Good (not cheap) Telemarketing

By Alicia Orr Suman

Have telemarketers gotten nicer? As a member of the direct marketing community, I have not put my name on the state Do-Not-Call (DNC) list. And I've noticed of late an increased level of politeness from the people who call me on the phone to sell some product or service. Is this my imagination?

The answer to that question isn't really important. But it raises a point: With fewer names in their calling pools—as a result of more Americans asking that their names be put on DNC lists—telemarketers should be doing all they can to make sure every call is maximized.

Even more importantly, marketers certainly can't afford to tick off people to the extent where they run to add their name to the DNC rolls.

I asked telemarketing and customer service expert Liz Kislik of Liz Kislik Associates for her take on what impact the growing DNC presence is having. Kislik: "I can't really say whether telemarketers are going to be more concerned and sensitive; but boy, I certainly can say that they should be."

Making It Work

"Sensitivity" has two meanings in this case. First and most important is compliance with all laws and regulations. Resources such as Call Compliance's online Regulatory Guide (www.cci.regulatory- guide.com) and The Direct Marketing Association's guide, "10 Steps to Making a Sale under the FTC's New Telemarketing Sales Rule" (the-dma.org/guidelines/tsr.pdf) may help.

But beyond compliance, the key to the continued viability of this medium rests in the hands of the reps who make the calls: How do they come across to the consumers on the other end of the line?

What's needed is "training of call center employees, at all levels," says Joseph Sanscrainte, director of Regulatory Affairs/General Counsel at Call Compliance Inc.

What kind of training do today's reps really need? Kislik says the most important thing for reps is listening skills. "Listening to understand, not just to figure out which thing to say next. Really understanding benefits and value propositions. Learning how to express them persuasively, which might or might not involve scripting. Learning how and when to back off—how to be nice!"