Book Description

Stephan Schiffman's sales training guides have sold so many copies because they give sales people proven tools they can use to increase your sales. Cold Calling Techniques is the ultimate guide to creating new sales-one of the most critical skills you need. If you want to increase your sales, you must get good cold calling to get the face to face appointments you need. Cold Calling Techniques features field-tested techniques for reaching decision-makers, making appointments, and making your pitch-as well as invaluable advice on how to increase the number of calls you can make, improve your closing ratio, and beat your competition. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

On The Money
Rayw331's review is pointless and inaccurate. Only trust it if you wish to take advice from someone who can't spell the word "reality" (I think "realty" is the organizations that buy and sell real estate). This guy obviously does not deal with real professionals on a daily basis and must simply be an annoying telemarketer. I have been dealing with professionals for over 10 years and I can tell that "canned" scripts DO NOT WORK! Intelligent professionals want to be treated as just that and getting right to the point and letting them know exactly why you are calling is indeed the best way to approach another professional as the author of this book points out. I've read several books on this subject and attended more training seminars than Rayww331 has brain cells and never have I heard anyone be so straightforward as Mr. Schiffman. Most others wanted you to employ tricks and schemes (some of which the author points out) to set appointments and to close sales which are ridiculous and just plain don't work. I've had more success with this book than with any other method. If you are a serious business professional and not just a telemarketer pushing Ginsu Knives or telephone long distance plans, this is a great book.

Not bad, not great
I have read several cold calling books and I was delighted to find that someone has tried to simplfy the cold-calling process. There were some features in the book that I have overlooked in the past in my calls. However, the indended audience of this book is not telemarketers and the book never claims to help this group of people, so I dont know why everyone else is crucifying it in their reviews. The book is intended for sales consultants who need to set up in-person meetings to demo a product or service, nothing more, nothing less.

Where the book fails is to assist people who need to make cold calls to sell, but do not have the luxury of being able to go on face-to-face meetings. Much of my business depends on selling smaller accounts over the phone and for this the book is useless other than to perhaps begin a dialect.

The author is simply trying to assist salespeople who want to set up more meetings to do so and his short and direct approach I think accomplishes that and there are several corrections to mistakes that I constantly made before I read the book.

Its worth 9 bucks, but like I said, it was not meant for telemarketers or phone only sales. Besides, am I to believe that anyone with any real sales skill is selling via telemarketing to peoples homes while they are eating dinner.

Simple, Very Useable
This was my first book on the subject of cold calling, and I admit I still am not as well read on the topic as some of the other reviewers may be. The book does boil cold calling down to a very basic and straighforward level, which may offend some who want to believe that in order for a strategy to work it has to be complex. Personally, I think there's enough innate complexity in life, we should not look for strategies that incorporate it as well.

The techniques are straightforward, and contrary to what Bob from New York will tell you, the author does not advocate gimmicks, in fact he admonishes the reader not to use them. This book should be read and considered by anyone interested in cold calling.

w f depp

Great for Start-Ups
This book is a BASIC easy to read text. I was able to read it in one evening. I strongly recommend this book for the sales consultant who needs to use the telephone to set up face-to-face meetings.

Remember this is just a basic book -- don't buy if you're looking for excuses why your sales prospecting isn't working. Read the book -- try Stephan's easy to follow method -- watch the appointments increase.

A so-so guide to cold calling...
It's an OK book if you are completely new to cold calling. If you've had any experience with it, look elsewhere since this book is just about the basics. But since I got it really cheap using a coupon from UnderTag.com, I can't really complain. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the only book available today that provides a very readable, step-by-step guide for managing an incoming call center. The book combines theory with practical advice and is filled with over 100 charts and graphs, several case studies and an extensive glossary and index. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Book for all business people
This book is for everyone in the business world, not only for call center managers. All organizations of all sizes are closing the gap between businesses and customers. And the main customer contact point, call center, is coming into a spotlight as the centerpiece of businesses. This book introduces readers to call center management practices, the good and the bad. It also point out the factors that are changing call centers, their functions and people who work in them. Its insight into some of the technology changes help readers grasp their importance in the context of everyday operation. Fast reading.

An excellent overview in Call Center Management
I love this book, it provides an excellent overview on a myriad of call center topics, including staffing, forecasting, metric assessment and performance review. It definitely proved to validate some of the observations and concerns that I had regarding my own call center.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a reference on call center management, or any person new to the field of call center management. The book is very well formatted to be used as a stand alone reference or a cover to cover read, each chapter is very thorough in explanation without going into excruciating detail or debate.

This book will help you do your job better!

Wow! So This is How Call Centers Work!
I've generally been an IT Director and Project Manager, so I read this book to get a better idea of my customers' needs. I was pretty excited to discover that there's at least one good summary of what call centers do and how they do it. For my own sake--and perhaps yours--here's my summary of Brad and Julia's summary:

1. Incoming call center management is the art of having the right number of skilled people and supporting resources in place at the right times to handle an accurately forecasted workload, at service level and with quality.

2. Though average call load may be predictable, calls arrive randomly--which means that they often bunch up.

3. A service level is defined as "X percent of calls answered in Y seconds", not as "X percent answered" or "Average Speed of Answer". (The ASA is skewed by the bad times when calls bunch up.) Abandonment rates matter, too, but fixing abandonment problems usually means fixing service levels.

4. Service level and quality don't conflict. If you try to fix service level with poor quality, it comes back to bite you with more calls and demoralized reps.

5. A good forecasted call load--including talk time, after-call work, and volume--is critical for budgeting people and circuits. Often, a good forecast should predict load by the half hour, using previous data, knowledge of upcoming plans, and good judgment.

