is accurate. If the transaction contains sensitive information, pin recognition or information verification via keypad tones serves to let the customer know you protect their information.

Don't forget that IVR applications can be used beyond the business arena to increase customer trust. IVR surveys, clinical trials, and medical information can be retrieved or supplied by a client who may be too embarrassed to deal with a live person regarding these issues. There are even intra-organization IVR applications.

IVR services also increase consumer choice. When making contact, the consumer may prefer to talk with a consumer representative. In other cases, the consumer may prefer to quickly and efficiently complete a transaction without the hassle of dealing with the varying speed of other human beings. IVR systems that present these choices make for happy, repeat customers. Making your customers feel empowered gives you an edge in today's world.

Through IVR, companies and agencies benefit from savings in time and money. As we all know, in both the business and non-profit world, time is money. Fewer customers using service agents means more customers can be served at a higher profit margin or less agents are needed to provide the same level of service.

When more customer needs are met without the use of a customer agent, agents can more effectively address issues which require their attention. This makes for satisfied customers (which means repeat business and good word of mouth) and happy customer service representatives. Employee satisfaction helps you get the most out of your employees while retaining the best workers. IVR prompts that integrate information flow and company assets give agents the information they need to meet customer inquiries with minimal frustration. This is another bonus towards employee retention.

If you take only one thing from this post (and we hope you take many), remember: top notch IVR solutions lead companies to success.

Increasing Sales With Hot Transfer Leads

A lead is essentially a potential customer, a way that you get that person on the hook and reach out to them. Once the lead is contacted, you must talk to them as if they are a customer. And when your bottom line is suffering because of slow sales, you need new leads to get new customers. But you’re a business owner, not a salesperson, so you don’t know how to go about it. There are professionals who can do this for you, or you can take care of some of the basics yourself. Getting leads online will surely produce the volume you’re looking for, while acquiring target data will tell you where to look for the leads. Once you find them, call centers are a very effective way to get in contact with potential customers.

Getting to your target audience is priority number 1 in increasing your sales. This is where target data comes in at, and it’s something you can do yourself. You simply analyze your sales alongside with who bought the product and where they bought it. This will pinpoint where you should be looking for your leads. Otherwise, you will be wasting your time trying to contact people who won’t be interested in your product. Once you get your target audience and demographics in line, you can start with your marketing campaign.

E-mail marketing produces a significant amount of leads in a very short amount of time. It focuses on who is most likely to buy your products in the area where sales are needed the most. In the e-mails, you can include surveys instead of a sales pitch so as to get your leads interested in the company without telling them to buy, buy, buy. A soft, subtle approach such as this tends to work better then appearing to try to force people to try your products or services. Newsletters are also an effective way of catching peoples’ eye. They essentially tell people what the company is up to and if there’s any new products or services offered that may interest them.

And what is marketing without telemarketing. This method of gathering leads for businesses has been around for so long because, put quite simply, it works. Their methods of contacting people have advanced through the years to the point that they can gather almost, if not as many, leads for your company as the e-mail method. Their pre-recorded message technique is simply a soft sell approach that seems to be working. It is run by an automated calling system that can call up to 10,000 numbers per minute. That’s a lot of leads that can potentially help turn your business around. It would be well worth the investment.

So whether you try to garner the leads yourself, or have a professional do it for you, it is something you will need to work into your schedule ,and/or budget, from time to time to keep your sales brisk and to stay competitive. It is a small price to pay to keep your business afloat.

The Value of Direct SMS Messages and Email Marketing

When it comes to customers, effective marketing is invaluable. Any business that can't connect with their customers using modern technology will be left in the dust. That's why it's important to consider email marketing and direct SMS messaging as a method to connect with your clients and target demographics.

Thanks to spam, SMS messaging and email marketing get a bad reputation. Done right, email and text can actually enhance your connection with your clients and increase return business. Opt-in marketing lists offer the advantage of value-packed newsletters leading to customer desired up-selling and cross-selling. Direct SMS messaging has the distinct advantage of reaching customers when it comes to time-sensitive events and sales.

