15 answers
Jake
Student
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2
Questions
Asked
2078 views
Would you prefer to speak with an agent on the phone or contact them online?
There is a bit of a debate in our office these days about emailing clients vs calling clients. As someone in the marketing department I want them to call and email the client at least 3 before giving up. Some of our sales staff are insisting that clients don't want to talk on the phone and just want to email them. I would prefer that our sales staff call, email, call, email, call, email when trying to get ahold of a client.
Right now the process seems to be email, email... and that's kind of it. I don't think that's enough, but I am not a sales person. Any advice would be helpful.
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15 answers
Chirayu Rupani
Data Analyst
295
Answers
Frisco, Texas
Updated
Chirayu’s Answer
My personal choice is to contact anyone via phone as you get a quick response with whatever the question may be and not have to wait house for a reply back. In some case contacting online is required if the person you are reaching out to cannot answer their phone or is not available. Phone call initially over emailing.
Marc Bradburry II
Manager/Consultant
14
Answers
Henrietta, TX
Updated
Marc’s Answer
Depends on your business and what your products are.
Professional products: When I was a plant manager I loathed phone calls and refused vendor visits. Coming from sales for a decade, I wanted to give everyone a shot but at some point my time just didn't allow for it. Mainly because I didn't have time to explain what I need or listen to a list of stuff that could help me. The best salespeople knew my business and how their product would help me. As a business owner, as soon as you register your business you get lit up with calls of products and services for you, I'd usually let them get as far as me asking "Do you know what I do?" and when they say no, I ask how they plan to help me then and that about finishes it. Emails were likely to never be opened.
When soliciting or contacting businesses, knowing what they do and having specific talking points saves time. I would agree phone calls are a better contact method, however it must be effective. It takes a few minutes to research a business and would dramatically increase conversions or at least build towards an email that would get more of a chance of getting looked at. Most effective to least effective modes of contact: In-Person>Hybrid (video meetings via zoom, teams, etc)>Phone>Email>Mail. I feel Hybrid means are dramatically under utilized in sales.
Personal products: Call, Call, Call... emails will do nothing without a starter conversation. Any effort put towards a conversion other than a conversation is pointless. Now you have to find a balance between perseverance and pestering. It's about effectiveness and saturation, which comes down to the Law of Averages. You can do only do the same thing so many times before you have another outcome. With phone calls you have to make a lot less interactions before a sale versus an email. Now if you can send thousands of emails at the push of a button your conversion rate is not as important as you took a blanket approach, but if you're asking between hand typed emails or phone calls... phone calls no doubt.
However, contrary to popular belief, phone calls are not easy and productive sales departments have intensive training and competitive incentives to accomplish higher sales conversions. Sales is not easy, the best are committed and well versed in their crafts, most will tell stories of all the cold calls they've done starting out. I remember getting a letter for the phone book and calling every number in that letter one after another, 100s of phone calls a day and I'd be lucky to get 1 or 2 sales but it was necessary for the position.
Professional products: When I was a plant manager I loathed phone calls and refused vendor visits. Coming from sales for a decade, I wanted to give everyone a shot but at some point my time just didn't allow for it. Mainly because I didn't have time to explain what I need or listen to a list of stuff that could help me. The best salespeople knew my business and how their product would help me. As a business owner, as soon as you register your business you get lit up with calls of products and services for you, I'd usually let them get as far as me asking "Do you know what I do?" and when they say no, I ask how they plan to help me then and that about finishes it. Emails were likely to never be opened.
When soliciting or contacting businesses, knowing what they do and having specific talking points saves time. I would agree phone calls are a better contact method, however it must be effective. It takes a few minutes to research a business and would dramatically increase conversions or at least build towards an email that would get more of a chance of getting looked at. Most effective to least effective modes of contact: In-Person>Hybrid (video meetings via zoom, teams, etc)>Phone>Email>Mail. I feel Hybrid means are dramatically under utilized in sales.
Personal products: Call, Call, Call... emails will do nothing without a starter conversation. Any effort put towards a conversion other than a conversation is pointless. Now you have to find a balance between perseverance and pestering. It's about effectiveness and saturation, which comes down to the Law of Averages. You can do only do the same thing so many times before you have another outcome. With phone calls you have to make a lot less interactions before a sale versus an email. Now if you can send thousands of emails at the push of a button your conversion rate is not as important as you took a blanket approach, but if you're asking between hand typed emails or phone calls... phone calls no doubt.
