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Had an interested lead call in looking for service, but didn’t get the appointment set? Consider these approaches when making your call-back attempt to recapture that missed opportunity.
Securing an appointment from a prospect on a first attempt can be difficult and requires a certain skill set to do it at a high success rate. Although it is possible to set a high percentage of your prospect calls (especially with Call Coaching – just take a look at how this HVAC & Plumbing business increased their conversion rate) and you can certainly work internally to boost your appointment-setting techniques, there will inevitably be times where an interested caller slips away.
So what can you do?
Well, call them back and try to recapture their business, of course! It’s always worth a second try. (And with CallSource’s DealSaver program, you can be almost-instantly alerted when a prospect doesn’t set an appointment).
Outbound-calling, especially when calling someone who has already spoken to your business recently, requires a different approach than inbound calls do. Although some of these approaches should be used for inbound calls as well, here are tips when making outbound calls to recapture a missed opportunity.
You need to have a firm strategy in place before making the call. Know what you can are willing to say or give to set the appointment.
First, make sure to listen to the original call; identify the point where the caller did not make the appointment to understand what their objection is. This will dictate how your approach when calling him/her back. Choose from some of the approaches below to successfully gain the commitment.
Authority
Introduce yourself as a manager or some type of authority. This provides a feeling to the caller that they’ve been elevated to the next level.
Empathy
Create a same-team mentality. For example, if a caller did not book due to wanting an estimate price over the phone, you can say, “I understand you want a ballpark price over the phone; I’d want the same for my own home.” This demonstrates you understand the initial request and you can relate personally to the caller’s need while also putting them at ease.
Reassurance
Let them know up front you’re calling back because you’re confident you can provide them a solution. Communicate that this is the reason for the callback.
Reciprocity
This tactic may not need to be used at all – save this for when you have exhausted other resources or feel that the customer is upset, or will not commit without some tradeoff. This shows you’re willing to give something up to gain their business.
- Reduced trip charge, % off service, an extension of an expired coupon, etc.
- Consider increasing your flat-rate fee to create wiggle room
Likability
The main objective is building trust. You do this by helping the customer (driving them to the benefits of your business). This means seeking the interests of the customer over your own.
- People say yes to those they like and relate to (trust garnered from a feeling that you have their best interest in mind).
- Effective for overcoming price-shoppers when combined with the Professional Expert approach (see below).
(Tip: See the impact of online reviews as a home service business from this article).
Scarcity
Limited availability communicates that customers find your product valuable. Placing a deadline on an opportunity adds urgency which increases appeal.
- Time: “The schedule has just opened up” (can only be used if trust has been built first).
- Money: “After reviewing this month’s budget, I’m able to offer <product/service at reduced rate> through Saturday.”
Social Proof
As a means of survival, we look for shortcuts (social cues and patterns) to tell us what’s best.
- Share number of overall client-base, percentage of repeat/referral business, percentage of your local market share, or direct them to testimonials on your website or reviews online.
- Always: Follow a shared fact with the reason behind it.
Professional Expert
When a doctor writes a prescription for a diagnoses he or she doesn’t consult with the patient; he/she is confident in the knowledge and experience.
- Ask the caller technical questions, so they experience there’s more to their inquiry than they realize. However, you don’t want to alienate the customer; ask questions and share your knowledge, so they understand the breadth of your knowledge.
- To do this, the team member making the callback must have done his/her homework.
Going the distance
If you are not at capacity, what are you willing to do to get your tech to the door?
- Roll up your trip charge into the overall price (if normally separate fees)?
- Reduce or waive a diagnostic fee/trip charge all together?
- Offer a discount on your product or service? If so, to what degree? Communicate these to your callback team.
Now, are you ready to recapture that lost business? It is not lost until you’ve made every attempt – and I am confident that you can recapture those lost calls! Want to be able to track your efforts? Download our free appointment follow-up worksheet and track your success!