6. To determine staffing needs, use a variation of the Erlang C formula. Its input is the number of reps, number of callers forecasted, and the time to serve each caller; its output is a prediction of waiting time. (Even better, add an input for response time, and you'll get the percentage who'll wait longer than that!) If agents have different skills, you'll need forecasts and calculations for each set of agents.

7. More staff, less waiting, fewer phone lines for people on hold. Less staff, more waiting, more phone lines. Formulas exist for phone lines, too.

8. Not everyone scheduled is always working on customer service. Schedule accordingly. Be clever about work schedules to get the right number working at the right time. Service level results tell you whether you got it right.

9. If you have too few reps on duty, queues get long (service level goes down), more circuits are needed, and customers get frustrated, sometimes abandoning the call. If you have too many reps on duty, you spend too much paying for them to wait.

10. Give senior managers good reports, but make sure they understand the points above.

11. Monitor the number of calls in the queue and the longest current wait. Service level and other metrics tell more about the past than the present. Be ready with plans for unexpected load (reassigning, rerouting, delay announcements, busy signals).

12. There are lots of tools and graphs to measure aspects of quality. Use them to identify root causes, not beat your employees. Reps should adhere to schedules, and do good work. Use monitoring capabilities to coach. Measuring based on "calls per hour" is unreliable, and invites cheating.

13. Customers are getting more demanding, automated systems are taking the easy calls, so reps have to be better trained and more skilled.

14. Create a good environment that uses technology well.

The book was written in 1997, and I don't know whether it's been updated. The authors have some commentary about email-based, web-based, and CTI-based systems, but the next edition might want to say more about the similarities and differences between those and the traditional call center.

Overall, I'm happy to understand more about the math and science behind this discipline. As another reviewer commented, it's clear that IT Help Desks have something to learn from the Call Center experience.

Call Center Management ~On Fast Forward
We were in the process of re-organizing our call center and based on the excellent reviews that I read, I choose this book. Well, the reviews were right. This book is excellent. It is very well written and explains all aspects of organizing and analyzing a Call Center. We have ordered a total of 6 copies and they are being utilized by the V.P. of Operations, Operations Manager, IT dept, and the Customer Service Dept.

Comprehensive handbook for management
The perfect book for the people that are managing the call centers. Especially when call center is just a part of your responsibility and you need a comprehensive and ehhaustive in-depth description of call center activities. Great book. Good for both excecutives to understand what the call center managers are doing (even in terms of languages they speak, very usefull, if you are not able to undestand sometimes the cc managers you need the book) and call centers managers in order to understand how to present their work to the executives. ... Read more

Book Description

This 217-page book is for anyone who ever has to call a total stranger who has never heard of you or your company, and you're trying to ask him for money, an appointment, or get an information package in his hands on the initial call.

It's for the person whose paycheck is dependent upon producing sales. It gives hundreds of ideas and concepts showing you how to sell in a systematic and intelligent manner, learned from years of selling in the trenches. What you read today, you use today. No filler, just time-tested technique after technique.

See three actual chapters from the book on voice mail, screeners, and opening statements.

If your competition reads this book and you don't, you or your sales force won't stand a chance. This is a must read for anyone who wants to know what the top sales reps are doing by phone.

Here Are Just a Few of the Hundreds of Tips

• How to write an effective opening

• Answers for any type of objection

• Callback scripts that close the sale

• Leaving voice mails that get results

• How to find hot leads

• Selling on the inbound call

• How to get quality referrals

• Sure-fire closing techniques

• How to steal accounts

• How to get past screeners

• Great questions to ask

• How to prospect painlessly

• Selling large accounts

• Why you should raise your prices 25%

And much more! ... Read more

Reviews (86)

Packed with hundreds of useful tips
I attended a 1 hour speech by Joe Catal on what it takes to be successful in phone sales, and what it takes to have a successful phone room. Like everyone else there, when he was finished speaking, we all made a mad dash to buy his book. The [small monetary] investment literally saved me thousands of dollars. There's a lot more to selling by phone than people think. Joe's book takes you step by step through the entire process from ordering leads, to script development and much more. We'll written and straight forward. Because of his book, I now have 5 reps selling business to business that are doing well using his techniques. Joe speakes the truth about being in trenches. He's a bit rough at times, but his techniques are solid.

Excellent Book, Excellent Seminar
Since the book came out, the author has updated his prospecting method. He now uses a 6 step process to prospect for maximum results. I was lucky too attend one of Catal's seminars in South Florida. I can honestly say, if you sell a product by phone business to business you can close in 1-3 calls, the seminar's a must. The book was great, but the seminar ties it all together. I literally consider the author to be the Guru of the 1-3 call close. No one even comes close. His system is light years above the rest. It's really a system by the people for the people. The author simpy uses the best techiques he's developed, or other peoples ideas. I suggest you hire this guy for your next company spokes person. When you're finished with his seminar, you'll have your own personal training manual. This guy's for real. A bit brutal, but honest and funny. If you're a franchise, I'd pay him 200K a year to go from office to office to train your people. Someone needs to get this guy off the street and working for their organization. A forutne 500 co. would make a killing off him. The author's a little secret gem that hasn't been discovered yet. Buy the book, it will be well worth it.

Tested salesmanship methods
A few things struck me about this book.

1. It teaches you when to say "No" to suspects. I learned from it to be more discerning with whom I am talking. This book tells you how to determine, in minimum of time, if you are talking to someone who can buy from you (even if the other party won't admit that he's not interested or that he doesn't have the authority to buy). Like they say on Wall Street: "fill or kill".

