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.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, July 12, 2010
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.
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.
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