However, contrary to popular belief, phone calls are not easy and productive sales departments have intensive training and competitive incentives to accomplish higher sales conversions. Sales is not easy, the best are committed and well versed in their crafts, most will tell stories of all the cold calls they've done starting out. I remember getting a letter for the phone book and calling every number in that letter one after another, 100s of phone calls a day and I'd be lucky to get 1 or 2 sales but it was necessary for the position.
Thanks for the thoughtful response Marc! I definitely want to appreciate the effort and skill it takes to be a phone sales person.
Jake
Steph D
Solutions Architect
3
Answers
Updated
Steph’s Answer
Working in sales and learning the value of communication, I vote for continuing to call clients. There is an opportunity to connect with someone on a personal level over a phone call. With emails, communication can be seen as generic and bland. Though conversations with a stranger can be hit or miss, the client knows that someone is taking the time to talk with them 1x1. Then, follow up with an email to recap the conversation.
I know that people may see calls and emails as equal phish threats, but it's far easier to block an email then it is to block a caller who left a genuine voicemail.
I know that people may see calls and emails as equal phish threats, but it's far easier to block an email then it is to block a caller who left a genuine voicemail.
That is a great point! Thank you for the input.
Jake
Alexa Dzubak
Dental assistant
75
Answers
Carmel, New York
Updated
Alexa’s Answer
As a personal opinion, I feel like a phone call initially and following up with texts are the best. I’m not always able to talk on the phone, and sometimes I don’t want to! It’s easier to answer a than a phone call, for me at least!
Ed Wakefield
Sales
2
Answers
San Jose, California
Updated
Ed’s Answer
I think it depends on the situation, if I am in need of a simple transaction - I would prefer to e-mail or work through online. If I am in need of true customer service, advice, or consultation - I would rather speak to a representative.
Thanks for your input Ed! The nature of our business is probably more of a advising kind of transaction.
Jake
Teresa Brzozowski
Workplace Experience
36
Answers
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Teresa’s Answer
Hi Jake,
Contacting customers is tricky business these days, and probably requires more than one method of communications to connect with someone. Depending on the reason for the contact with a customer, one method may be more effective than another. For example, an email may be a good vehicle to provide information about a new product/service, where the customer needs time to digest what you are offering, or perhaps watch a demo or click on a link for more information. If I customer sees value, then sometimes they respond to the email (which is more cost effective than having sales people only do outbound calling). Alternatively, if a sales rep follows up with a call, then at least the customer may have read the email and have insights about the reason for the call. If the sales rep doesn't get the person live (the reality is that many people don't answer their phone these days), they can leave a message and make reference to the email. If the sales rep does have an opportunity to speak to someone live, then the customer may have context for the reason for the call, if they saw the email. Depending on the price point of the service/product you are offering, organizations need to monitor the cost effectiveness of the cost of acquisition of a customer (or selling a new product/service to them). For some organizations, the cost of having sales reps only do calling is not a profitable way for the company, so they may need to consider other types of communications or marketing vehicles to reach customers.
Hope this helps!
Contacting customers is tricky business these days, and probably requires more than one method of communications to connect with someone. Depending on the reason for the contact with a customer, one method may be more effective than another. For example, an email may be a good vehicle to provide information about a new product/service, where the customer needs time to digest what you are offering, or perhaps watch a demo or click on a link for more information. If I customer sees value, then sometimes they respond to the email (which is more cost effective than having sales people only do outbound calling). Alternatively, if a sales rep follows up with a call, then at least the customer may have read the email and have insights about the reason for the call. If the sales rep doesn't get the person live (the reality is that many people don't answer their phone these days), they can leave a message and make reference to the email. If the sales rep does have an opportunity to speak to someone live, then the customer may have context for the reason for the call, if they saw the email. Depending on the price point of the service/product you are offering, organizations need to monitor the cost effectiveness of the cost of acquisition of a customer (or selling a new product/service to them). For some organizations, the cost of having sales reps only do calling is not a profitable way for the company, so they may need to consider other types of communications or marketing vehicles to reach customers.
Hope this helps!