2. It gives you tips to help you establish your authority early in the call. How to deal with various brushoffs (more or less graciously).... When it's better to be direct, or even blunt... It's not just one style of selling, but rather a mix of hard- and soft-sell techniques that can be adapted to the situation.

3. It gives you specific expressions to use. Short sentences that sound natural and go past the initial indifference and suspicion of people... I'm studying it to learn how to keep the flow of conversation so that it doesn't seem contrived, and how to go from one idea to another in a natural way so that I don't sound like a telemarketer.

4. There's indeed no filler. Just lots of ideas about prospecting, presentation and closing. Some may not apply to your work, but you can extract the priciples. I've read this book two times and I open it almost every day. You must read it - now!

All gems... really great. Worth every penny
I've been doing a bunch of jobs, CSR, Techie,
Help Desk, LAN ADMIN, telcom sales, upselling for
existing customers, etc. And, as such, the more
I learn from books, the more I know how valuable
my own personal career experience is, and the more
I guess that there's a lot more to learn and master
in this craft than anyone can imagine.

Think about moving from a bicycle speed, to tractor
speed, to car speed, to high performance roadster,
to airplane, to rocket ... this is how a sales

star evolves ...all the while, staying within the
bounds of acceptable phone behavior in terms of
honesty, truthfulness, not deceiving, not lying
obviously, and generally, being nice on the phone.
The big difference, is SPH, and getting a lot more
done, in a small period of time.

In this regard, Joe Catal's book, SALES FROM THE
TRENCHES is really great.

I take it with me all the time to work. In the beginning,
I figured my collegues might take me as an amateur
for needing a book on my desk, while I work...after a while,
and meeting and exceeding all targets imposed on me, as a sales
rep, and mainly because I often have 2 jobs and work 13 hours
a day sometimes, and boredom, I take Joe's book with me to
work ...it really keeps me awake, amused, and I keep trying
out the rebutals, techniques that are new all the time.

Most of them work marvelleously...for example, "are you
prepared to DENY your family so-and-so priviledge ?" or
"I've been in the business for a while. When I'm told me
a customer like yourself, that you need to think about, it's
often because of the price. The price is too high, right ? How
much too high ? " etc. etc. etc.

All gems...

The other comments, about super-stars being a different breed
from other people punching in the clock and behaving like the
GRIM REAPER and often getting rewarded for being among the worst
possible employees in the company, bringing everyone down, even
the top performers, also rings true. I've been in the business,
sales, for under 3 years, and Joe Catal is on the money.

I think the GOOD MONEY is not in sales or telemarketing, but
higher in account management and project management, by the way.

Thanks Joe! Worth every penny !

excellent book
I've been a telesales rep and I've trained and managed more than 100 reps over the years. The book does a great job of combining telesales skills and sales fundamentals. ... Read more

Book Description

If you’ve got ten minutes a day, you can make a telesales breakthrough!

By providing one concise, easy-to-read chapter for each daily coffee break, Stephan Schiffman’s Telesales, Second Edition has the power to transform your career and help you post noticeable increases in your numbers in just ten working days and transform your career after a mere twenty-one.

Stephan Schiffman has coached thousands of sales teams across the country to improve their telesales performance. He knows exactly what works and doesn’t, and in this completely revised second edition, he shares with you all of his insider’s secrets, including how to:

·Master the five ways you can increase your income

·Track your numbers . . . and use them to your advantage

·Evaluate your performance effectively . . . so you hit your own goals

·Gain control of the call

·Leave effective phone messages

·Use "how" and "why" questions to your advantage

·Learn what’s going on in the prospect’s world

·Understand the four types of negative responses . . . and find out how to get past each one

·Turn small adjustments in your performance into large income gains

By spending just minutes a day with this one clear, concise book, you can learn everything from creating a script; to recognizing when not calling a prospect can increase your sales productivity, to practicing the ten traits of world class salespeople. In this highly competitive world where the obstacles against telemarketers continue to become increasingly daunting, you can’t afford not to have these tools in your sales arsenal! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

AN EXCELLENT BOOK
From Joe Catal. Author of "Telesales Tips From The Trenches".
For those of you who have read my book, you know I like the no nonsense approach to selling.
This book has some of the best sales techniques I've come across in a long time. The up-dated version of the book is very clear and concise and with many examples.
Steves "LEDGE" technique is one I highly recomend, and use myself.He also has a very powerful voice mail message that will get at least 50% of your calls returned. And I'm being conservative here!
I really liked this book, and know you will too.
Buy it, you won't be disappointed.
Joe Catal.
Great job Steve!!!!

This is excellent for a true telesales professional
Absolutely excellent book that (refreshingly) covers the more than just the technique but gives you the brutal honest truth that a lot of success is tied to the "blocking and tackling." In other words, you can have the best technique in the world but if you don't sit down and make the calls, it really doesn't matter.

Packed with Knowledge!
Stephen Schiffman, one of the most renowned sales trainers, discusses how to assess your current performance and then increase your sales. If you've read Getting to Closed, skip the first section or just consider it a useful review. From Getting to Closed, you already know his techniques for tracking your numbers and understanding your ratios. He offers insight on how to move from initial contacts to prospects to sales and how to continually delve for new customers while working with your most promising leads. What really makes this book sing are the short, bite-sized chapters and concluding action items that help you implement and practice each axiom. Schiffman's succinct, breezy style makes this a quick, easy read. You'll also find his examples of phone conversations and responses helpful as a guide to adapt to your own situation. We from getAbstract leave this message: call Shiffman into action to increase your sales as you put these steps to work. ... Read more

Book Description

"Getting the Most out of Every Phone You Own" is the first chapter of this book -- but it's more than just an optimistic beginning.The Complete Guide to Telemarketing Management describes how to make maximum productivity an attainable and realistic objective.This all-inclusive sourcebook covers every aspect of running a call center from start-up through day-to-day execution.The author explores all the vital issues a manager confronts, and shows you how to:
-Make the most of telemarketing's unique advantages and requirements.
-Target and develop "ideal" prospects.
-Script every stage of a call, develop a script, and answer objections.
-Fully utilize your human resources through effective hiring, training, compensation, and positive feedback.
-Design and maintain a profitable call center.
-Avoid ethical and legal problems connected with fundraising, calling hours, monitoring employees, and unsolicited calls.

