While it is very common for online businesses to neglect the opportunity for additional revenue by simply providing an 800# on their website, these same companies further neglect to understand the real power in this simple but sometime difficult to implement strategy.
Our experiences have proven that a visible telephone number shown on the header of a website can not only increase revenue by as much as 100%, it can also provide a tremendous positive effect on authority and trust values. Many online researchers and consumers alike believe that an 800# provides a sense of security with their decision to purchase.
Obviously providing an 800# alone will not reach the intended goals of doing so. A business must then implement a system to answer and take the appropriate action as requested and shown in the eyes of the caller. Developing proper telephany expertise in sales and customer service is a must.
Telephone Systems must be researched and implemented. The following questions must, at a bare minimum, be addressed:
- Does the system provide ACD, Multiple Voicemail, Transfer, Groups, multiple methods of Call Distribution, and DID numbers?
- Does the system have CRM capabilities and what systems will it integrate with?
- Does the system provide variable methods of reporting; by employee, phone number, time and day, group, area code, and department?
- Does the system provide import/export and data support to integrate with outside reporting systems?
Finally, it is wise to understand what type of business you are involved in. Do you sell a need based product or service? Or, maybe you sell a more emotional or decision based product or service? The payback and profitability for purchasing a system and hiring a staff for support may well rest on the answer to these questions.
Do you have a telephone sales story? Leave a comment.
Provided on behalf of Brookstone Marketing Group