Gary Sims
Channel Manager
6
Answers
Marietta, Ohio
Updated
Gary’s Answer
Good morning Jake! I have been in outbound telemarketing sales for 22 years. As you can imagine, how you reach customers has changed quite a bit. At one point the ONLY option was to call. Now there is email, social media, phone, text, etc. I would start by cold calling if this is a new prospect list. If unable to reach them by phone I would try to find them on social media and reach out. Whether I email or not typically depends on how comfortable I feel with the accuracy of the data on my list. Hope this helps.
Ryan Thon, MBA
Sales
1
Answer
Rochester, New York
Updated
Ryan’s Answer
Hi Jake - Sorry I'm so late on this thread. There are many factors that could play into this answer, much like others have pointed out already.
What I've found to be successful in my handful years of sales is a mixture of different outreach methods - phone, email, social, etc. Some people may be more apt to answer an email than a phone call and vice versa. Regardless of the method, the sales person needs to be clear and concise in the message they are conveying. As I'm sure you know, people tend to lose interest after a couple of sentences - phone or email. Do some research around BASHO and VITO letter techniques, these can be a great framework in creating a concise message.
You also shouldn't limit yourself to just phone calls and emails, LinkedIn and other social media sites (depending on your business) have proven to be effective at connecting with customers / clients. What helped me to diversify my outreach and prospecting was reading the book "Fanatical Prospecting." This book offers actionable insights and templates that you can put into practice quickly.
Hopefully this helps, feel free to reach out if you have any follow up questions!
Good luck!
Ryan
Research BASHO and VITO techniques
Read "Fanatical Prospecting"
What I've found to be successful in my handful years of sales is a mixture of different outreach methods - phone, email, social, etc. Some people may be more apt to answer an email than a phone call and vice versa. Regardless of the method, the sales person needs to be clear and concise in the message they are conveying. As I'm sure you know, people tend to lose interest after a couple of sentences - phone or email. Do some research around BASHO and VITO letter techniques, these can be a great framework in creating a concise message.
You also shouldn't limit yourself to just phone calls and emails, LinkedIn and other social media sites (depending on your business) have proven to be effective at connecting with customers / clients. What helped me to diversify my outreach and prospecting was reading the book "Fanatical Prospecting." This book offers actionable insights and templates that you can put into practice quickly.
Hopefully this helps, feel free to reach out if you have any follow up questions!
Good luck!
Ryan
Ryan recommends the following next steps:
Mélanie N.B.
2
Answers
Updated
Mélanie’s Answer
There have been numerous fascinating answers provided here, which goes to show the wealth of knowledge and perspectives within this forum. Ultimately, the kind of experience you choose as a customer truly determines the outcome. Engaging with a voice server or chatbot might be just what you need for prompt, general inquiries. They're efficient and reliable in those cases and can often leave you pleasantly surprised!
However, when it comes to more complex situations, having the opportunity to interact with a skilled and dedicated human representative can make all the difference. In my own journey as a customer service agent, I've relished handling intricate issues by offering personalized assistance, while utilizing our automatic systems for easier tasks. This approach not only ensured seamless organization within the company, but also guaranteed that our valued customers would never walk away without a solution. Always remember that you deserve incredible service, and together, we can achieve it – whether it's through technological assistance or good old-fashioned human care!
However, when it comes to more complex situations, having the opportunity to interact with a skilled and dedicated human representative can make all the difference. In my own journey as a customer service agent, I've relished handling intricate issues by offering personalized assistance, while utilizing our automatic systems for easier tasks. This approach not only ensured seamless organization within the company, but also guaranteed that our valued customers would never walk away without a solution. Always remember that you deserve incredible service, and together, we can achieve it – whether it's through technological assistance or good old-fashioned human care!
Jacqueline Dotson
4
Answers
Clarksville, Tennessee
Updated
Jacqueline’s Answer
They best way is to reach out to the customer via email and ask them for the appropriate time that is best for them so to have available downtime so that you may reach out to them via phone. So that you can go over and address the issues were the customer feels like listening. You always want to make sure that the customer is relaxed and settled down. So that they want to talked to you so that you are better able to assist them.
carlene silas
1
Answer
Newport News, Virginia
Updated
carlene’s Answer
I prefer calling an agent because online messaging can cause misunderstandings.