Filled with dozens of sample scripts, forms, training formats, charts,and case studies, this complete telemarketing call center tool kit will help you mobilize your operations - and maximize your profits - in every way. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This book is essential for any sales and marketing library
This book is the most frequently referred to book in my sales and marketing library. This volume is a logical, well thought out step-by-step guide (complete with sample forms and dialogue guides) to successful telemarketing management.

However, what is unique about this volume is that it moves telemarketing into the 21st Century. It removes the "canned" mediocre, scripted pitch approach from telemarketing and replaces it with customer dialogue guides and relationship selling concepts, which make sales, qualified appointments and strong customer relationships.

This book is essential in understanding and implementing profitable customer relationship selling in any business or call center.

Practical, informative guidebook for any inside sales depart
This book gaves a thorough outline of the Inside Sales process. From start to finish, Joel gives the reader a handy guide to starting up and successfully managing a tele-center for your organization.

Includes not only how to hire, but who to hire, what technology to have in place, what scripts to have - how to write them - almost everything to help you in your efforts to begin a telecenter. Business executives will love the easy reading "how to" format of this guide as well as the on-going suggestions and motivation for continual improvement. I recommend this book to all sales managers who use telesales as an important part of their business success! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is GREAT!
We ordered GREAT Call Center Manager after ordering Dan's other book Building Call Center Culture. How to become a GREAT Call Center Manager is wonderful. Very thought provoking question and answer sections about call center management. Worksheets that drill down to the call center manager and supervisor role. And 45 neat quick tips. I like it because it is all about the people, the managers and team leaders and supervisors and how to manage the call center well. Good job! ... Read more

Book Description

Who says telemarketing has to be torture, or that you have to be pushy to succeed with it? This book teaches you how to cold call using a consultative style. Learn how to feel way more comfortable making cold calls and how to prevent the urge to throw the phone out the window. Learn when telemarketing makes sense, and when it doesn't! And discover how to create effective, uncanned scripts. If you need more business, especially if you've tried telemarketing before, this is the book for you. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Cold Calling Dentistry
This is the best book ever on the subject of telemarketing and prospecting...often (and sadly) referred to as COLD CALLING. Written with a sense of humor and a healthy balance in the reality checkbook, it steers clear of the canned script ideas perpetuated by so many of the "sales-gurus" and focuses on achievable goals (just making the call is seen as a success) and realistic, friendly dialogue with the person on the other end. What I enjoyed most is Ms Greene's "angle" that the caller not be so-damn-clever and put him/herself in the listener's place and make the process enjoyable and informative as opposed to adversarial. Read the book, visit the website, subscribe to the free e-sales-tips and take advantage of the author's offer for a hour of free coaching. What a bargain! A fun, fresh and human approach to a necessary element of building a contact base.

Great Book, Great Coaching
I initially "browsed" this book because of the title. Yes I would rather have a root canal than do cold calling was my thought at the time. I bought the book because of the content, her consultative style of writing and her practical suggestions for taking on the task of prospecting and cold calling.

I have recommended the book to business associates for one other additional reason-purchase the book and get an hour of sales coaching as part of the deal. Shawn is excellent at applying her insight, experience, and knowledge to my business issues-selling Internet marketing solutions. She takes the concepts presented in the book and gives additional guidance on the realistic application to my situation.

Buy the book for the cold calling framework, take advantage of the coaching for the practical application to your business situation-both are well worth the time and money.

A must read for anyone dealing with the "Do Not Call" issues
Big help for anyone dealing with "do not call"! There's no writers fluff
>or tired stories filling these pages. This wonderful book gets right down
>to business. Shawn Greene provides
>refreshing tips and ideas, even scripts you can use right now. In short:
>improved results with less time and effort today. This book is a delight
>to read, you'll find yourself taking it with you wherever you go and
>telling everyone one you know about this rare find. The author adds value
>with free advice on her website and will even answer individual questions.
>
>Howard J (Buzz) McKeever
>Financial Advisor

GREAT!
awesome, cool, all around perfect! it shows you that cold-calling can ACTUALLY be OK. it helped my mom get out of the times where she thought about quitting her job all around just because of cold calling!

A very useful book....
I have read them all. Always looking for an edge or a way to get better. I was having some serious problems getting through a slump while suffering from some heavy call reluctance; I came across this book, and it is a jewel. The author manages to capture just about every issue facing anyone that has to get on the phone. One idea is worth the price of the book, and there are alot of ideas in this book. And the author walks the talk.. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (5)

Too Basic
Not a bad book, but too basic for anyone but a real beginner in telephone selling. Contains a few pieces of good information, but not worth spending money on this book for the small return on investment. Get it from the library if you must read it. Spend money on books for your library that you'll refer to again and again such as Successful Cold Calling by Lee Boran, High Probability Selling by Jacques Werth, and I'd Rather Have a Root Canal Than Do Cold Calling by Shawn Greene.

