3CLogic's Contact Center Blog

Technology has come a long way to enhance sales and marketing initiatives. From marketing automation tools, to customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, to predictive dialing solutions – the list goes on. And the results speak for themselves when you consider some agents have seen a 400% improvement in productivity and overall efficiency.

But what do those on the receiving end think of these enhanced outreach efforts?

Despite the advancements in technology, the basics of sales and lead conversions have largely remained untouched. For any sales outreach to succeed you need the following:

1. Successfully contact the lead.
2. Provide the prospect a relevant pitch
3. Nurture the lead through to the close.
4. Maintain the relationship.

While conceptually simple, the fact remains many will readily attest to the contrary, with the increasing challenge each modern sales rep faces clearly obvious when you consider the following:

• 80% of sales require 5 follow-up calls after the initial meeting to close
• The average sales rep spends over 6 hours prospecting for leads.
• Sales reps average 8 calls per hour to setup just 1 appointment.

Technology has come a long way to enhance sales and marketing initiatives. From marketing automation tools, to customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, to predictive dialing solutions – the list goes on. And the results speak for themselves when you consider some agents have seen a 400% improvement in productivity and overall efficiency.

But what do those on the receiving end think of these enhanced outreach efforts?

The contact center space is changing. So what should one expect in 2015?

Continued Implementation of Self-Service: Recent studies have shown 67% ofcustomers prefer self-service over speaking to a live representative, which has its benefits when considering self-service interactions are 200-300% less expensive than those handled by a live agent. While the use of live agents is not expected to decrease, the importance and extended use of self-service is likely to be a continued theme next yar.

Growing Deployment of Cloud Infrastructures: By 2015, cloud computing spending is projected to reach 155 billion, compared to 46.4 billion in 2008. And according to DMG Consulting, cloud-based infrastructure is the fastest growing area for the call center industry, predicted to almost double between 2013 and 2015. When compared to premise-based solutions, contact centers based in the cloud have experienced 27% reduction in annual contact center costs and a 35% improvement in uptime. Offering superior reliability, scalability, and cost-savings, cloud adoption shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon and likely to continue its successes in 2014 well into 2015 and beyond.

Consider the Following:

- 20-40% of yearly sales for small and mid-sized     retailers takes place during the last two months of the year
- 40% of consumers begin shopping before Halloween
- Black Friday sales are expected to top $2.4 Billion this year, representing 28% YoY growth

And what does a rise in holiday shopping generally mean for businesses?  More sales, obviously. But it also tends to imply an increase in call volume tied to clients inquiring about purchases, requesting additional support, making inquiries, and also submitting the occasional complaint.