Both methods of customer contact are low cost but can produce high returns. They allow instantaneous and individual contact with consumers, while giving customers an immediate chance to consume, investigate or purchase. Online or offline, they put your brand immediately in your customer's mind.

SMS messages are short and simply crafted, saving marketing resources while reaching the consumer on the go. Have you set appointments with your clients, losing time and money when they don't show up? Do you have time-sensitive sales, such as lunch specials or super bowl deals, that could use immediate contact? What about important information that needs to reach employees or a younger, more connected target group?

Direct SMS messages can be sent to remind clients of the time and location of meetings, increasing attendance and punctuality. Other reminder messages can be invaluable in ensuring client interactions go smoothly. They can also be sent at lunch hour or in the middle of game time when consumers are unreachable by mail or television. Non-profits can send effective public service messages to critical demographics. In certain cases, this function can be used to garner immediate feedback from the customer through the use of surveys, RSVP's or mobile web inquiries by the recipient.

SMS direct-to-mobile increases conversion of prospects to customers, and customers to repeat clients. In addition, the convenience to consumers who have opted into such communication is highly valued.

Email marketing shares similarities with SMS messaging with some added bonuses. Have you ever exited a purchase when the phone rings or kids come home? Do you like the convenience of getting related, dependent products in one buy?

When consumers get distracted, sales can be lost. Well-crafted email campaigns allow you to maintain contact with potential customers until they can be converted at low cost and high ROI. Knowing your target groups can lead your customers to purchase more through cross-selling and be grateful for the opportunity to buy. A client may not have thought to add an SD card to a cart filled with digital equipment, but an informative campaign gives them an opportunity to meet their needs while increasing sales. Even offline businesses can benefit from email marketing campaigns since customers research bricks-and-mortar purchases prior to buying, and forward information on products they like to friends and family.

Both marketing tools allow you to update consumers on successes, press releases or other important news regarding your business. The value of direct SMS messaging and email marketing is unbeatable.

The Verdict is In - Your Customers Hate Automated Voice Systems

Are you currently using an automated voice system to handle your phone calls? Are you wondering why people call and hang up without attempting to make their way through the crazy routes that the system gives them in order to finally reach their destination even if it’s something as simple as a voice mailbox?

How many times have you hung up from calling your local company rather than dealing with a system that is confusing? Most of the time these systems are in place to try and minimize response time for a caller but they also end up being the furthest thing from user friendly for the caller. Now the most important question to ask is if you really want to subject your own clientele to that type of treatment or would you rather have them happy with speaking to a live person?

The idea is great, trying to reduce the time it takes to properly handle a call but if your clients are getting lost in the routing of the system it’s not going to help its going to hurt. The idea is great, a system that is in place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year round even with holidays. It is able to answer the phone, directing the call but never takes sick days and works as quickly as possible. The problem is that the call is only routing as quick as the caller is making the proper sections within the system.

The sad fact is, most places do not properly maintain the system to keep it user friendly or a person refuses to even try one. So now the question is why you keep torturing your clients with the only option of talking to a machine rather than a human?

There are some auto attendants that do not play nice when it comes to those of us who are fast talkers, you will constantly here the “Please Repeat” when you are attempting to make a selection. Many of the AVS’s or AA’s out there do use some type of automatic speech recognition software but the issue is that sometimes it’s harder for the system to hear what you are trying to say as none are perfect.

Just imagine it now; you have already wasted five minutes as you start to realize how much you miss speaking to real people rather than an automated system. Of course it’s much better for your sanity to speak with a real person rather than a machine to start with but you wonder why you even bothered, then it dawns on you and you hang up.

We have all been there and it’s really nothing new. At least with a human, if they ask you to repeat yourself it’s because you may have muffled your voice on accident blocking the receiver of the phone, not because it’s a machine that seems to only understand the basic words of the English language (or worse yet, you are speaking to a system that is in a foreign language).