Impressive TITLE!
Impressive TITLE is ONLY what this book it is all about. The author Robert W. Bly begin terrifying the lectors by narrating negative remarks about our economic in general. Scaring the enthusiastic entrepreneurs to Fly Solo.

Great Starter or even Refresher.
I found the book an easy read and there were a few important nuggets that made the book worth the money. I have been selling for years and prospect and provide customer service via phone, but most of my 'selling' occurs in person. This book focuses on selling on the phone. Bly makes this distinction up front between telemarketing and teleselling, which I found helpful.

If you are new to telesales and need help really putting some framework to your day, this is a great book to start with and then move on.

The reason I did not give this book 5 stars is because there were no "Aha's" in it. But I will give it to my new salespeople and have them read it.

Buy all books from Robert Bly... except this one
Bly is a GREAT author and consultant on: direct mail, copywriting, writing in general, selling services and consulting services, business-to-business marketing. This book reflects what a marketing oriented copywriter might say about a field he's not intimately experienced with.

This book is appropriate for someone in the consulting area that is just beginning telephone sales. For someone who is already doing it, or has a small library of books in this area... you might be disappointed.

However, BUY ALL THE OTHER BOOKS BY BLY... and I'm serious. He is a great author on marketing and copywriting. Some of his other works are real gems (like the ones on business-to-business and direct marketing). I get the feeling that he wrote this book to flesh out his line of marketing books, and that has weakened it.

The better books in telephone selling are done by people who do it day in and day out. I bought all the materials from Bill Good, and also from Art Sobsczack (sp?) who has a newsletter is especially good for professionals. The kind of person who writes this kind of book needs to be a SALESMAN first, and a marketer second because most of the problems deal with tactical issues. Selling with paper (direct mail) is a different kettle of fish than figuring out what to say the gatekeeper.

John Dunbar

The Best Book Out There For Anyone Selling Over The Phone!
For someone just starting out in the sales business or someone that has been doing it for years, this book will be considered your bible. It gives you over 200 pages of pure useful information that you can put to test immediately. If you want to learn cold calling, scripts, techniques or just where to start, then this book is guaranteed to give you all the information you need and then some! Try it and see for yourself. No telephone salesman should be on the phone without first checking out this book. IT'S GREAT! ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A must read for anyone in the business!!!
I've read this book twice and took notes the whole way through. Very well written. It's clear the author understands the call center inside and out. His techniques on how to supervise people are well thought out. The books deals with the human element of call centers, and that's what the call center is all about. Very on the money! I'm buying copies for my team leads."

Very Informative Book
I found this book to be right-on-the-money. It covers people to people skills real well. The book is all about call center supervision. It's real life. More importantly, there are literally dozens of fantastic tips that call center managers can utilize to manage and motivate their teams. I found Building Call Center Culture to represent every call center I've ever been in!

Helpful for newbies like me
I'm a new call center director, and have enjoyed this book, and taken it to heart. I plan to use a lot of the ideas in the book in our call center. It has accelerated my knowledge by years, probably. I'll probably make fewer mistakes thanks to the insights he relates.

Very informative!
I manage call center agents and I found the motivational tools and training programs to be very helpful. There are several books about call centers that I have read. This book speaks directly to the call center manager.

Very pertinent to call center management
The ideas are perfect for building a call center management program. We love the performance development plans, the coaching techniques, etc. ... Read more

Book Description

Strategic Electronic Marketing takes a systems and relationships approach to exploring e-business marketing.This text addresses the basic principles that underlie marketing and how e-business marketing techniques are fundamentally changing the traditional marketing process.Use this text to prepare students for careers in a rapidly changing environment of dot-com and brick and mortar strategies; non-linear, online, interactive advertising; new product development and distribution processes; and reliance on databases.This text is suitable for both undergraduate and graduate level courses in e-commerce. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Good Introduction to the World of E-Business
This book marks a significant improvement in the universiy level texts on the revolution in business practice and orgranizaiton brought on by the Internet. The material is well presented and I use it for an introductory class in e-commerce and e-business marketing. This is a very difficult topic to work in as it changes so quickly, at least that is the politically correct way to phrase this. The reality is that the e-commerce revolution has many more casualties to take before it loses the "e-" and become just the way we do business. Teaching e-commerce to the employees of those future casualties requires a level of sensitivity that most book efforts to date have simply avoided. The usual model is to focus on the technology and to deal with the whole thing as another sales channel in the marketing department. Kleindl goes a good bit farther in suggesting the fundamental orgranizational changes that are inherent in becoming an e-business. I would have been happier if he had gone a little farther and more clearly stated that the camels nose is already in the tent and the whole thing is going to come down sooner than we think. But the fact that he went as far as he has may explain why this book is so hard to purchase. I have to have my students purchase is directly from Amazon as the Unversity of Hawaii Bookstore was told that it has not been published. Interesting. ... Read more

Book Description

CRM (Customer Management of Relationships) was supposed to help businesses better understand their customers and increase efficiency. Yet most companies are not getting the return they expected. Is it possible to make your customers happy, and, at the same time, improve ROI? Is there a practical, affordable way to get customers to tell you what they really want?

In Why CRM Doesn't Work, leading international marketing consultant Frederick Newell explains why it's time to change the game to CMR. CMR allows you to empower customers so they'll tell you what kind of information they want, what level of service they want to receive, and how they want you to communicate with them—where, when, and how often. It is a bold solution for business people at all levels in all industries who want to stay ahead of the curve in the development of customer loyalty. Newell shows by lesson and example why the current CRM isn't working, what needs to change, and how to put the CMR philosophy to work at your company—without additional expense. You'll read case studies of good and bad relationship marketing from companies as diverse as Kraft Foods, Procter & Gamble, Budweiser, Charles Schwab, Dell, IBM, Lands' End, Sports Authority, Radio Shack, and Staples.

