Introduction

Telemarketing solutions have been driving call centres for many years. There has been a change in technology provision recently though with a move to cloud based information technology platforms. This article delves into this technology and provides a guide to cloud based telemarketing solutions.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services, with associated storage through “the cloud”. Cloud computing is developing mass appeal because it uses an approach to corporate data which makes data centres act like the Internet itself (through sharing).

Cloud computing entails complex inter-networking of massive groups of Internet-based Servers together. These Servers share a variety of functions, including shared storage, sharing data processing tasks and providing access to computer resources and services.

Cloud computing logical diagram.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Cloud_computing.svg/663px-Cloud_computing.svg.png

What are Telemarketing Solutions?

A traditional telemarketing system is typically based in a physical location with operatives housed in the same location using the system and mainly making/receiving calls. Management of a telemarketing system has typically involved server maintenance, employment of Systems Administrators, implementation of back-up systems, telecoms equipment maintenance, cabling, telephone lines maintenance and a lot more besides…

Telemarketing solutions provide a wide variety of functions such as:

• Call Management – Various call management functionality is available. This includes place on hold, forward, music options, etc
• Customer service
• Data cleansing and building – Telemarketing solutions incorporate data cleansing and data building modules. These enable new prospects to be added and poor data to be cleansed.
• List management – Telemarketing solutions typically manage a list of contacts. These can be categorised into hot/warm or campaigns, etc
• ROI reporting – This functionality analyses the Return on Investment (ROI) in a number of ways, by campaign, product or telemarketer. This enables the decision making process.
• Telephone integration – Telemarketing systems are always integrated with the main telephone system of the company involved.
• Telesales – Enables telesales where operative contact companies, private individuals and public centre to sell products and services.
• Tracking functionality – This enables all historic calls to be tracked and monitored. This in many countries is a legislative requirement and can also be used in staff training/appraisals, to monitor customer service, to investigate staff abuse claims and/or customer complaints.

Cloud based Telemarketing Solutions?

With the cloud the classic problems of managing a physical telemarketing solution are largely eliminated as the system is virtual and in the cloud.

Here is a list of benefits of cloud based telemarketing solutions:

• Lowers cost by i) opening up more office space, ii) enables lower numbers of maintenance staff to be employed, iii) lowers server and maintenance costs, etc
• Back-up and redundancy are provided through the cloud (removes disaster scenario of a building being destroyed)
• Ability to quickly scale up or down (due to lack of physical infrastructure requirements)
• Easily enables remote agents to use the system
• Typically minimal capital costs and reduced phone lines
• Enables rapid technology refreshes

Conclusion

Most of the telemarketing solutions providers, such as Pro Com, have already now moved over to cloud based systems. We hope you have learned more through this article and now have a richer understanding of what cloud based systems have to offer. Cost savings can be quite dramatic and there are also significant efficiency and agility improvements to be had for enterprises to implement this software.

Image Credits: Wikipedia and vlima.com.