tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408Sun, 01 Sep 2024 17:15:43 +0000tipscall center operationssalesnewspaper salesbuilding circulationcustomer servicesubscriber retentioncustomer/subscriber loyaltyclassified ad salescall center outsourcingproject success storieshuman resourcestelephone prospectingonline advertising sales<a href="http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com"><img src="http://users.bandzoogle.com/davecommunicates/files/qc500.jpg"></a><br/><br/>Sharing insights on how to <b>change</b> your customer contact culture, <b>achieve</b> dramatically improved results, and <b>sustain</b> world-class performance.http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)Blogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-9140300119700659422Fri, 07 Oct 2011 21:20:00 +00002011-10-07T17:22:17.892-04:00call center operationscustomer servicecustomer/subscriber loyaltytipsBy Bob Davis Cable companies are faced with competition today like never before. Not only do they have to deal with traditional competitors, they also have competition from content owners, game consoles and cloud-based competitors. All of this has led to the practice called cord cutting. Whether or not you believe cord cutting is just beginning and will gain momentum, it is impossible to arguehttp://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-quality-conversation-helps-keep.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-4098903054716573306Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:31:00 +00002011-09-21T15:38:43.197-04:00call center operationscustomer servicecustomer/subscriber loyaltyhuman resourcesproject success storiestipsBy Bob DavisWe were three weeks into a service-to-sales project in a large customer contact center when I overheard the following comment from an agent passing the training room on her way to the break room.“I wasn’t hire to sell. I don’t care what they say,” the agent said. “I am not going to do it!”This is not an uncommon reaction to change. My company, Robert C. Davis and Associates (RCDA), http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2011/09/quality-conversation-is-key-to-turning.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-74038830683297370Tue, 26 Apr 2011 13:27:00 +00002011-04-26T09:36:32.550-04:00call center operationscall center outsourcingclassified ad salescustomer servicecustomer/subscriber loyaltyhuman resourcesnewspaper salesonline advertising salessalestipsBy Bob DavisOver the last few years, my company—Robert C. Davis and Associates (RCDA)—has been working with newspaper organizations to help them sell multimedia advertising. In some cases we have helped our clients build multimedia sales centers from the ground up. In others, the task has been to train and coach existing inbound classified reps to make outbound multimedia sales calls. Our http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2011/04/driving-newspaper-revenues-higher-how.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-8811853058433737902Tue, 07 Dec 2010 14:25:00 +00002011-01-27T14:12:54.655-05:00call center operationscustomer servicehuman resourcessalestipsBy Bob DavisImagine being, as I was recently, in a 400-seat customer contact center for a major telecommunications company. The vast majority of the representatives do their work in a mediocre, robotic way. Their job is to handle customer service calls and transition them into sales opportunities, but they are demoralized because the last couple of years have been hard on them. They are required http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-one-sales-team-stands-out-one-group.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-5042453934485356227Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:19:00 +00002011-01-27T14:13:51.250-05:00call center operationsonline advertising salessalestelephone prospectingtipsBy Bob DavisRecently, the publisher and vice-president of advertising of a major newspaper sat down with me to listen to the recorded sales presentation by a 20-something online telephone sales rep in the newspaper’s multimedia sales center. It was an eye-opening experience. The prospect, a tire store owner, replied, “Can you send me something that spells all that out? I am having trouble http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2010/11/virtual-ellis-island-selling-online.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-1261572025607855483Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:29:00 +00002011-04-26T10:47:12.724-04:00call center operationshuman resourcessalestipsBy Bob DavisHow many people who work with you really love their work, or for that matter, love life? Many of us work with people every day who hate their jobs. So the question is, what can be done to help them feel better about themselves, what they do for a living, and life itself?Harvard professor William James once said, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2010/11/customer-contact-center-performance.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-4945875656086495294Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:54:00 +00002010-11-23T09:38:26.298-05:00call center operationscustomer servicecustomer/subscriber loyaltyhuman resourcessalestipsBy Bob DavisI had a positive customer service experience on the telephone this afternoon that I want to share because I believe it is an ideal example of how a call center representative can make not only a short-term gain for the company, but begin a long-term relationship that kicks off with a great impression.I wanted to buy a thoughtful gift for someone who is an avid sportsman, and I went tohttp://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2010/10/building-long-term-customer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-5979716396828341320Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:45:00 +00002010-03-09T16:46:55.408-05:00call center operationscall center outsourcingsalestipsBy Bob DavisThere I was, sitting in a customer retention call center for a major phone company listening to a top-performing customer retention rep talking to customers who wanted to cancel their service. The phone company was interested in my observations because of all the customer retention work I have done in the newspaper industry, but I was learning more from them on this day then they werehttp://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2010/03/non-traditional-revenue-sources-could.