THINK ABOUT THIS:
 

1. Carriers and Dealers spend millions of dollars each year advertising to increase sales, but have no way of tracking and measuring the results of their advertising dollars. No one really knows which ads work and which ones don’t. As a result the same old advertising methods are used in the hopes that some how sales will increase.

 

2. The advertising is geared to drive & point callers to the retail stores, yet 95% of the Wireless Dealer market is not set up to capture a sale over the telephone. Most dealers simply don’t have the equipment and technology to systematically walk through the order & fulfillment/delivery process over the telephone.

 
Let me share some compelling survey results from a recent survey done to over 100 Wireless Dealer retail stores. (A general inquiry from a newspaper ad)
 
 
16% Answered the phone professionally
 
0% Captured Caller data (asked for caller Name & tel #)
 
2% Identified Ad Source (reason why customer was calling)
 
26% Were able to answer specific questions from the Ad
 
9% Invited caller to visit the store (attempted to get caller to come in/the only thing they can do)
 
0% Attempted to close the sale over the phone
 
The end result here is staggering. Where are these leads going? Are your stores any different? Most carriers and Dealers we speak to agree…..this is a major problem that needs to be addressed…..but what can you do about it?
 

1. Start with the basics and subscribe to a service that allows you to track your advertising response rates and capture caller information whether your reps do it or not. 800-Co-op Response does all that and more…..for typically less than 1% of your coop advertising expense….All automated and viewable real time on the web.

 

2. Develop a script and have all your sales people answer the phone the same way. With the 800-Co-op Response program…..all calls into your stores are digitally voice recorded to insure that your reps are doing the job properly. (You can listen to the calls any time with your reps & use as a sales training tool)

 

3. The most glaring effect of the survey is the fact that 0% of the retail stores attempted to close the sale over the telephone. Why? Basically, retail stores are not set up with ability to handle an inbound sales call and walk the customer through the process. They often have customers in front of them and do not have access to a screen & script to capture order data. Consider forwarding inbound calls into a professional call center where they are set up to capture the sale when the customer calls. On average 1 in 4 callers will be closed for a 25% close rate vs 0% currently achieved with the retail stores.

 
In summary, you spend a significant dollars on advertising to increase sales. You need to know what works and what doesn’t, and be prepared to handle these inbound inquiries to maximize your results. 800 Co-op Response tracking is a must have for anyone in this business than is planning to be around for the long haul.