In 15 years of telesales/telemarketing experience I have heard all kinds of funny stories. But this latest story comes from Elinor Stutz, CEO, Smooth Sale, LLC, a sales training company:
Last week a person obviously new to telemarketing called to enroll me in a business program. Errors made:
1. No research was done prior to the call. He knew nothing about my business or me. Most importantly, he failed to realize that I already took the course!
2. Caller did not apologize for the error.
3. Caller only after a few minutes asked what I did. Upon my announcing I am “a sales trainer” he chose to ignore my answer and kept on talking.
4. Fatal error – he used words from a script on me: “If I were able to…, how would you feel…?” At this point, I said I would have no feelings one way or the other because I am uninterested, and he would be far better off calling someone who is new to the program and that he might consider sales training.
Remember that when you have someone telemarketing/teleselling for your company he/she is just an extension of your brand — make sure he/she is well-trained and provides a solid image.
Golly I thought that behavior was the norm – has Elinor actually encountered a telemarketer who did do some homework before calling her? ….
Or have any of your readers?
Mind you I am not a cynic but our office receives about 5 such calls a day, ask to be removed from their list… have done the online removal request….
oh I think I’m going to turn my mind to more cheerful topics covered by Wasabi V
Kare
Two answers to Kare’s response to my blog:
1. Positive thinking: Perhaps I trained some of the tele-marketers over the phone
2. The cynical side (like Kare) admits most of the tele-marketing I receive is taped, so I simply hang up! “No Call list?” How do you spell that?!