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DRTV Sales, Upsells, Call Activations and Customer Service
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 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.
Complete Wireless Call Center Services
A large nationwide wireless company uses agents at The Connection® to handle all levels of telephone support for their customers. The program includes customer service, technical support, activation, account management, and billing & payment support
| System
Features: |
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Strong
partnership between client and The Connection® - Program
was developed cooperatively, with frequent quality checks
and process improvements. |
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The
Connection® handles the entire customer experience
after the sale. |
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Wireless
handset activation agents: add handset to switch
manager, sell and activate additional features (voicemail,
Caller ID, insurance, etc.), and educate the customer
about billing. |
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Billing
and payment support agents must fully understand
clients complex billing system. Service is pay-in-advance,
customers billing cycle varies, some pro-rated payments.
In addition, client "hotlines" handsets after
5 delinquent days, so handsets ring directly to The Connection®.
Agents handle billing questions, post check and credit
card payments, and reactivate service for the customer. |
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Troubleshooting Helping customer repair handset
issues: fast busy signals, broken antennae, poor reception,
etc. Agents can help customer hard reset or reprogram
handsets. If problems require maintenance beyond the customers
ability, agents refer them to a dealer location. |
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Service
management Basic informational questions about
client, such as, Where can I pay my bill?
Where is the nearest store? Ive
forgotten my password. etc. Agents have some handset
technical expertise - can talk customers through feature
changes and other tasks. |
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Retention
and customer loyalty Educate customers wishing
to cancel service about the benefits of retaining the
service - also authorized to offer range of incentives
to customer. |
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Outbound
Welcome calls Agents call a selection
of existing customers two months after purchase to determine
their satisfaction with handset, features, accessories,
and services. |
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All
agents are dedicated, with specific agent subgroups:
1. Dedicated high-level tech support group for troubleshooting
2. Dedicated retention and customer loyalty group
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Telecommunications Customer Service and Retention
The Connection works with a major telecommunications DSL provider client. In addition to providing customer service for troubleshooting and billing questions, The Connection uses a variety of sales techniques to "save" a customer who arrives through an inbound call to keep the providers's DSL service with the customer. Aspects of the program include:
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Answering customer-initiated inbound calls concerning service issues or the termination or disconnection of the major DSL provider's services. |
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Resolving pricing questions, billing discrepancies and other customer initiated concerns that would cause a customer to disconnect service. |
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Maximizing retention of customers calling to disconnect service. |
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Offering customer incentives approved by our client to retain customers. |
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Redirect any calls that require support pertaining to other products or services of our client. |
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Representing our DSL client by providing the highest level of customer service to all existing and potential subscribers. |
Agents assigned to this client program were extensively trained prior to answering any calls. The Connection ramped up to 150 agents in sixty days and increased that to 260 agents within six months. The customized training curriculum was developed with significant input from our DSL client. The Connection successfully used "mock calls" as part of the certification process before agents were allowed to take "live" calls on the floor. In addition, The Connection used online quizzes and tests to monitor agents. Numerous incentive programs were established as well, between the client and The Connection to motivate agents toward set goals. This included monetary and non-monetary prizes, individual, team, call center based as well as daily, weekly, monthly, special 'power days', coach awards and more.
| Our Additional Responsibilities Include: |
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Maintain ownership of the customer until retention issues for the customer are brought to a closure based on our client's policies and procedures. |
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Successfully implement quality or call improvement coaches who work along with coaches, senior coaches and product/program specialties. |
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Work closely with client marketing department and project management team to deliver positive results. |
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Participate in the periodic status/update calls. The calls are scheduled at our client's discretion. |
ProgramDealer Locator
A nationwide wireless company needed a call center to handle calls for a special short-term promotion. They came to The Connection® for assistance. Print and radio ads drove traffic to two toll-free numbers. The Connection® provided a service whereby callers could gain information about the promotion and locate their nearest retailer based on ZIP code. Agents at The Connection® also handled order processing for an incentive accessory offered with the sale of a new phone. Our partnership was so successful that the wireless company extended the promotion from thirty days to four months.
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Features: |
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Direct
callers to their nearest retailer, based on ZIP code and
pre-determined mileage. |
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Work
with a database of up to 15,000 retailers. |
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Customized
call reporting provided daily via email. |
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Custom
on-line script ensured that clients expectations
of courtesy and professionalism were met. |
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On-line
information in pop-up or help screens allows
operators to answer questions regarding retail information,
and other commonly asked questions. |
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Accessory
order program included full lead information capture. |
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Customized
dealer searching allowed CSR to obtain store ID number
in case the customer didnt have that information. |
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Daily
transmission of order information to fulfillment partner. |
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Agents
were trained on the clients program specifications
and were able to answer basic customer service questions.
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