The challenge

A global mobile phone service provider with more than 100 million customers was looking for a partner to help grow sales revenue and increase market share to both Consumer and small and medium business (SMB) customers.

The organization identified opportunities to increase inbound call conversion rates, online chat volume, and sales appointments for its consumer and business prospects. It needed a partner with a proven sales track record and industry best practices in sales operations to both improve the quality of appointments for the sales force and interactions via chat.

Our solution

TTEC already had a long-term sales partnership with the client, proving that its outsourced sales team could successfully serve as an extension of the company’s brand. With a mix of on-shore and near-shore teams handling both voice and chat sales activities, it was well placed help the company further grow its sales in traditional and digital channels.

In July 2018, SMB and Consumer programs were launched to include the pre-qualification of appointments for field sales representatives. For SMB prospects, the target was to increase both the volume of appointments and the rate of conversion from leads to appointments. The team analyzed sales data to track associate performance with individual leads and create an optimal flow for a successful conversion based on historical data. In addition, TTEC implemented a new pay-for-performance model to increase sales conversions from the appointments. This was supported by more targeted individual associate coaching and weekly huddles focused on sales skills and near real-time performance data. As a result, a 25% increase in appointments was achieved immediately after implementation of the solution, and SMB sales conversions increased by 110%.

In the consumer arena, sales chat associate performance was deeply analyzed, drilling down to financial impact by individual. Associates and managers could track their performance daily, and managers reviewed data weekly. Compensation models were also changed to focus on specific lines and to boost conversions. A 5% improvement in consumer sales was immediately seen and sustained thereafter.

Another challenge was to boost in-store sales. TTEC contact center associates proactively reached out to consumers via voice to set in-store sales appointments, which had not previously been an area of focus. Associates discussed relevant products and services ahead of time on the call, answering initial customer questions. Then instead of just letting the customer hang up and hoping they would eventually buy, associates proactively set up a specific in-store appointment to encourage the customer to follow through with the purchase. The team could then track purchases and connect them back to the associate interactions.

Daily reporting and feedback by associate was tracked to identify gaps in processes and facilitate immediate coaching, with weekly follow-ups by agent/team.

The results

TTEC’s blend of on-shore and near-shore teams delivered cost-effective solutions to the organization that generated significant revenue for both the Consumer and SMB sectors. For SMB prospects, conversion from Leads to Appointments for increased from 3% in the six months before launch to 25% in the six months after implementation. Sales conversions increased 110% from appointments in the first month after implementation, with sustained growth month over month to date.

On the consumer side, sales via chat channels improved 5 percentage points after implementation and has maintained a positive trend, surpassing previous highs. And thanks to proactive appointment setting outreach, average monthly retail appointments increased fivefold in one year, sales converted from store appointments increased a whopping 795%.