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-9153918425690840696Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:59:00 +00002010-03-02T14:32:44.635-05:00building circulationnewspaper salessalessubscriber retentiontipsBy Bob Davis A few days ago my wife, Kim, and I were standing in the checkout line at a grocery store. The clerk asked the middle-aged woman ahead of us if she had any coupons.“I wish I had some coupons,” said the woman, who was shopping with her two grown children. “But I canceled my newspaper subscription, and now I don’t have any.”Kim asked, “Do you mind if I ask why you canceled your http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2010/03/printed-newspaper-has-all-value-it.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-4369225110603010526Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:09:00 +00002010-02-18T16:32:24.959-05:00By Bob DavisI was having dinner with a group of some of the best sales people in the world. The occasion was an awards dinner for the best sales people who worked at Morgan Stanley. I was the guess speaker, but as is often the case, I learned more from my audience than they did from me.I sat next to one of the best of the best. Pete earned more than two million dollars in commissions in 2009, http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2010/02/time-to-apply-power-of-prospecting.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-4129828950372686158Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:38:00 +00002010-02-02T11:40:07.789-05:00building circulationhuman resourcesnewspaper salestipsBy Bob DavisIn September 1962, John F. Kennedy was given a tour of Cape Canaveral. During the tour, he stopped to ask a custodian who was vigorously pushing a broom what he was up to. The custodian replied, “I am working to put a man on the moon!” The noble cause for NASA had been clearly communicated. Everyone including the janitor was motivated by the challenge.We are at a crossroads in the http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2010/02/task-before-newspaper-industry.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-1081425973169621305Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:56:00 +00002008-11-13T12:06:49.275-05:00building circulationcall center operationscall center outsourcingnewspaper salessubscriber retentiontipsBy Bob DavisNow more than ever, circulation managers are being asked to do more with less. I’m sure that as you have done and redone your budgets for next year, you have looked for every possible nickel to save yet even more savings are required. So let me suggest a great place to look to cut costs while actually increasing your output. Outsource your retention calls.Now I know that when ask http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2008/11/newspapers-doing-more-with-less-boost.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-6178302670266359606Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:35:00 +00002008-06-11T13:42:14.295-04:00call center operationsclassified ad salessalestelephone prospectingtipsBy Bob DavisLately I have been teaching a group of long-term inbound classified reps I consider to be among my favorites. The other day while I was teaching, a woman in the class who had been with the newspaper for more than 30 years told the group a story about computers being introduced to the department in the 1980s. Back then she and the other reps were afraid they would get cancer working sohttp://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2008/06/outbound-classified-sales-how-to-trade.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-885642712908513720Tue, 13 May 2008 20:35:00 +00002008-05-13T16:54:54.119-04:00call center operationscall center outsourcingclassified ad salessalestipsBy Bob DavisOver the past year or so, based on the needs of some of our newspaper clients, we have begun to provide quality monitoring and mystery caller services for classified advertising sales departments—with very positive results.We have learned a great deal from the experience. In fact, I am thinking about writing a book entitled I Heard What Your Potential Advertisers Had To Say Yesterday.http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2008/05/need-to-know-call-monitoring-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-1213744825328570267Tue, 06 May 2008 18:06:00 +00002008-05-06T14:24:05.363-04:00building circulationcall center operationscustomer servicenewspaper salessalessubscriber retentionDon’t settle for expense when you can have profitBy Bob DavisYour customer service department does not have to be an expense. It can indeed be a profit center. Yes, you read that right -- a profit center! I will explain how in a minute, but first let me tell you a story.I got a call last Monday from my father. He and my mother spend their winters in Florida and they were packing to make their http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2008/05/transforming-customer-service-center.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-2782174578975172793Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:25:00 +00002008-04-29T12:01:48.078-04:00building circulationcall center operationsnewspaper salessalestipsBy Bob DavisPicture a scene in the boardroom of a large newspaper chain. I have just presented a proposal that will require a considerable investment but will deliver a fantastic return. It’s decision time, yet many of the leaders in the room seem only to be looking at their shoes. At last a mid-level manager speaks up. “This is a great idea,” he says. “I think we should do it.” What a hero!Now http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2008/04/take-theodore-roosevelts-advice-dare.