Almost everyone associates the telemarketing industry with outbound call centers. You know, the gigantic room full of people with headsets on, “cold calling” customers to make sales, generate leads, or collect information for surveys. There’s another kind of telemarketing, though- think customer service 1-800 numbers, customer help desks, or order processing over the phone. Inbound telemarketing is becoming a popular way to outsource processes that businesses might not have the staff capacity to handle. Here are a few ways you can use inbound telemarketing to benefit your business:

Order Processing
Inbound call centers can take customer orders over the phone and even process sales when customers pay with credit cards. Any business with time restrictions, such as those whose employees only work during business hours, can take advantage of this extended availability- the more you’re available to customers, the more sales you’ll make. You can also use inbound call centers for order processing for their language capabilities. While you might not have the resources to hire sales representatives that speak Spanish, Japanese, or Tagalog, an inbound call center does- this allows you to reach and communicate with more potential customers in a language they’re comfortable speaking.

24/7 Customer Service
If your employees can’t be available for customers at all hours of the day, inbound telemarketing offers a solution. Many businesses assign a 1-800 number to a telemarketing firm for in order to give customers around the clock access. Businesses like banks, hotels, and insurance companies that need to provide constant access use inbound telemarketing companies to fill the gaps when their own employees aren’t available to answer questions, fix billing errors, or file claim reports. If your company could benefit from offering 24/7 support to customers, telemarketing is an option you should consider.

Helpdesk and Customer Support
If you sell a technical product, such as software, it can be a good idea to use dedicated telephone service representatives- telemarketing company employees trained by your business that only answer calls on behalf of your company- rather than employing a full-time helpdesk employee as a member of your own staff. You can also reach more customers- telemarketing companies keep longer hours, employ representatives with different language capabilities, and are able to stay open to customers in different time zones more easily.

Lead Generation and Appointment Setting
Inbound telemarketing is often used for lead generation and appointment setting. You can direct sales leads to call the telemarketing company directly to set up a sales appointment, or gather sales lead information when customers place calls for more information about your products or services.

Inbound call centers can be used for several purposes in addition to those mentioned above. Inbound call centers can assist with promotional contests (such as radio call-ins) can help collect survey or donation information, or for any other service you can think of that might benefit your business. It’s always a good idea to speak with at least a few different companies before making a decision about which company to choose.

• 0 Comments

  

Comments

 Add your own comments

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)

What next?

 Digg it

 Save This Page

 Subscribe to GetEntrepreneurial.com

 Leave a comment

Next Article: Are You Breaking Agreements With Yourself? »

Previous Article: Solopreneurs: Are You Losing Potential Clients? »

Merrin Muxlow is a GE Network Expert. View Merrin Muxlow's profile or read more articles from Merrin Muxlow. Learn more about the GE Experts Network.

Have an expert opinion on issues entrepreneurs and small business owners face everyday? Join the GetEntrepreneurial.com Experts Network and share your expertise with the community!

The new GE Experts Network is inviting seasoned entrepreneurs and small business owners to come on board and contribute small business advice to our community of aspiring entrepreneurs. If you have an effective way of generating sales or you know how to use social networking to connect with your customers, join us in providing wider entrepreneurial content that would benefit small business owners worldwide.

Click Here to Learn More >>

Related Articles

 Local Paper Wrapper » Inhabitat: Here’s a source for gift wrap paper that is as beautiful as it is eco-conscious. Known as The Local Paper, these...

 Wine with Burgers » Iconoculture: It’s hard to speak pretentiously about terroir with secret sauce dripping down your chin. Los Angeles-based Learn About Wine’s Blind Date...

 Reknit Your Old Sweater » Springwise: Each month, Reknit will unravel old sweaters and re-knit them into a different item; this January, it's scarves. Consumers begin by...

 Marbling Art on Stone » Hurriyet Daily News: Saadet Erciyas, a female entrepreneur from İzmir, and her team are creating decorative products by using the marbling art...

Need more brand new promising business ideas and innovations around the world you wish you'd thought of? Visit CoolBusinessIdeas.com now!

Ever wanted to be the CEO of your very own Starbucks or Amazon.com? Fire your boss and be your own boss? Now you can, with BIZNESS! - the free biweekly business newsletter about new business ideas, opportunities and innovations from around the world. More than just new business trends, BIZNESS! helps the aspiring entrepreneur (you!) with small business advice, business tips, and entrepreneur resources and opportunities.

   Subscribe for free now!    

---