With this book, you can build long-term relationships and bring in profits instead of relying on one-time sales. Why CRM Doesn't Work is important reading for companies of every size that are trying to satisfy and sell to today's consumer. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Insightful!
Customer Management of Relationships (CMR) is not a tactic or gimmick - it's a new way of looking at your business. Author Frederick Newell promises that CMR will put your customers where they should be: at the forefront of your company's efforts. Newell, an international marketing consultant and leading Customer Relationship Management (CRM) authority, explains that a strong relationship with customers is essential to success. Although his book is unnecessarily repetitive at times and poorly organized, he provides excellent advice for companies already on the road to improving their customer interactions. Valuable testimony from experts accompanies numerous case studies. Whether you took a ride on the CRM train, or not, if you want better customer relationships for your business, we think this book may be your ticket.

Put Customers in Charge of Defining Your Relationship
Why CRM Doesn't Work is an excellent discussion of why most companies are disappointed in the results of their CRM investments in shiny new technology to attract and retain profitable customers. The basic problem: Companies are trying to use new tools to manipulate customers in ways that customers hate. An example would be a company that asks about all of your preferences, and then sends you enormous numbers of offers for things you aren't interested in. The solution: Use a management process that lets customers decide what relationship they want with your company, and then develop capabilities that efficiently provide what's needed for that relationship. An example would be all the fun programs that Budweiser provided on-line for those who wanted to enjoy participating in its Whassup?! advertising campaign.

As many people point out in the book, someone will sell you lots of technology bells and whistles whether you need them or not and whether or not you are prepared to use them properly. With this book, you can overcome that problem by using the thoughtful process outlined in the book to make your whole company move into an effective, customer-focused direction. I especially liked the way that it focuses on those relatively few current and potential customers who could make a real difference.

Although the message is a simple one that you could have gotten from a magazine article, I found it helpful to read the many detailed examples in the book. Those that described customer frustrations were the best as reminding me of how badly most companies treat their customers.

I should admit my bias in liking this book so much. On pages 172 and 173, Mr. Newell repeats two of my favorite stories about why humans have stalled behaviors that serve no current purpose . . . both of which appear in a book I co-authored in 1999, The 2,000 Percent Solution. In the first story, a woman cuts off the end of a ham before roasting it. When asked by her husband why she does that, she says that her mother always did. It turns out that her mother's roasting pan was too small for a ham . . . so that's what started the habit. In the second story, experimenters douse monkeys with cold water when one reaches for a banana. Soon the other monkeys will attack any monkey that tries to reach for a banana. Gradually change all of the monkeys in the cage, and they will still attack any monkey who tries for a banana . . . even though none of them have ever been doused with cold water.

So break out of your old habits of manipulating customers to reduce your costs and improve your profits so that you can establish a mutually advantageous and pleasant relationship that makes it easier for profitable customers to do more business with you.

Why did I grade the book down one star? Well, in a lot of sections the book is very repetitious. In some sections, one set of ideas follow another that don't seem to fit together . . . but there's no discussion of how they connect . . . although Mr. Newell clearly thinks they do.

If you agree with his premise and just want to work on doing the right things, you can skip forward to chapter 16 which focuses on the change process that he recommends.

What the CUSTOMER Wants is What Really Matters
Two years ago, in the midst of CRM furor, no one would have paid attention to "Why CRM Doesn't Work," however, this summer it has made its entrance with impeccable timing.

Newell introduces the idea of customer-managed relationships (CMR) and also shows by example (and spices it up with humor) how often CRM initiatives fail because most companies are still product--- and not customer--- focused.

Newell then goes further and explains how any business can discover why, when, how, and where customers want to be contacted....simply by realizing who today's customer is, and by listening to them. With these ideas in mind, it really makes you wonder how any company can miss these clues and continue to alienate customers as often as they do. With this book in hand, perhaps more executives will be able to create a truly customer-focused culture; one that lets the customer take control.

Beyond these insights and ideas, Newell questions how technological, financial, and other changes of the future will effect how CRM is being done today, and how CMR can be an answer to many of the most pressing issues.

This book truly speaks to businesspeople in any industry, at any sized company, and at any stage of their CRM initiative (even if they don't yet have one)

This book entertains while also encouraging its readers to think hard and formulate their own answers to their company's problems. CRM - such a grand (and wonderful) business strategy, still needed a new approach, and Newell delivers it.

CMR is long overdue
Frederick Newell explains throughout exactly why CRM needs a readjustment (and so much more). This book is peppered with thoughtful insights and never-thought-of ideas for any CRM or Marketing executive wanting to justify a new CRM implementation or one who is desperately searching for a clue to begin the rebirth of an existing one.

Until this book, marketing and other business professionals everywhere may have been wondering where they should look for some fresh answers to their marketing initiatives. My suggestion is that they look right here, because this: CMR (Customer Management of Relationships)... is precisely what Customer Relationship Management will, and must, become.

Frederick Newell has done it again only this time with a lot more moxie. As always, he sees the future of this important business strategy and points the reader in the right direction.

