An outbound call refers to a call made by an agent from the call center to a potential customer. These calls involve renewing services, telemarketing, fundraising, collecting unresolved payments, or market research. Being time and resource-intensive, they need to be tackled with efficient strategies. Outbound calls are a segment of Business Process Outsourcing.
The manifestation of the calls could also be on the basis of a request. Their epicenter is the aftermath of the call and to strike off pending concerns. Commonly these calls are made by predictive dialers but can end up being pesky sometimes. With the added constraints like caller ID, people are reluctant to pick up these calls.
OUTBOUND AND INBOUND CALLS
People often mistake one for the other. To get a clearer idea about what outbound calls are let us explore their differences:
INBOUND CALLS
1) It is oriented around incoming calls by customers regarding issues or queries.
2) They are a great means to generate revenue and are vastly popular.
3) Their operations include services like changing passwords, updating account information, assisting with complaints, and resolving other complications. Calls are directed to IT specialists for technical difficulties.
4) People who need a hand with placing orders online and are lost, can also find guidance here.
5) Renewal of subscriptions and asking for their expansion is also a part of inbound calls. These calls are usually handled by the sales team.
6) Usage of technology bits like call monitoring, muting, holding, transferring, and barging in. The integrated ticketing system accelerates the process of assisting customers. Eg: Live chats.
OUTBOUND CALLS
1) Outbound calls are more oriented around making calls rather than receiving them.
2) Their focal point is making sales, collecting pending bills, and marketing. This typically involves making cold calls.
3) Cold calls are made to potential customers who are not expecting it. If they catch the customer at the wrong time, it will be harder to close the sale. The callers have to usually take harsh comments with a pinch of salt in order to make sales.
4) Usage of different technology elements. Outbound IVR engages multiple people with a single initiative like automated messages or emails. CRM Integration is the building of a website that contains the mutually required information of the caller and customer, thereby easing the process.
5) In-depth research gives them a clearer idea regarding lead generation.
The end goal is always customer satisfaction but their ideologies differ. It can be triumphant with rigorous training and research.
Also read: Management Tools That Will Help Every Business Succeed
LURING THE CUSTOMERS IN
With the agitated fast-moving lives, people are almost always preoccupied. If they receive an outbound call at that time, it usually doesn’t yield fruitful results. Hence, let us delve into a few key points to keep in mind:
1) Confidence is key. Being assisting but also having a more assertive tone of voice always goes a long way. State the facts and refrain from budging. Pitch your product in an authentic manner and trust the process. Keep your personal feelings about the product aside and stay absolutely unbiased.
2) Stay natural. Sounding confidence is not the equivalent of sounding haughty. You should be modest and have a flair to answer questions without hesitation. Know your facts so they cannot ambush you in any way.
3) Be a patient listener. Before pitching an idea, let the customer talk at length. Present your ideas in a manner that does not seem too pushy or imposing. A pushy attempt may already discourage the customer from further listening to you. They may even hang up the phone. Hence to avoid these concerns, heed the customer’s opinions and then make your pitch.
4) Do not assume. Being too forth-coming and completing a customer’s sentences may seem presumptuous and unprofessional. People have different dispositions and you must not treat everyone in the same tone of voice. Gauge and then hurl your ideas.
5) Keep it light and interesting. The usage of good grammar and displaying adequate etiquettes is also helpful. Trying to sound too informal may not facilitate your conversation. When a person feels like you are articulate, it may have things in your favor.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, outbound calls are instrumental in providing solutions for a prospective problem. They allow companies to recognize their complications, further accentuating sales. With sufficiently trained employees, this process is bettered.
Therefore, it is imperative to have proficient staff on board. The unfolding of more technological prowess has also been significantly helpful.
