VOIP sales solution sets records

Setting up an entire outbound call centre in less than three weeks is a great achievement. Making 300 sales and establishing a closing rate of 11% in a market standard of 5% is exceptional.

These are the statistics that have two of South Africa's most dynamic young companies excited. When @lantic called on Inter-Active Technologies to undertake the task of marketing its new VOIP offering, Inter-Active Technologies was up to the challenge. Says Inter-Active Technologies Call Centre Manager Edmund Reddy: "The success of this project is a combination of an excellent product from @lantic and outstanding sales training from Inter-Active Technologies."

Inter-Active Technologies Account Manager Sandy Phillips elaborates: "Our training creates a scenario where every sales agent is an ambassador for the client. The @lantic culture forms part of the agent training, along with other soft skills, sales skills and product knowledge. The call centre literally becomes an extension of the client's organisation in a strategy that continues to yield great results."

With a customer base of over 150 000, @lantic is a large player in the consumer ISP market in South Africa. Bringing its VOIP solution to market required agents who not only understood the value of the product, but those that could also convey the message largely in the customer's home language.

Phillips says the demographics of the agents posed a challenge since it narrowed the field for sourcing proficient call centre staff. "Being a specific campaign made it quite challenging. However, the time period taken from client signoff to up-and-running took us a mere two weeks."

Reddy notes that Inter-Active Technologies' specialised outbound sales division is specifically focused on the go-to-market strategy on behalf of its customers. "This division began with our customers expressing a need for call centre support in taking products to market, while allowing them to stay focused on their core businesses."

In answering the call, Inter-Active Technologies has created a dynamic outbound marketing and sales division that deals with diverse markets. "In the case of @lantic," says Reddy, "the sales team is so motivated by the product offering, it feels like you're watching the trading floor of the stock exchange!"

@lantic's value proposition is an ADSL VOIP Phone for R49 a month, which offers users huge savings on calls, as well as rebates. "The @lantic product is superb," explains Phillips, "and is ideally suited to bring to people's attention via well trained call centre staff who are able to answer any questions a potential user may have.

“Training ensures that each agent feels like he or she works for our client, and understands the product in detail. Their excitement about selling is visible - and apparently comes through in their sales calls, too."

Call centres provide a less expensive route than face-to-face sales calls, and Inter-Active Technologies uses proprietary predictive dialler application software that manages the outbound activity and increases agent productivity. "It's efficient and enables us to cope with large volumes of calls daily," says Reddy.

Inter-Active Technologies reiterated that its function is to be an extension of its clients' business, and success for @lantic is success for Inter-Active Technologies.