Have you ever missed a call from a potential customer and later realized that it could have been a missed sales opportunity?
If so, you’re not alone. In fact, data from the Invoca customer platform shows that about 26% of calls never get answered.
That’s a lot of missed sales opportunities!
“It was year-end when all of us were working hard to meet our targets and close out the year on a strong note.
I was in the midst of a series of calls with clients when I missed a call from a potential customer. I was so focused on trying to meet my targets that I didn’t even realize I had missed the call until it was too late.
When I finally checked my phone, I saw that the potential customer had left a message. I immediately called them back and apologized for not answering their call sooner.
To my surprise, the potential customer was understanding and we were able to schedule a call for the following week.”
But this isn’t always the case.
What if I had missed the call from a potential customer and they ended up choosing to work with one of our competitors?
That would have been my worst nightmare!
But why do missed sales opportunity or calls happen in the first place?
Sometimes, it’s as simple as being too busy juggling multiple calls to answer an incoming one. Or maybe you were in the middle of an important meeting and couldn’t step out to take the call. Or perhaps you were out of the office and didn’t realize you had a voicemail until it was too late.
Whatever the reason might be, in the end, the organization pays the price.
Companies bear the burden of financial losses associated with customer service issues, which add up to a staggering $75 billion a year, according to Forbes.
What’s the cost of ignoring missed sales opportunity or calls in sales?
Missing calls can be a huge problem for businesses. Not only can it lead to frustrated customers and lost sales, but it can also damage the organization’s reputation and result in customers defecting to competitors.
This can lead to a loss of revenue and require additional time and resources to follow up on missed sales opportunity or calls.
In fact, according to a Forbes survey, 39% of customers who experience poor service say they would never approach a company that doesn’t respond promptly.
So, what can be done to avoid missed sales opportunities or calls ?
There are several strategies and solutions that businesses can use to make sure that no call goes unanswered. Also, ensuring no missed revenue opportunities for the organisation.
One traditional method is to simply call back as soon as possible to show customers that you value their time and are eager to assist them. Similarly, using a customer help desk or call answering service can help ensure that calls are answered even when staff is unavailable.
IVR, or Interactive Voice Response, is a technology that allows callers to direct their own calls to the appropriate department or person by listening to pre-recorded prompts. It is used to manage incoming calls and ensure they are directed to the right place.
Most of us are familiar with Voice mails.
But how many of us have enabled them?
It might seem like a small step, but allowing calls to go to voicemail can actually help you avoid missing out on sales!
And don’t forget about Text messages.
Remember the ability to customize messages that can be automatically sent when an incoming call is declined?
This feature could potentially help businesses avoid losing customers. Thereby providing a convenient way to stay in touch and respond to inquiries, even if a call is not answered.
It’s also worth considering some alternative methods, such as :
- Implementing call routing and overflow features to route incoming calls to the appropriate team member or department;
- Training staff to handle calls & customers effectively; and
- Using a customer relationship management (CRM) system to keep track of customer interactions and follow up with potential customers.
- Using AI-based assistants like Toolyt dot, helps to pick a preferred time slot to reschedule missed calls or missed sales opportunity based on your calendar availability, without even having to open the app.
This can help ensure that you never miss an important call from a potential customer again.
Ultimately, the best solution will depend on the specific needs and resources of your business, but implementing a combination of these strategies can help you ensure that no missed sales opportunity occurs for a sale.
So next time you miss a call from a potential customer, don’t panic!
Take action today and start reaping the rewards of better customer service and more successful sales.
Your future sales will thank you!
Happy Selling!
