How to Reach Sales Targets in an Outbound Call Centre
Many Call Centre Supervisors and Managers experience meeting sales targets a challenge that is commonly referred to by many as ‘sheer hell’. Fact is, if managed correctly, an outbound, telesales call centre can be most rewarding with a constant buzz of excitement. Call Centre agents should experience the challenges as doable and without pressure.
Unfortunately, with the business growth demands from top management, seeking only bottom line results is causing call centre management to transfer these pressures to the call centre agent. The result is undesirable sales performance, high attrition and an increase in cost.
To improve sales in an outbound call centre consistently can be achieved with ease; employ the 4 step action listed in this article: make sales result visible, let agents determine their own increase, include floor training and focus on clean data.
Make Sales Results Visible
Make your call centre agents’ sales results visible to all. Work on a ranking system and create a competitive environment. Some call centre managers will disagree with the objection that not all agents will thrive in an environment like this. That is exactly the point; the call centre agent that can sell will be competitive and will thrive on aiming to be number one all the time. We are frustrating people in letting them operate and function in an environment not suitable to their personalities and who they are. The outbound call centre survives based on their abilities to sell products and services. Eliminating incentives to sell is counterproductive. Post the sales rankings clearly and visibility in call centre for everybody to see so that the agents know where they stand, today!
Agents should determine their own increase
A lot has been said about incentive schemes and the effectiveness thereof. Money is not a motivator to anybody but what the money can do for us is the real motivator. A clever call centre manager knows this and must utilise it to the full. Introduce a token system that is fair and achievable. If a predetermined target is met reward the agent with a token. All sales after this token has been received will be coupled with a higher commission. Have a number of these tokens and vary the commission structures and targets per token often. It creates an element of surprise, eliminates the mundane and set different challenges for your agents often.
Floor Training
An antiquated sales manual taught by product trainers are the cause for many sales failures. There is very little evidence that the ROI of these type training is worth it. Product training is necessary and should be done more than once but do not stop there.
Dedicate a manager to floor duty to support, assist and train agents when it is needed most. Too often we assume that our agents are well trained but our sales performance indicates differently. Call Centre agents will thrive on the special attention and their development will be constant while management will have the confidence that problem areas including product knowledge as well sales skill will be addressed when most needed – immediately!
Clean Data
Nothing is more frustrating to ‘a hungry to sell agent’ than dirty data. Making call after call and not being able to present due to incorrect information is demotivating and frustrating. Invest in clean and accurate data which ultimately will reduce costs significantly and increase sales beyond expectations.
Improving outbound call centre sales performance starts with management. Follow these 4 simple steps and enjoy sales improvement steadily and consistently.