From Sales & Marketing Director – Ian Perkins.
Over the last couple of years I have been lucky enough to attend and present at many meetings and conferences around the globe where the focus has been on Customer Centricity and Customer Relationship Management.
At just about all of these events I am asked the same question “Do you think that the telephone call is now dead?”
And my response is always the same “Other than face to face, the telephone is actually re-emerging as the best method of communication”
This nearly always prompts the question “why?”
The answer to “why” is best answered with a number of key points:
Personal and Immediate
We live in an increasingly impersonal world where digital communication methods such as texting, email and social media are common place.
If the person is available, you can engage with them immediately and agree the next steps on the spot, if not voicemail allows you to leave a detailed message. With other forms of communication such as instant messaging, email and texting, you leave a message and only hope to get a response.
Apart from talking to someone face-to-face, a phone call is by far the best way to get a personal response.
Effective
There are 3 components to effective communication. Body language accounts for 55%, tone of voice accounts for 38% and 7% is attributed to the spoken word.
Over the telephone, tone of voice and the emotion given to words increase the effectiveness of communication. Some body language can come through in the conversation as well, such as standing or smiling whilst talking.
Texting and emailing are just words which are open to interpretation by the receiver, and without the benefit of body language and tone often lengthen the communication process, or at worst damage it completely.
Emotional Influence
Some communications should always be handled with a personal phone call. Taking time to make a phone call shows that you care and carries far more weight than an impersonal text or email.
Without the opportunity for clear two-way communication, sensitive issues can often be overlooked and will lead often lead to confusion and frustration. A recent study at Harvard Business School highlighted that the purchasing decisions we make are 95% emotional and only 5% rational.
Other than face-to-face communication, the best way to engage someone on an emotional level is by telephone.
So is the telephone call dead?
Far from it!
Our unique TrackBack service is live in over 30 countries with car manufacturers helping them to measure the effectiveness of the sales lead follow-up process by their dealers.
The results show that the telephone is the most effective method of converting a sales lead into a showroom visit as it allows the dealer to communicate with customers quickly, personally and effectively. Demonstrating that they care and engaging with them on an emotional level.
For more information on TrackBack, visit our website.