While some companies may choose to host their own Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRMs), the cost of hardware and software, as well as development and maintenance is prohibitive, intimidating, and obnoxious for many organizations. A hosted CRM becomes a viable alternative, especially when the host company provides all of the support business solutions necessary for successful sales.
A hosted CRM with built in outbound dialing tools creates a system where sales team professionals can focus on making sales instead of generating leads, tracking statistics, filling out paper work, and identifying sales trends.
The most fundamental outbound dialing tool is the outbound dialer itself. There are many dialers on the market, but not all dialers are created equal. Two of the first major outbound dialers created for remote sales were the auto dialer and the predictive dialer.
An auto dialer automatically dials telephone numbers for sales agents who are idle or waiting for a call.
The predictive dialer instead uses a variety of algorithms to predict both the availability of agents and how many called leads should answer, adjusting the calling process to the number of agents it predicts will be available when the calls it places are expected to be answered. Both of these dialers have their limitations, including a percentage of dropped calls that are made while waiting for an available sales agent. A better alternative to either of these dialers would be what is known as a power dialer.
A power dialer automatically calls through a programmed list of phone numbers, and patches those calls through to sales representatives. As long as the sales rep does not hang up his receiver the power dialer will continue to patch through the calls it is making. This system increases productivity over an auto dialer, and because it is still only making one call at a time it removes the dropped call rate that is inherit in a predictive outbound dialer.
A hosted CRM that has an outbound power dialer offers many other business solutions for a remote sales organization. One simple, but effective and convenient, solution is Click-to-Call software. The purpose of the software is to make calling easy. On the hosted CRM each and every phone number will have a link to call that contact. The computer contacts the CRM which activates the power dialer. The dialer then carries out its function by calling the sales rep and also the lead.
The integrated CRM dialer combination also has great potential in voice messaging. These innovations in voice mail come from two main sources. First, the power dialer will have the option to leave a prerecorded voice message with a single click on the computer. This allows a sales team professional to leave a message in his or her own voice when they encounter a voice mail system, but without having to take the time to do so. Instead the system automatically finishes the call while the agent moves on to contact the next lead. The second source of improved voice messaging is provided by message broadcast systems. A prerecorded message is again programmed into the system, and the message broadcast system automatically calls through a programmed call list and by design plays the recorded message. Contacts listening to the message may at any time press preprogrammed numbers to talk to a live sales agent, receive an email, or be removed from the call list. These voice broadcast systems automatically checks contacts programmed against the do not call list. They also check for duplications in the call list to prevent one contact from receiving the same message numerous times.
The combined hosted CRM and outbound power dialer increase productivity by increasing the rate at which new leads are contacted. This starts with automatic lead generation. This works by adding code to the company website. This code tells the web forms that are filled out to automatically create a lead within the CRM. The lead is then routed to a sales agent’s call list and within minutes of that web form being filled out online that lead is being contacted by a representative of the organization.
Such quick lead generation, routing, and calling has several benefits. First it dramatically increases the rate of contact. After all, those leads are most likely still at their computer by a telephone. Second, the rate of lead qualification goes up significantly. By contacting a lead soon after they fill out the web form they are still thinking about the company still highly interested in the product. Third, the fast rate of response by the sales agents creates an atmosphere of competency about their organization. Leads will see the company as one that gets tasks done quickly and efficiently.
These dialing tools also work with the CRM to quickly manage data, track sales, and process analytics. The data that the telemarketing department needs to operate can then be swiftly compiled and reported to other departments. The hosted CRM serves as the foundation for the entire outbound dialing system.
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