The Importance Of Making A Great First Impression

We always hear that a first impression is important but why? We hear both in our personal lives, in our business worlds and everywhere in-between the two. A first impression is going to last a lifetime and this applies for the personal side of an individual as well as the business side. For personal reasons it could be the person you are courting for marriage, the banker who is about to give you a loan for your first home or even your child’s first grade teacher.

What happens when you need to make a first impression within the business world? Is it for your boss, your employees’ or your potential clients? Making a good first impression lets others know that you can and will know what to do, when to do it and how to do it.

They need to know that they are able to put their full trust into you and the company you represent for their needs. Are you going to have any issues meeting their needs? Are you able to back what you say when you give your word?

Even meeting a person for the first time either by phone conference you still need to remember that first impressions do count. You always want to make sure the person you are making a connection with will feel at ease with you, having a positive image of you. Even when you meet with someone for the first time you can do little things that can go a long way to help create this positive image.

If you are treating the person as if you are meeting someone you have known for years, rather than being timid it’s going to be a great icebreaker. Are you welcoming and friendly? Simple things like having a welcoming voice can go a very long way in extending the handshake (even a virtual handshake) to a person who has just met you. What you say is just as important as how you say it. Remember that knowing what your role is and making sure the other party has complete faith in your work is part of the deal. If they think they are reaching out to the wrong contact they will end up passing you over for the person who can help them.

First impressions are more important than most anyone can think. Within moments a person can summarize you and know if they plan to continue the conversation (let alone the business) with your organization. You need to be able to give top notch information to make sure they are fully satisfied with what you can bring to the table.

Keep in mind that some will base their judgments’ alone on person appearances (what they can see: attire, manners, eye contact) and others can do the same with only your voice (the tone, if you are paying attention, can they hear the confidence in your voice). In person or over the phone someone can always take a first impression of you – make sure you are doing your best to give them exactly what they deserve, your best.

10 Reasons Your Company Can Benefit From A Call Center

Is your company growth reaching the volumes that there are not enough hands in the office to answer all of the calls that are flooding your lines? You never want to turn business away but what else can you do? What exactly is a call center (known also as a call centre) and how can you benefit from one?

Do you need to save more time, and the overtime money that you have been paying out for far too long? No matter how much you try you can not be in the office 24/7/365 and neither can your employees so saving time is important just like saving funds are. What if there is a place available to handle such a request that you need along with the level of service you would give? If you try to have your local employees’ work extra hours to man the phones it’s going to cost more, you want to save money not lose it.

When you decide to launch a large advertising campaign are you going to be prepared for the growth that comes along with it? What happens if you go from “decent sales” to “an explosion of sales” to the point you cannot keep up with the demand?

All hands on deck – even if you have a dozen employees dedicated to answering all calls, what happens during peak time? The time when the phone lines flood and you still do not have enough hands to answer those phones. Having a full staff dedicated within a call center means there will always be more available “just in case” rather than having a potential client on hold for 20 minutes waiting for someone’s line to free up they disappear with disappointment of never be answered at the same time you lose a sale.

Some people still want to talk to a real person, not an automated system that gets confusing and not someone who cannot really help them. If you can still provide real support with real people clients will always be appreciative of this.

Is your office in your home? Do you need to sound a little more professional even when you deal mostly with the back end issues and not the hands on day to day issues of your clients? Why not take the time to hire a professional call center to deal directly with your calls so that you can spend more time doing what you do best, the management.

You could be all management but you still need someone who is all customer service oriented. This still allows you to be hands on in taking care of your normal duties and allows the customer to get the information they need before ordering with your company.

The other possibility is that inquires vary between different positions within your company that you just may not have enough people to handle the call needs, then what train more people? A call center can be equipped from the start to handle all phone inquires needs; no matter the level of support may be needed.

