TTMC's proactive approach generates a healthy pipeline of face-to-face appointments for Start Communications

Start Communications is an award-winning UK provider of voice, data, mobile and security solutions based in Sussex. It supports organisations of all sectors and sizes with cloud-hosted technologies that give them the agility they need to thrive. From telecoms to connectivity, the company partners with best-in-class providers including Gamma, EE, O2, Vodafone, Cisco, Yealink and Poly to find solutions that make businesses more efficient. The company prides itself on offering exceptional customer service, fair and transparent pricing and simple straightforward advice and recommendations.

Campaign objective and project background

Start Communications’ success had been built on its strong industry connections and referrals but Directors at the company wanted to adopt a more proactive approach to accelerate growth. They were already aware of The Telemarketing Company (TTMC) as both businesses have a strong presence in Sussex and one Director had used the agency at a previous company. The agency was invited to pitch alongside others for a campaign to generate high-quality appointments to feed Start’s sales pipeline. Having visited TTMC’s offices in Brighton and met with their specialist technology-sector account manager, TTMC was agreed as the best fit for the requirement based on their experience and capabilities.

Project execution

The campaign would focus on how Start could help businesses move to a fully digital network before the analogue PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) is switched off in 2025. The goal of the campaign was to arrange face-to-face meetings with decision makers from local businesses to understand their current setup, uncover their pain points, and discuss how Start Communications might help. TTMC was tasked to source data to match the target audience profile, which was Managing Directors, Directors, and IT Managers within Sussex-based SMEs with 2 – 20 employees.

A briefing took place to cover Start’s Cloud phone systems (VOIP) and the benefits of its services, including additional cost savings, responsive support and clear and accurate billing. Open questions were provided that would help flush out pain points including use of legacy systems, lack of flexibility and unresponsiveness from current providers.

Part of the requirement was for TTMC to gather key information that would help qualify opportunities and better understand customer needs. Profiling questions were therefore incorporated into the call process to capture:

• Name of current provider

• Current contract end date

• Number of users/extensions

TTMC would also gather additional insight including:

• Contract type – annual, fixed, rolling.

• Decision maker authority

• Lead type – mobile, broadband, telephony, mixed

Face-to-face meetings were the priority to give the client the best opportunity to establish a strong, personal relationship at the start of each engagement. Leads were categorised based on that priority so that face-to-face meetings and quote requests were defined as ‘Hot’, Teams calls ‘Warm’, and lower priority leads such as early-stage discovery calls ‘Cold’.

Once the campaign launched, the agent moved quickly up the learning curve and established a good cadence of calls. One of Start Communications’ unique selling points is their flexible and responsive service and a personal touch which distinguishes them from larger competitors. With good local knowledge, the agent was able to establish rapport and present the brand in an authentic way. A matrix of case studies allowed them to highlight similar local businesses close to each prospect that had already benefitted from Start’s service. This approach really helped the campaign gain traction as it established trust and gave the brand credibility at the start of each call.

The client had access to TTMC’s real-time reporting portal to assess campaign performance, download results and listen to call recordings to provide feedback and help coach the agent. Regular reviews took place, and the call approach was continuously refined and improved. The original qualification criteria were also flexed to maximise the potential of each call and take advantage of both immediate and longer-term opportunities. With this continuous optimisation, a good flow of appointments was established to feed Start’s pipeline.

Results

Start Communications has been extremely impressed with the flexibility and commitment demonstrated by TTMC. They have been particularly happy with the agent and their ability to connect with prospects and represent the brand in an authentic and credible way.

During the pilot period, TTMC achieved 115% of target, delivering five results per week, with a large proportion in the ‘hot’ category. The client has already seen a number of sales as a result of appointments completed and has extended the campaign with an increased focus on slightly larger prospective businesses.