subject: 2011: Lead Generation Trends [print this page] There are some encouraging trends for 2011There are some encouraging trends for 2011. Call center companies are banking on something different and unique from what they worked with in 2010. To be frank, this year was more of testing the waters for the call centers. They were feeling their way through the tumult caused by the recession. There was widespread lack of belief that business firms needed cold calling services to see them through the crises. Many felt that hiring BPO companies at this stage of the economy would be wasting money. But companies that have gone ahead and challenged this myth have reaped rich benefits. They have been rewarded with a strong rise in the number of customers and they have also found brand loyalty by providing quality customer service to existing customers. The trends of 2011 are a continuation of what we have observed this year. Lets take a look at what we have in store for us!
The rise of the social media networking is the leading trend for 2011. In 2010, the BPO companies took a while to get used to the ways of social media marketing. Many of the call center services got it wrong. They relied mainly on adding more friends and followers to their social media profiles. They also devised some strategies for Facebook and Twitter, but they were mainly about pushing web links to the services page of the client. However, such push marketing strategies dont really work for consumers and users. They never click on the links if they are pushed under their noses. The customer service units functioning on social media have also not been able to cash in on the opportunities as well. They were not vigilant enough, and sometimes they couldnt react promptly to cover the problems that were written about.
In 2011, the social media picture will emerge with better, brighter colors. There will be more of interaction with the call center agents and customers. The use of tweets and Facebook messages will go up. BPO agents will monitor the social media with Web 2.0 tools for mentions of the brand that they are working for. When they find people talking about the brand, they can add their voice to the noise. That would mean better representation of the brand and also create brand awareness. People would like to have a representative of the company around. That will make them feel that they can get support from the customer service anytime they want. Companies can also conduct lead generation campaigns through social media networks.
Lead generation will get a new lease of life with the online methods. Call centers will be using websites and search engine optimization methods to get more leads on board. In cases of customer service, too, the BPO companies will largely depend on the Internet. The inbound call center is using emails as responses; even online live chat is useful for interacting with customers and solving their problems. Telemarketing services will also take into consideration the buying patterns of the consumers when they are trying to sell products/services.