Teledirect: Until The Star Trek Transporter is Invented

The Internet, it turns out, is not a series of connected tubes. And since it is electronic, it cannot be used to move physical products – at least, not on its own.

But at Teledirect we can make the Internet seem that way to you. We’ve thought through the most efficient way to get from a click to a shipment. So from your business’ point of view – and your customer’s – “the Internet” ships the product like magic, when you work with Teledirect.com.

Along with integrated sales staff and software, Teledirect.com offers lead management and order fulfillment for your website. Same-day shipping? No problem. Teledirect can store and ship your product through its two dedicated shipping bays, and turn electronic requests into deliveries. Our web based software will display and track all your requests, so you’re never “in the dark.”

Customer satisfaction is all we do at Teledirect. From lead management and live phone calls to interactive voice software, from providing 800 numbers to shipping physical product, Teledirect is building the smartest way to serve your customers with each new technology.

In the end, often what a customer wants comes in a box or an envelope, not in an e-mail or a download. Teledirect has been around since 1961, growing smarter with each new innovation. If you have customers, we have a way to serve them better.

What we won’t do is try to bend your business to one technology we happen to know well, as some of the startups do. We have the experience and expertise to organically integrate order fulfillment, live call-centers, interactive voice software, web-based tools, Internet and phone lead management, and much more, to create the perfect “magic” solution for your needs once the customer clicks the “submit” button on your website or calls your 800 number.

Take a look around www.Teledirect.com. More likely than not, we can make your life easier and more productive. Whether you’re planning an event, creating a customer service and sales force, or even carving out your piece of the auto sales pie, we’ll put the sharpest technological edge on your "Enterprise".

It’s what we’ve been doing for nearly five decades – so you don’t have to!

May Webinars

Don’t miss out! Learn how TeleDirect can assist with your company’s success plan. Join us at our upcoming webinars by registering at the links below.

Work The Lead Webinar:
Lead Capture, Appointment Setting, Order Entry, Live Transfer, On Call

Date: Thursday, May 13th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/306755507


On Demand Pledge System Webinars:
Real Time Call Reports, Script Changes, Pledge Data

Date: Thursday, May 20th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/533242698


Operational Webinar:
CSR Quality Control, Tracking Progress and Communications

Date: Thursday, May 27th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/974390258


Call our Business Consultants
800-480-5745
TeleDirect Call Centers™
www.teledirect.com


View what clients have to say: http://www.teledirectcallcenterreviews.com

People Who Need People

Ask a few people what they think about a fully automated automated voice system as a customer service tool.

Chances are they'll say "not much." There is no more annoying, limiting, and easily dismissed customer service trend than the automated response system with no access to a live human. You know the "robo-calls" and "robo-answers" I'm talking about: branching decisions, each indicated by a number on a keypad, lead the caller through computer-generated recording after computer-generated recording, "world without end, amen."

People need people, and that includes your customers.

There is nothing wrong with an automated response system, provided that a customer is able to get the help he needs. Unfortunately, all too often, he cannot. That's why at Teledirect, we don't just provide you your own 1-800 toll free number or ring to number. We make sure it leads to a live human being.

Sure, some tasks are well-suited to automated response. That's why we offer DirectIVR, our speech-enabled, on-demand Interactive Voice Response system. But we never leave you without the option of a human backup. That's why DirectIVR is 100% backed by our 24/7 call center. As a Teledirect client, you never have to trap a caller.

People have been at the heart of everything we do at Teledirect.com since we started as an answering service back in 1988. Since then, within 20 seconds, Teledirect clients have had the option of presenting a live, cheerful, human being, ready to offer assistance.

Or, the client can request sorting via automated voice menus prior to one-on-one interaction. Then, our services open into a world of lead-tracking, provision of needed information, real-time reporting, and hot transfer of leads back to our clients, plus much more.

Have a look at our service packages at Teledirect.com - Seminar Edge, Work The Lead, and Pay Per Lead/Fill The Lot. Each makes it amazingly simple to handle everything from reservation systems to the needs of a thriving auto dealership, all using our highly trained customer service staff and a simple script development interface. We've learned the tough lessons about what works and what doesn't in a script, and you get our best practices as a starting point.

