Industry Markets > Direct marketing, DRTV

DRTV Sales, Upsells, Call Activations and Customer Service/Case Study
History
The Connection provides inbound direct response call center services for one of the nation’s leading wireless phone retailers. This company markets to consumers interested in easy to use cell phones and services that are not loaded with complicated features and gadgets nor come with complicated service plans.  The company's mission is to simplify technology and make it available to everyone. The products, services and systems are centered on simplicity, personalization and ease of use.  The Connection provides sales services for the cell phones and the programs.

Company Goal for Outsourcing:
Inbound Call Center Services Including:

• Increase Sales and Upsells
• Call activation
• Detailed reporting requirements

Customer Service and Sales Support

• Reduce customer churn
• Increase Overall Customer Service Satisfaction
• Increase Sales and Upsell Conversion Rates

Key to Success
The Connection developed a specialized sales team of dedicated agents to assist new customer contacts.  Specialized agents are trained to quickly analyze callers’ wireless needs to maximize sales and upsells combined with preventing customer churn after purchase while  increasing overall customer satisfaction.  In addition, to maximize cost and increase call metrics, highly trained shared agents assist during call spikes.

Tasks to Accomplish Success

• We developed a specialized team of dedicated sales agents that worked along with shared agents handling calls in our call center facilities.
• Made recommendations to the client in order to enhance their sales scripts and training process
• Made recommendations to the client regarding purchasing trends and how to improve conversions
• Activate new cellular phones and Upsell/cross sell additional services such as roadside assistance.
• Answer product questions and place new orders;
• Improved one call resolution results by assisting callers with problems such as: products not received, defective products, damaged products
• Provide additional services by supporting retail effort by offering activation services, and outbound "secret shopper" calls to retail locations
• We utilized our customized internal data management system, BigKey, to process credit card payments real-time and also accessed our client’s CRM systems to complete phone activations and modify account information.

Summary
By providing a highly trained blended team of specialized dedicated and shared agents The Connection increased average conversion as well as increased ability to manage the DRTV call spikes and in turn increase sales and upsell conversion rates program wide.

Direct Response Sales and Upsells/Case Study

History
A leading national shopping network began their search for an outsourced call center organization.  This national shopping network wanted a new client system custom  created to allow CSR’s the ability to offer a variety of upsell and cross-sell opportunities similar to the product.  This would facilitate increased sales per call.

Company Goal for Outsourcing

• Customized database software created exclusively for client’s order processing
• System shows inventory only of available merchandise
• System instantly removes purchased item in real-time
• System capabilities include adding, changing or deleting inventory of available merchandise
• CSR’s integrate with client database to manage inventory
• New orders are FTP’d hourly into the client’s database for optimal management of inventory
• Caller records maintained in system to speed up process for future calls and orders

• Provide full customer service which includes product knowledge, minimizing returns and filling backorders.
• Increase sales conversions.
• Provide an upsell with each product sold.
• Product troubleshooting.  Outbound customer service follow-up calls.
• Reduce organizational costs by lowering talk times.
• Keep Quality at 95% or better.

Key to Success
Based on the selling skills of our trained agents, The Connection exceeded the company sales goals to bring the client to their optimal sales goals.

Tasks to Accomplish Success

• CSR’s receive a week of intensive client training including extensive system knowledge in order to navigate to appropriate products for callers.
• CSR’s receive calls via inbound 800 numbers and process requested orders.  They attempt to upsell appropriate products to the caller.
• CSR’s collect name, address, telephone number and credit card information.
• Because this clients’ sales are almost entirely ‘real – time’, televisions are installed in the CSRs’ work area so that they can view what client products are being featured at that time.
• CSR’s are trained in all products so that they can offer appropriate upsells to callers.
• On-line scripts ensure CSR’s have captured all information from caller
• Products are constantly changing on the shopping network, so our CSR’s receive continuous on-going training to stay informed of new and featured products.
• CSR’s also handle clients’ website sales and are trained on client’s website to better assist callers.

Summary
The Connection provided an exceptionally trained sales team for this national shopping network.  We met and exceeded the clients sales metrics, resulting in a positive, long-term relationship.

Direct Response Order Processing
The Connection® provides complete order processing for a publisher and direct marketer of DVD based software used in the education and entertainment of children. The client is using direct mail, catalogs and direct response television to test different price points to specific target audiences, as well as utilizing upselling and cross-selling strategies to increase the average order size. Every caller is offered the upsell for a free software product if two or more products are ordered. The system is designed to then automatically choose the lowest priced item to give for free.

System Features:
		Agents receive calls via inbound 800 number/s and attempt to sell/up sell as many callers as possible. They record names, address, phone numbers, and credit card information. Agents are trained in meeting objections and consultative/closing skills.
		Agents collect name, address and telephone number information from callers who will not buy or would like a catalog sent to them.
		On-line scripts provide answers to the most commonly asked questions and referral customer service telephone number directory.
		Customer service questions are handled and/or directed to other telephone numbers/locations.
		Inventory is continually updated with new products and new promotional packages/pricing as needed.
		The client has a complex, variable multi-tier pricing system. Our computer system automatically accesses the correct price tier based on a Media ID code. Price points are tracked and recorded based on different direct mailings and audiences.
		Credit card authorizations are verified on a daily basis prior to transmitting to the client.
		Order and/or information requests are electronically transmitted daily to the client.
		Reporting includes hourly call counts, zip codes, orders, sales, and inventory. Customized price point analysis and specific media ID reports are designed based on the client’s requests.