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-9032906600232288005Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:49:00 +00002008-03-26T18:14:57.912-04:00salestelephone prospectingtips(This article was originally published in the latest edition of Inside Call Center, published by MacDonald Advertising Services.)By Bob DavisI love the story of the old-time logger who had always done his work with a two-blade axe. His son left the Maine woods to go to college, and while he was away he sent his father a gas-powered chainsaw. The son called home to ask how his father liked it. Hishttp://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2008/03/making-cut.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-6495366589579708455Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:50:00 +00002008-01-21T11:47:47.247-05:00call center operationsclassified ad salescustomer servicesalestipsA great future for newspapers rests on an effectiveness-versus-efficiency mindsetBy Bob DavisI was very impressed last month when I read about how real estate mogul Sam Zell (photo - Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University) rode in like the new sheriff in town as the new Chairman and CEO—and new majority shareholder—of Tribune Company in Chicago.One of his statements in particular http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2008/01/impressed-by-tribunes-new-sheriff.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-1929714954617304615Tue, 06 Nov 2007 19:45:00 +00002007-11-06T14:58:57.559-05:00call center operationsclassified ad salessalestipsReps who shift their focus find no shortage in ad businessImagine the scene: a newspaper advertising team is gathered for an end-of-day celebration. They form a semi-circle around a large whiteboard. There are cheers and jeers as each rep reports prospecting success and sales results for the day. Kathy, a long-time real estate rep writes $15,000 on the board as her results for the day. She turns http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2007/11/power-of-prospecting.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-1004499070822322425Tue, 06 Nov 2007 19:43:00 +00002007-11-06T15:56:19.620-05:00building circulationcall center operationscall center outsourcingcustomer servicecustomer/subscriber loyaltynewspaper salessubscriber retentionNewspaper with growing circulation points to the value of follow-up on service errorsRecently I’ve been working in the customer service department of a large newspaper that holds the distinction of growing circulation. Sure, it has the benefits of a growing market and a good product, but the same is true for many newspapers with declining circulation. So what makes the difference? This newspaper http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2007/11/high-return-on-investment.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-1567786009946480823Mon, 01 Oct 2007 16:21:00 +00002007-10-17T16:11:39.643-04:00building circulationcall center operationscall center outsourcingcustomer servicecustomer/subscriber loyaltynewspaper salessalessubscriber retentiontipsThe key is to partner with vendors in focusing on the behaviors that drive desired resultsDemand for outsourced call center services is rising fast in the newspaper industry. The Newspaper Association of America reports that 60 percent of all newspapers outsource at least some of their sales efforts. While outsourcing has been common in sales for some time, the industry is turning increasingly tohttp://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2007/10/with-right-approach-outsourcing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-5322841516741767255Wed, 29 Aug 2007 20:10:00 +00002007-08-29T16:30:49.509-04:00call center operationscall center outsourcingclassified ad salesnewspaper salessalestelephone prospectingtipsFive winning steps net sales from current non-advertisersGiven that newspapers earn between $25 and $85 per contact on outbound calls to classified advertising prospects, it makes perfect sense that we should be making as many outbound calls as possible. But once we get those prospects on the phone—particularly those who are non-advertisers versus expired listings—how do we maximize our sales http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2007/08/maximizing-classified-ad-sales.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-6335684532059686195Wed, 08 Aug 2007 17:22:00 +00002007-08-08T14:19:14.603-04:00building circulationcall center operationsclassified ad salescustomer servicecustomer/subscriber loyaltynewspaper salessalessubscriber retentionAs newspapers strive to protect their bottom lines, I hear a lot of talk about efficiency. Should we centralize our operations? Can we outsource call center operations at a lower cost than we can handle it in-house? Should we send our work overseas? Yet I believe we should focus on growing top-line revenue—on effectiveness instead of efficiency.Let me give you a few examples.Call abandon rates http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2007/08/putting-effectiveness-before-efficiency.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-8603643847654845134Wed, 27 Jun 2007 07:01:00 +00002007-06-26T18:04:29.893-04:00building circulationcall center operationsnewspaper salessubscriber retentiontipsNewspaper Next produces excellent foundation for actionWhen the American Press Institute undertook Newspaper Next to research and test new business models for our industry, the overall goal was to find ways for newspapers to survive the “strategic inflection point”—the recent period of disruptive changes including declining circulation, rising costs and downward revenue trends. This well http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2007/06/strategies-for-success.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518198976431031408.post-4578739777682621943Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:56:00 +00002007-06-08T17:09:53.216-04:00classified ad salessalestelephone prospectingtipsBy focusing on dials and quality conversations, reps reach more prospects and sell more newspaper adsNewspapers earn between $25 and $85 per contact on outbound calls to classified advertising prospects. The problem is, newspapers are not talking to enough prospects.Not the only game in town anymoreThe world is changing fast for the newspaper industry, and nowhere is this change more apparent http://bobdavisarticles.blogspot.com/2007/06/more-contacts-more-ad-sales.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bob Davis)0