Understanding what transpires at every point of contact with your company can provide some great insights into why prospects and customer may or may not engage with your company. Sometimes it has more to do with the experience someone has than what solutions you have to offer.
The Recruitment Phase
Recently I needed to hire a roofing contractor. I conducted a Google search, ran off a list of BBB affiliated companies in my area, selected a handful and made some calls. Seriously, at 9:15 in the morning, I reached only answering machines or no answer at all. The one that called me back within an hour was the contractor I hired. Out of the gate, these six or so companies disengaged a prospective customer at one of the first points of contact. The company that did call back handled the rest of the call effectively. They were professional, communicated they had the expertise to handle my problem and scheduled an appointment before the phone conversation ended.
The recruitment phase for most businesses is the most expensive. This phase encompasses advertising, lead generation, Internet presence and all that goes into building market awareness and reputation. It is here where you need to pay close attention to your outbound messaging, how easy you make it for customers to find you and how you respond to them when they do call for help. Things to measure success in this scenario might include tracking the source of the lead and ratio of inquiries received to appointments booked.