A telemarketing call centre is where a telemarketer is placed to promote sales and take part in marketing activities through telephone calls. With an increase in competition, the job of a telemarketer has only become tougher and more demanding. The profile varies from industry to industry but the competition remains the same – cut-throat. Telemarketers make phone calls for purposes that range from asking for donations to selling products but their biggest goals include selling as many products and services as possible. People often act temperamental with them on calls but, in spite of this, a large number of people have managed to make it big in the industry. Their job is not entirely inclined towards just pushing sales – they also call people and conduct surveys or request for monetary donations for charitable or political organizations. It is mandatory for them to maintain updated records of sales and accounts. Some telemarketers work on sales script to sell products, some generate sales leads, some take part in customer service activities to ensure a smooth flow of sales.
Telemarketing Job Profile
Although the tasks of a telemarketer vary from industry to industry, there are a few core responsibilities and activities that apply to a majority of telemarketing jobs. These include:
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To get in touch with businessmen or individuals via the phone to promote products, services and/or charitable causes.
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To modify scripted transaction pitches to meet the needs of particular entities.
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To record buyer details, including reactions to the product and/or services offered.
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To take orders for goods and services over the phone.
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To explain the product or service to potential customers.
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To provide pricing details and handle customer questions.
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To obtain customer information, including names and addresses.
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To receive orders over the phone and maintain details in the system.
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To record customer details and details of transactions.
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To obtain contact details of potential customers from sources such as telephone directories and purchase lists.
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To schedule appointments for sales staff to meet prospective customers and conduct customer and market surveys.
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To make phone calls to prospective customers who respond to advertisements.
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To contact customers regularly to follow up on initial interactions.
The key qualities that a telemarketer should possess include:
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Excellent communication skills
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Knowledge on what it takes to gather and manage information
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Ability to persuade
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Flexibility
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Eveready to initiate
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Persistent
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A buoyant personality
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Ability to handle stress
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Negotiation skills
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High energy levels
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Self-motivation skills
Qualifications and work environment that suit a telemarketer are:
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A telemarketer’s job does not require too much of formal education. A high school diploma is more than enough.
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A good substitute for education can be found in respectable experience as a telecommunications executive or sales executive.
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Telemarketers should have the ability to maintain professionalism with customers who do not respond positively to their calls.
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The pressure telemarketers undergo to meet their targets adds to their stress, thus, a healthy work environment for them is a must.
A telemarketer’s job also involves the following duties that need to be fulfilled:
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Script memorization: Tele-marketers are always provided with scripts that they are required to follow strictly. It is a must for the telemarketers to memorize these scripts.
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Customer service: The most vital aspect of telemarketing is to be patient and polite while answering the questions of customers.
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Product knowledge: Telemarketers must know everything about their products so as to be better equipped to handle customer queries about products and services.
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Customer records: This task includes the maintenance of names, addresses and phone numbers of prospective customers along with their reactions to the products.
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Sales: The most important duty of any telemarketer is to make sales, no doubts about this fact.
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Follow up calls: Follow up calls help bring in a lot more revenue than most people think. It would be absolutely wrong to ignore the importance of follow up calls. A telemarketer should make these calls to thank the customer for their business. This helps build goodwill.
The telemarketing industry is a fast growing one and hence, people involved in it find themselves dealing with a lot of stress. It doesn’t need to be this way – play your cards well, learn to love your job and you are ready to make it to the top of the pile.
