One of the big disappointments conventional business owners and managers face when using telemarketers for the first time is the staggering amount of employee turnover.
In comparison, if you want to hire someone to provide customer service, especially if they are experienced, you can expect them to be stable. They will probably last six months or a year or two, at the very least.
Hire someone on Monday for telemarketing, and if he’s still on board for Friday, throw a party! You might have someone to last you for a month, or wow, even two!
I’m exaggerating?
Unfortunately I am not.
Why is there so much rotation?
(1) The economy is strong, unemployment is low, and telemarketing jobs are plentiful. This is a “perfect storm” for recruiters. There are not many people available who are not already in the workforce. Those who are available may be returning after a long absence, or they are marginal workers, at best, lacking drive and discipline and with few skills.
(2) Telemarketing is routine. To be productive, you need to keep your nose on the whetstone, and for this reason, I suggest shifts be less than eight hours. Four to five hours can even be exhausting.
(3) Telemarketing is more difficult than most people think. Think of the people you know. How many of them would make it to the top in sales, on the phone or not? Terribly few, I can tell you.
(4) Telemarketing requires a higher investment than management expected. Like a war gone awry, where men and material are consumed at an unimaginable rate, telemarketing units are also rapidly consuming resources. Especially daunting are the ongoing costs of hiring and training. Advertisements in newspapers and online cost a lot, and you have to constantly rewrite them to make your jobs sound fresh and engaging.
(5) Telemarketing, unless done for a radio or television station or a glamorous company or industry, is not a high-status job. People are not going to confess to having done it, unless it can be packaged attractively; In other words, “I do market research for CSB News Radio, in Los Angeles.”
Consider these factors before launching into telemarketing or investing in this area.
And get professional help, from a telemarketing consultant or telesales coach who knows the ropes, right from the start!