A Beginner's Guide to Lead to Call Automation

Sales technology can transform your business. Today, we’ll be looking at one that may be new to you: lead to call automation. Lead to call automation is a unique lead response strategy that automatically converts inbound leads into a phone call, almost instantaneously. This technology can unlock speed-to-lead. Plus, sparking a real conversation at the peak moment of interest can build strong relationships and dramatically improve sales.

With all the attention on Artificial Intelligence these days, it may be a surprise that consumers are not always satisfied with using chatbots and other AI tools for sales and customer service conversations. In fact, 29% of customers report being frustrated by scripted, impersonal responses in live chat. Also, 25% of customers say long wait times as the worst part of a live chat. AI may be the wave of the future, but it will never replace the need for personal interaction and relationships in sales. 

8 out of 10 American consumers say the most essential elements of a positive customer experience are speed, convenience, knowledgeable help, and friendly service. When leads have a positive and personal experience with your sales team, they are more likely to become loyal customers. However, automation is still important to building positive sales relationships as long as it fosters personal interaction, not replace it.

Lead-to-call automation is one of the most powerful tools in your sales arsenal because it helps spark this personal connection. In this article, you’ll learn what it is, why it’s so beneficial, and how to get started.

What is Lead to Call Automation?

Lead-to-call automation is the act of automatically initiating a call between a member of your sales team and a new prospect when the prospect submits an inquiry.  Lead-to-call automation tools are sometimes referred to as speed to lead tools.

The best lead-to-call tools also allow you to customize how those follow-up calls are routed to your salespeople. Lead-to-call automation should happen instantaneously to connect with your new lead at the peak moment of interest.

We recommend looking for a technology solution that supports a personal conversation by phone call and/or text message. This way, you’ll be able to meet your prospects on the channel they prefer.

5 Benefits of Lead to Call Automation

In a recent blog, we outlined the five important benefits of using lead to call automation. A competitive sales team using lead-to-call automation can depend on the following:

• Faster sales conversations
• Using customers’ preferred channels
• Higher likelihood of connection with leads
• Streamlined and standardized sales efforts
• Better customer experience for leads

Lead-to-call automation helps your sales team provide customer service that minimizes barriers, optimizes efficiency, and offers a human element within the technology. Ultimately, this technology leads to your prospects feeling heard, seen, and appreciated, which can lead to stronger sales for your team. 

The Real Power of Lead-to-Call Automation: Rapid Lead Response

The real benefit of lead to call automation is that it empowers efficiency, without hindering the human interactions that drive your team's success. One of the most important ways it does that is by unlocking rapid lead response. Lead to call automation means that you can follow-up with leads instantly and automatically with a phone call and/or a text message. (Learn about Calldrip's rapid lead response software.)

It simplifies your sales process by creating standard workflows and ensuring that a salesperson connects with every prospect quickly and through their chosen channel. No leads ever fall through the cracks. 

The hallmark of a great lead to call automation tools is one that will enhance the customer experience at every step of the sales process.

What's the Difference Between Lead to Call Automation and Auto-Dialing?

To reiterate, lead-to-call automation happens when a software system automatically responds to a lead when they submit an inquiry. A connection is made instantly, triggered by a customer's request for information. 

According to Forbes, an automatic dialer is a software system that calls customer telephone numbers automatically from a database of leads. The calls are not triggered by a customer request. Auto dialers are designed to help companies increase productivity by making a large number of calls without hiring more agents. However, these systems are highly regulated by the Federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and many state lawmakers feel they should be even further restricted. Also when using auto dialing, a company risks making potential customers uncomfortable and unhappy.  

On the other hand, lead-to-call automation is customer-focused and can be a powerful part of your sales team's conversational sales strategy.

What Types of Businesses Benefit Most from Lead-to-Call Automation?

Lead to call automation can be critical to sales teams working within performance-focused organizations where outcomes drive compensation. When your team's salaries depend on their productivity, a lead to call system that optimizes each and every sales lead can be a game changer for them. 

A sales team in a competitive sales environment would also benefit from lead-to-call automation because it will create a more efficient and standardized sales process that places them at the front of the crowd. When your team responds to lead inquiries faster than your competitors, your chances of winning the sale are 35-50%, according to a white paper published by Google and the Corporate Executive Board. 

If your sales team is dedicated to conversation-driven sales processes, lead-to-call automation is essential to creating those critical customer relationships. Because 95% of buying decisions are driven by emotion, a more human sales approach is critical to success. With lead-to-call automation, your team can meet your prospects where they are and when they want to talk to you, which can start a powerful, trusting, and authentic business relationship.

How Does Lead to Call Automation Trigger an Automatic Call?

You may have several methods of communication to gather lead inquiries. Calldrip's Respond lead to call automation software works with most communication channels, including phone, text, email, webchat, and web forms. No matter where your customers are coming from, we integrate with your systems to automatically call and/or text them back in minutes.

Each connection facilitates a live, human conversation between the prospect and a member of your sales team.

Our Approach to Lead to Call Automation

At Calldrip, we believe in the power of human connection in sales. The Respond software is part of our all-in-one conversational sales solution.

Conversational marketing and sales blend tried-and-true relationship-building techniques with technology to optimize the sales process. With this approach, your sales team strikes up the perfect just-in-time conversation with qualified buyers to answer their questions and move them closer to conversion. Conversational sales can be transformative for your business.

Our lead-to-call automation technology can be configured to align with your sales process, whether leads are assigned based on a “round robin,” “jump ball,” or territory system.

Our Respond software is an investment in your sales team and their success. With lead to call automation, your team will connect with more prospects, close more sales, and build a solid customer base for your company with speed and efficiency. 

Want to know more? Contact us for pricing today!