You just fill in your custom information, grab an available 800 number or ring to number, and get started with an instant sales force of real, live human beings without the cost of a dedicated customer service staff.

Then get that 800 number out there. Whether it means taking orders for your product, taking reservations for a meeting, or taking information for sales appointments, we've got you covered.

The Edge You Need In Today's Auto Market

First, The Bad News

New vehicle sales and leases have fallen from 16.9 million units in 2005 to 13.2 million in 2008, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. BTS doesn't have figures for 2009, but estimates are in the 10.4 million unit range - including the effect of a massive auto-sector bailout and the cash-for-clunkers program. Well over a third of your market has simply disappeared.

It's been a bloodbath.

Now, The Good News

The good news is that you are reading this. That means you are still in business, and still looking for ways to get and keep an edge. The auto sector is shaking out, from automakers to dealerships to used vehicle sales. Lots that survive will be the ones that use every possible tool to get the biggest piece of the shrinking pie.

That's why we created Pay Per Lead, Teledirect's live lead capture and appointment setting system.

Pay Per Lead: Some Great News

Pay Per Lead provides you with free toll-free numbers and ring to numbers, and once your customer calls, we really get to work. We provide the ideal customer service experience using a script you customize yourself, gather customer information, compile it for your use, and even provide directions to your dealership - or dealerships. You pay per lead, not per connected minute or per employee hour.

You get your leads by fax, e-mail, or online. You also get sales reports and real time lead reports so you can stay on top of your business 24/7.

Turning Great News Into Great Business

Getting started with Pay Per Lead is easy. Set up your account, grab a toll free number or ring to number, and edit the customer service script. Your script can be as specialized as your business, or can be as close to the starter script as you like.

Sign up to automatically hire an army of courteous customer service specialists, armed with modern tools and techniques. Visual customers can get Mapquest directions. "Old-fashioned" customers can get directions by voice. And you get the information you need to get back in touch with each lead.

Be That Guy

Tough times are going to leave the landscape littered with closed dealerships. But the survivors will be the innovators: leaner, smarter, and ready to do business for years to come.

Be that guy, with Pay Per Lead.

Don’t Leave Money on the Table. Work the Lead.

In this age of instant gratification, customers who need answers to questions will move on to the next if they can’t immediately get the answer they’re seeking. If you’re in a very competitive business the early bird will get the worm.

Using a Call Center to interface with your potential customer in real time whether your business has its doors open or not will help the customer to perceive your business as responsive to his or her needs, a feeling that will help set you ahead of the rest of the herd in the eyes of the potential customer, and raise the perceived value of your product. Whether that customer uses a phone or the web to contact your company, responsiveness is the key to capturing their business.

Here at TeleDirect we’ve developed a set of tools called Work the Lead. This web-based suite of tools allows you to set up scripts that our representatives will follow on your behalf. Those scripts can be altered at any time to reflect real time changes in your product line, in your sales force, in your locations, etc. You’ll have immediate access to your data from any cellphone or online computer, which will allow you to follow up easily. We’ve tried to cover all the bases, both from your point of view, and from your potential customer’s point of view, to create a seamless funnel that brings the qualified customer right to the answer he or she seeks, and that brings the prequalified customer directly to the person in your organization best equipped to help them.

You'll also be able to set up campaigns, track ROI, and other sales tasks, all in one place using tools that are intuitive to use and easy to learn. We've also set up videos to help you learn to use them.

Working with the script you develop, the call center can answer most of the initial questions a potential customer will have. Not only will this script be used via incoming phone leads, we’ve also developed a web based suite of tools that includes a real time chat, and instant email response system, so that customers will have a response within 20 seconds.

Using a Call Center allows your sales force to work more effectively, and gives your potential customers a positive initial experience. That's a win-win for all.