Insightful!
Customer Management of Relationships (CMR) is not a tactic or gimmick - it's a new way of looking at your business. Author Frederick Newell promises that CMR will put your customers where they should be: at the forefront of your company's efforts. Newell, an international marketing consultant and leading Customer Relationship Management (CRM) authority, explains that a strong relationship with customers is essential to success. Although his book is unnecessarily repetitive at times and poorly organized, he provides excellent advice for companies already on the road to improving their customer interactions. Valuable testimony from experts accompanies numerous case studies. Whether you took a ride on the CRM train, or not, if you want better customer relationships for your business, we from getAbstract thinks this book may be your ticket. ... Read more

Book Description

Top Telemarketing Techniques is an information-packed resource for all sales professionals. It offers expert insight and proven strategies for using the telephone as a powerful and effective sales tool. This book offers valuable information needed to develop, improve upon, and fully utilize your telephone sales skills, allowing you to close more sales over the telephone.Telemarketing is a highly cost-effective and timesaving alternative to most other forms of sales and marketing for any organization. Top Telemarketing Techniques offers solutions for utilizing the telephone to close more sales and generate higher revenues. If you're a salesperson, manager, entrepreneur, or business leader, this is the one sales training book you need to begin maximizing your use of the telephone in order to vastly improve sales and customer relations. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Just wonderful
So if I had read this book BEFORE my short career as a telemarketer things might have turned out differently. I would have known for example not to tell the screaming man just where to put his fork and knife. I mean, like, how was I to know he was eating dinner? Chill out.

This book is excellent!
This book has helped me develop my telemarketing skills and has allowed me to increase my sales in less than three weeks. The book is full of excellent advice and easy-to-follow tips designed for anyone who uses the telephone as a sales tool. ... Read more

Book Description

This tutorial offers help to improve every telephone interaction a company has with its valued customers. Drawn from Davis' experiences, the book includes exercises, stories and examples of how attitude, telephone etiquette, communication styles and listening skills impact the bottom line. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Older Workers Benefit From Beyond "Hello"
With your permission, we're using Beyond "Hello" as our basic text for our course curriculum , which teaches older workers Customer Service Skills. Your book has been an excellent platform for this training. It's clear, concise, understandable, and easy to relate to. I constantly reinforce to our students that they should use your book as a resource and reference on the job.

Great Tutorial
This tutorial offers help to improve every telephone interaction a company has with its valued customers. Beyond "Hello" includes exercises, stories and examples of how attitude, telephone etiquette, communication styles and listening skills impact the bottom line.

Each chapter contains tips to help make a great first impression, enhance customer interaction and retain and strengthen client relationships through excellent customer service over the telephone.

A "must read."

Fantastic Guide
I've had the opportunity to work with Jeannie while printing a recent copy of my newsletter on professional conduct. Beyond "Hello" is an easy to read, comprehensive guide that can help anyone improve and sharpen his or her phone skills. I highly recommend this book and include it as required reading for my entire staff. Congratulations Jeannie on a book well done!

-- Clint Greenleaf ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A must read for all sales people
This book was by far the best that I have read. The book covers all aspects of a sucessful cold calling campaign. I purchased this book when sales were slow and was forced to lay off my sales staff. As a result of reading this book, I was able to increase my sales and rehire my sales staff. This book is now part of our sales training.

Must have sales tool
I have been in sales for over 9 years and have read many books, but this book opened my eyes back up again. I sell complex CRM solutions and never thought this book could help, but it did. I will say, it's nothing most of us have not heard before, but for me it opened my eyes on the importance of picking up the phone more than I usually do. The author makes some very valid points, but the best one is that it does not matter what you are selling its always a numbers game. Those who are successful in sales make that extra cold call, appointment or dial that extra number. That's what separates the successful sales people from the average sales people.

Decent, but....
Nothing new here. Want a good tonic for your sales slumps? It's called "Wall Street" and it's not a book--it's a movie. Breathe that movie's creeds and you will succeed...

You have got to be kidding me
Ok, I am a new sales rep, and I thought this book would make a difference for me. Well the only difference that it made for me was in my wallet, which is unfortunately much lighter now. The book had some good advice, but not worth all of the filler which the author overwhelms you with just so that they can sell a book. Save yourself the time, see if it is out in cliff notes. 10 pages was all this book really neede to cover the points that this guy wanted to make. Save yourself time and effort and look elsewhere.

The author lives by selling by phone -> expert
I am biased in that I want to read a book by someone who has actual experience in the field. In the case of teleselling, I want someone who sells mostly by the phone. At least, they have to prospect by phone. This author states:

"I will be selling right up until my last breath... For me, heaven will be a small room with a telephone and a never-ending list of prospects... you cannot succeed at what you do not love. I am going to work very hard on making you love to prospect."

and

"I have two businesses of my own and attribute much of my success to my cold calling prowess... I have developed a prospecting and business development system that works!"

I'd say that this author is well qualified and, the book turns out very well.

At first I thought that my kind of business couldn't use teleselling: it was much too dignified. Then (this is a true story) I was sitting in a clients office reviewing my computer designs when I heard the client play back his voice messages outloud. One was from a competitor who was selling the same kind of services I provided. How could this be? I listened very closely and was extremely impressed with his technique. And had I been that customer receiving that call earlier, I might have responded to their prospecting call.

This book is highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

This book shows you everything you need to know to run morale-enhancing, sales-boosting, turnover-reducing contests. Plus you get 79 actual, tested and proven sales contests explained in detail you can run immediately!You'll learn,Why and how to keep contests simpleHow long contests should and shouldn't lastWhat to avoid that's sure to demotivate repsHow to keep contests freshHow to keep production, and interest, high at all timesHow to set goals, who should and shouldn't winWhat to use and not use for prizes, why money isn't the best choice

Look at What Others Said After Using These Contests!

