Five Tough Questions to Ask if you are Evaluating ‘Sales’ Centers

There are a plethora of services and products provided by vendors in the direct-to-consumer lifecycle. The ‘inbound sales call’ is arguably the most complex and critical point. If you are evaluating a sales center to handle your inbound sales calls, here are five tough questions to keep them on their toes.

1. Are you a call center or a sales center?
   • If they are just taking orders in a call center, you may want to think hard about whether they are the right fit for your product or service. 
      
2. What agent training processes and programs are in place and how are your agents empowered?
   • Agents are the most critical aspect to converting more sales. If they aren’t investing in agents with SALES training or empowering them for success, start questioning whether you are talking with the right vendor.
      
3. How competitive are your conversion rates AND can you cite specific details on why they are competitive?
   • Ask this question to get an idea of what you can expect for your campaign. Make it your business to know whether they have proof to back it up. 
      
4. How do you account for call flow fluctuations and spikes?
   • You should ask this question to see how the center will address this particular issue. Also, be aware of what processes and systems they have in place to support call fluctuations and spikes. 
      
5. How will you continuously improve the performance over the lifespan of the campaign? 
   • Set it and forget it in the inbound sales environment doesn’t lead to improved conversion rates. Find out what specific activities and provable processes are in place to make the campaign successful in the long run. 

As with any vendor evaluation, you will follow your due diligence. Ask questions outside of the standard requirements to determine how they will improve your sales campaign.