Devin Mullen
Customer service
1
Answer
Seneca, South Carolina
Updated
Devin’s Answer
I prefer to speak to an agent personally. I feel like they understand better and can help me more completely when I get the chance to explain verbally whats going on. It can be difficult to explain everything via a chat.
Rebecca Lawson
2
Answers
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
With over two decades of experience as a customer service representative, I firmly believe that direct communication with an agent is the most effective way to handle complex situations that aren't black and white. It's true that typing out chats can be time-consuming and sometimes, not all concerns can be fully addressed. On the flip side, with a live conversation, you have the opportunity to ask multiple questions and get each one answered promptly. However, for less critical inquiries or when seeking more general information, online chat can be a convenient and efficient option.
Michael Torio
Consultant - Data Reporting & Analysis (HQ Finance)
362
Answers
Alpharetta, Georgia
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hi Jake:
Initial contact should be done by emails first. Most companies start with an email campaign first before phone calls are made. This provides the customer a heads up on being contacted and why he or she is being contacted. If the customer responds to the initial email, then this is great and the communication continues. If the customer does not respond, then a follow-up email can be done in 1-2 days with a message at the end of the email to indicate that a follow-up call will follow in another day or two.
An email will be screened by a company's email filtering system and can be flagged as spam since the email came from an external source. External emails can be suspicious and contain viruses and other malicious content and links. So, this may be a reason why a customer has not responded. Companies are very proactive in preventing external viruses from affecting their internal systems and networks.
A phone call can also be screened by the company's filtering system. Or, if a phone number is not recognized by the customer, the customer may not answer the call. If this happens, then it is best to leave a detailed voice message with your contact information, company name, why you are calling and the best days and times to return your call. A voice message should contain detailed information, but brief in length if possible.
It is best to give the customer ample time and opportunity to respond whether by email or by phone call. If a company's department is constantly contacting the customer (email, call, email, call, call, email, etc.), this will be a major turn off for the customer and the customer will cut off all communication all together. After the initial contact with the customer, the ball is in the customer's court to respond or not to respond.
Emails, mail outs, calls and text messages are avenues to contact the customer. One has to know the customer on which communication avenue works best. Some customers favor emails because it allows them to respond on their own time. Some customers prefer phone calls and speaking with a person. Again, one has to know the customer. One style does not fit all. Customization and moderation are keys to successful communication with the customer.
Hope this helps and good luck with your customers!
Initial contact should be done by emails first. Most companies start with an email campaign first before phone calls are made. This provides the customer a heads up on being contacted and why he or she is being contacted. If the customer responds to the initial email, then this is great and the communication continues. If the customer does not respond, then a follow-up email can be done in 1-2 days with a message at the end of the email to indicate that a follow-up call will follow in another day or two.
An email will be screened by a company's email filtering system and can be flagged as spam since the email came from an external source. External emails can be suspicious and contain viruses and other malicious content and links. So, this may be a reason why a customer has not responded. Companies are very proactive in preventing external viruses from affecting their internal systems and networks.
A phone call can also be screened by the company's filtering system. Or, if a phone number is not recognized by the customer, the customer may not answer the call. If this happens, then it is best to leave a detailed voice message with your contact information, company name, why you are calling and the best days and times to return your call. A voice message should contain detailed information, but brief in length if possible.
It is best to give the customer ample time and opportunity to respond whether by email or by phone call. If a company's department is constantly contacting the customer (email, call, email, call, call, email, etc.), this will be a major turn off for the customer and the customer will cut off all communication all together. After the initial contact with the customer, the ball is in the customer's court to respond or not to respond.
Emails, mail outs, calls and text messages are avenues to contact the customer. One has to know the customer on which communication avenue works best. Some customers favor emails because it allows them to respond on their own time. Some customers prefer phone calls and speaking with a person. Again, one has to know the customer. One style does not fit all. Customization and moderation are keys to successful communication with the customer.
Hope this helps and good luck with your customers!
Antonio McCoy
Customer Service
61
Answers
Batesville, Arkansas
Updated
Antonio’s Answer
My personal choice is if it can be resolved online i would go with that. not long wait time, sitting on the phone with hold music, and continue to do what i would prefer to do. Calling into an agent also be frustrating with having to go thru several prompts just to get to a live agent.