TELEPHONE cALL bACK cAN IMPROVE YOUR SALES
Make talking with your web visitors easier
Why Call Back?
The objective of most business websites is to persuade the visitor to buy online (e-commerce) or at least to make a sales enquiry via a web form, email or telephone (both brochure and e-commerce websites).
You go to a lot of effort and cost to get potential clients on to your web site but most leave without ever speaking to you. According to Forrester Research for example, 60% of website visitors who start an online order never complete it. Brochure sites suffer similarly.
Most businesses feel that if their sales people could speak with the visitors earlier, they can increase their sales conversion. And users say much the same - many would prefer to deal with a human contact to ask for information or to make an important decision / purchase.
Call Back tries to make that happen by making it easy for users to ask for an immediate or rapid phone call from the business at no cost or commitment to themselves.
The same logic applies to websites aimed at serving existing customers. If your customers cannot sort out their problems / needs online, then a rapid phone call to them can enhance your overall service, help prevent frustration and possible loss of business. Call Back also shows you care about your service to them.
What It Is
Call Back buttons are placed strategically on your web site to let your customers contact you to ask you to ring them back. These are usually fixed (static) buttons but with some Call Back Services you can have a ‘virtual sales advisor’ pop up when a user has been on your website for a given time and offer help by phone.
When the user wants a call, they fill in a short pop up form with their main contact details – usually just phone number, name and possibly email address or product of interest. This information is sent to you by your Call Back Service provider and your sales people call the user back. The rest is up to you.
Variations
There are different Call Back Service packages available depending on your pocket, the degree of sophistication you want and how it fits with your own operations:
1. The message to you can come by some combination of:
- SMS text message, to your mobile phone for example or a dedicated one which the team member on call would hold
- Phone (and if your phone is tied up, you can receive an email for example)
Most Call Back Services major on use of SMS text messages or direct phone calls to you for speed. (If you just want an email alert by itself, then you don’t need a special service provider after all as standard web technology will do this.)
2. With some services, you can receive additional information on what the user was looking at on your website
3. The user can be rung almost simultaneously with yourself and within seconds of their request – this is powerful - with the user very much still focussed on your product or service, this provides an impressive demonstration of your own customer service and you strike while the iron is hot. (If your phone is tied up, you can receive an email instead and ring the client later when you are free)
4. You can set your office hours so the user knows they are not going to get a call immediately. With some packages, your website buttons can even disappear out of hours.
5. You can bar international calls for example if you are only interested in local / national ones
6. You can have one designated phone or a battery of them
7. The user details can be stored online for later access/use if needed
8. Instead of a live phone call back, you can alternatively chat with your user online – if your user is equipped for this - or have a text chat
How to Implement Call Back
You have a specialist Call Back Service provider who gives you the coding to be inserted on your site. This can include the button design or you can use your own buttons. With some of the more advanced offerings such as virtual sales advisors, you need a corresponding web capability. NB Different providers supply different options so you need to decide what you want.
You agree the set up you want with your selected provider. Their software and back office operation do the rest.
Costs and What to Look Out For
1. Set up costs – Not normally a big issue as the agencies want you to sign up….. You need to have the buttons installed on your website of course.
2. Monthly or annual charge – Some agencies charge a fixed base amount monthly. This tends to be more important for the more powerful simultaneous call services
3. Phone charges – You are charged for the alert calls /messages sent to you AND the calls to the customers if these are generated by the Call Back Service direct. This is where most providers make much of their money. Some calls may be included in the monthly charge.
4. Length of contract – Usually from zero up to 30 days notice but do check!
How to Choose
1. Be realistic about your capabilities, likely call volumes and the value to you
2. If you can afford it and it fits with your operation, go for a simultaneous call service – it can be really impressive. For most businesses, even one extra sale per month will more than pay for the Call Back Service.
3. Tip – Do remember to monitor your sales success to justify keeping the service