Realizing Potential

Potential customers won’t reach their potential for you if your business doesn’t give them an easy toll-free way to contact you and an immediate response when they do.

If your business uses the right Call Center, your ratio of conversions of leads into customers will be much higher than if you leave it to chance, or to a traditional answering service, whose answer for everything is “We’re just the answering service, ma’am.”

Using TeleDirect you'll set up your online account, snag a toll free number for your potential customers to call, set up your scripts, and know that your potential customers will receive great quality customer service 24/7/365.

Set up a free account and see how it works. You’ll be able to configure your account and your script so that every step of the customer’s experience is within your control, including the capture of the customer information most important for your business, and answers for the most commonly asked customer questions. Once the script is set up, you’ll be able to configure the lead, reservation or order management. Multiple locations? No problem. You can also mark the status of your orders, and update appointments all online from any location.

TeleDirect's software system provides you with a complete order entry system, a seminar registration system, and complete lead management including appointment setting. It’s been designed to streamline every step of the setup process, making it easy for you to tailor the call-in process to the needs of your customers. There’s an easy to access FAQ if you need help with any step of the setup.

Once you’ve configured your account you’ll have a good idea if it will work for you. At that point you’ll be able to fund your account, grab a working toll-free number or ring-to number for your potential customers to call, and put the system to work for your customers. The system will automatically tie the phone number to your custom script and lead management system.

Listening to the potential customer’s story is part of our customer service. The customer will be given step-by-step directions to the nearest location at no additional cost to you, but with huge benefits for you and your customers.

Give TeleDirect a spin. Your customers will be glad you did.

Upcoming Webinars

TeleDirect’s full service on demand call center can help your business. Find out what you need to know when considering an outsourcer. Join us at our upcoming webinars by registering at the links below.

Work The Lead Webinars:
Lead Capture, Appointment Setting, Order Entry, Live Transfer, On Call

Date: Thursday, March 11th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/689252002

Date: Thursday, April 8th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/281119882


On Demand Pledge Webinar:
Real Time Call Reports, Script Changes, Pledge Data

Date: Thursday, April 15th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/558618690


Seminar Edge Webinar:
Seminar Registration, RSVP Services, Attendance Reports, Drip Leads

Date: Thursday, March 18th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/861353755


Operational Webinars:
CSR Quality Control, Tracking Progress and Communications

Date: Thursday, March 25th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/831852794

Date: Thursday, April 22th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm ESThttps://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/720538442

We look forward to your attendance!

Call our business consultants
800-480-5745
TeleDirect Call Centers™
www.teledirect.com

February Webinars

Utilize TeleDirect to track your ROI. Learn about the “5 Things to Consider When Considering an Outsourcer”. Join us at our upcoming webinars by registering at the links below.

Work The Lead Webinar:
Lead Capture, Appointment Setting, Order Entry, Live Transfer, On Call

Date: Thursday, February 11th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/757533994


On Demand Pledge System Webinars:
Real Time Call Reports, Script Changes, Pledge Data

Date: Thursday, February 18th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/705745930


Operational Webinar:
CSR Quality Control, Tracking Progress and Communications

Date: Wednesday, February 17th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/556611547


We look forward to your attendance!

Call our Business Consultants
800-480-5745
TeleDirect Call Centers™
www.teledirect.com

January Webinars

Why use TeleDirect? Find out how our call center software separates us from the competition. Join us at our enlightening webinars.

Register at the links below, and feel free to invite anyone who would benefit from the webinars as well.

Work The Lead Webinar:
Lead Capture, Appointment Setting, Order Entry, Live Transfer, On Call

Date: Thursday, January 14th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/493138954


On Demand Pledge System Webinar:
Real Time Call Reports, Script Changes, Pledge Data

Date: Thursday, January 21st
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/811649890


Operational Webinar:
CSR Quality Control, Tracking Progress and Communications

Date: Thursday, January 28th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/199120354


We look forward to your attendance!