"It's must reading for managers who want to create fresh challenges for their reps and increase sales."John Harris, Fidelity Investments

"It's a great addition to our office!"Claudia Wallace, Southwestern Bell

"I recommend this book to anyone, who, like me, doesn't have the time to be creative."Dawn Mathern, Great Plains Software ... Read more

Book Description

· How to choose the best call center tools and systems · How to get the most out of ACDs (automatic call distributors) and other complex systems in order to boost customer satisfaction and increase sales · Includes three ready to use RFPs (request for proposals) for buying an ACD, computer telephony system, or recording and analysis solution

Phone calls and emails from customers are not just "events"; they are significant milestones in customer relationships. This book presents a roadmap showing you how to significantly improve customer relationships - whether via phone, mail, fax, email, or Web - by making the best use of call center technology.

You'll discover how to navigate the business, technical, and financial issues in building and managing a customer contact center. The book shows you how to foster enhanced customer satisfaction at a reasonable cost, and how to make the call center an engine of business growth by using technology to up-sell and generate new revenues from existing customers.

No other book provides such practical, in-depth information on managing a call center's technology and workflow. Key topics include staffing, network basics, ACDs; disaster recovery, data gathering and reporting, customer experience mapping and management, CRM, and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Needed help
I was promoted to run the call center in our company. We have two centers with 300 Telephone and Customer sales reps. I have no expernce in computers except for my PC. I bought this book to help me talk to the computer staff. They cannot fool me as much now. They were too busy for the call center. Now they understand we make most of the money. This book help me present this better.

A solid, fact-filled, and highly useful guide
A Practical Guide To Call Center Technology: Select The Right Systems For Total Customer Satisfaction by telecommunications expert Andrew J. Waite is a highly informational book for businesspeople who need to set up a telephone system to handle customer orders, complains, and other important matters. Fielding long-distance calls from any number of people for good business is no small feat, and chapters from this guide address such diverse issues as basic connection and setup, typical switching systems, the value of an ACD (Automatic Call Distributor) system, and much more. A glossary at the back helps readers unfamiliar with the terminology catch up quickly...A solid, fact-filled, and highly useful guide for anyone who needs to launch an effective and efficient call center -- and keep it running smoothly! ... Read more

Book Description

The first book to apply guerrilla sales and marketing tactics to the unique, high-pressure environment of electronic communications, this groundbreaking resource is packed with valuable tips, expert advice, and insider secrets on finding, closing, and increasing sales by phone and fax as well as via e-mail and the Internet.

"This book is absolutely loaded with insights and practical ideas you can use to increase your effectiveness in dealing with anyone in business on the telephone. These ideas should be read, taught, digested, and practiced every single day!" —Brian Tracy, author The Psychology of Achievement.

"Guerrilla Teleselling is FUNdamental reading for anyone or any company who does business by telephone! It covers all the basics and more. Whether you're a beginner or you've been in the business for years, if you can't find at least 12 great ideas in every chapter that will increase your performance, you're not reading! I am recommending it as a resource to all my clients." —Judy Lanier, author 50 Ways to Motivate & Inspire Your Call Center Teams Past National President, American Telemarketing Association.

"Guerrilla Teleselling is an excellent guide for anyone in sales, whether a rookie or a seasoned professional. . . . It entices the reader to break out of old ruts to become a more effective salesperson by using often surprising tactics that will keep the salesperson both challenged and successful." —Erik Lounsbury, Editor Telemarketing® & Call Center Solutions^TM. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Buy This Book, You'll Be Glad You Did!
Want to make more money? Want to learn how to REALLY sell on the phone? This is the book! I have purchased and read many books on teleselling but this one is the best. Specfic strategies that work! Highly Recommended!!!

A Must-Read for All Sales Professionals
This book is absolutely loaded with insights and practical ideas you can use to increase your effectiveness in dealing with anyone in business on the telephone. These ideas should be read, taught, digested, and practiced every single day.

Excellent for Teleselling Professionals
This book covered the entire sales process from preparing for the call, voice and stress exercises to selling tactics, objection handling and follow-up procedures for repeat business. The book was well written in a logical format and followed logical thinking in regard to how you would go about organizing your day. It also demonstrated the best approach to sales and how I want to be treated as a customer. Original sources of information were very well referenced. It's nice to see more of a trend of relationship building and getting away from the stereotypical "used car salesman" hard line approach to sales. The book was a relatively quick read (about 15 hours). The one thing I did not like about the book, was the last 4 chapters. It sounded like the dreaded "info-mercial" you see on late-night TV or the latest get-rich-quick MLM scheme you get with your home junk mail. Unfortunately, for me, it burst my bubble on the professionalism of the authors. They could have left that out and left the reader on a high note. All in all, I was impressed with the quality and accuracy of the writing.

Professional, practical advice that works
This book is easy to read. It has excellent advice to improve teleselling skills in a professional manner. It's realistic, it's motivating and it's packed with ideas you can adopt and adapt to your own style. The ideas really work and you are proud to use them.

GREAT BOOK FOR TELEMARKETERS
ALL THE INFORMATION IN THIS BOOK IS A GREAT TOOL FOR YOUR BUSINESS, WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS GREAT BOOK. GET IT NOW... ... Read more

Book Description

Telesales Training book teaches inside sales agents how to sell and communicate via the telephone. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fantastic Book!!!
I am in the telemarketing industry and have read this book twice! It provides easy to read, easy to follow, step-by-step methods for sucessfully selling anything over the telephone!

Easy to read, easy to follow... Easy to use!
Dan takes a difficult subject - Telephone direct selling - and teaches the reader how to simplify tried and true techniques to increase telephone sales. The difference between this book and all the others on the shelf is that "Friendly Persuasion" is written by someone who is active in the direct selling industry. Dan takes his everyday experience and transfers it in a simple to read, simple to follow, simple to implement format. The book is simply,.... marvelous! ... Read more