For many business organizations, B2B lead generation is an all-important aspect to keep their businesses alive and attain growth. It is the force that drives them to improve their strategies and come up with better ideas to attract new prospects. However, there are just some firms that could not properly do lead generation while actively focusing on other equally significant functions such as product or service development, client relations, customer service, etc. Failure in B2B lead generation can compromise the entire business operation.

This is one of the many reasons why more and more companies have sought help from telemarketing service providers. Over the recent years, many firms have developed the enthusiasm to outsource their lead generation services to offshore providers. They have concluded, after thorough discussions and brainstorming, that outsourcing produces results far better than what they could have done on their own.

However, BPOs come in large population these days, making it challenging for firms to decide which outsourcer is best for them. Some firms claim that they offer very low rates while others boast the names of business giants that they have served. But, which is which? How can a business pick the right one?

In choosing a partner, there is a need for an in-depth evaluation. One of the areas where assessment should be focused on is the technology being used by a call center. This, however, depends on many factors, like the size and purpose of the outsourcer, the location and the supported channels (emails, fax machines etc,). For the record, a plethora of technology, applications and tools are needed to operate a call center effectively.
Enumerated below are some of the much-needed technologies.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) application. This is the most efficient tool for creating and maintaining healthy relationships with sales leads and clients. It creates a bond between the telemarketers, the prospects and the clients. For the sales leads, CRM is useful in gathering relevant information which is used to address the concerns of the sales leads. On the other hand, CRM helps clients to know the current progress of the program, hear call recordings made by the agents, learn updates, track reports, and communicate with the people who handle the program.

Campaign management system. CMS is a must-have for all outbound call centers. This is so because this application lets the telemarketers know whom to contact, or to supply with a list of telephone numbers or email contacts. An advance CMS permits callers to record how each sales prospect has replied to a given campaign.

Call recording systems. All contact centers are obligated to possess call recording systems. This set of recording devices captures calls made to sales prospect which allows clients to assess agents' performance. A more sophisticated call recording system does not only capture calls but also related screens utilized to serve the sales lead. The most advanced type, on the other hand, records all types of interactions, aside from phone calls.

Workforce management system. As the name suggests, this application forecasts the volume of calls and other kinds of interaction in a given day. This helps team leaders and telemarketing firm's managers to schedule the number of agents to hire new employees in order to meet projected output, considering other factors such as training classes, agent breaks, vacations, etc.

Computer-telephony integration. This is a system that allows interactions on a computer and telephone to be integrated. It has even expanded to the integration of all channels like email, fax, web and voice with computer systems.

Successful telemarketing can only be achieved when every element is functioning well. When companies have made it clear to outsource their lead generation services through telemarketing, it ought to check carefully the competencies of a chosen service provider. This, then, calls for a meticulous yet fair evaluation of an outsourcer's acquired technology.

Source: Maegan Anderson link