How To: increase the operator's ARPU. Part 3
The efficiency of the carrier business is one of the most important criteria determining the dynamics of an IT company ascending to the top of Telecom-Olympus. In the field of traditional or cloud communication services, the key metric that determines this very efficiency is ARPU or average bill per customer. The telecom operator is simply obliged to use all available methods to increase ARPU, since this is the easiest way to increase revenue without significant investment in marketing or launching new services. With today's publication, we are continuing the “How To” series of technical and commercial ones to increase the ARPU of a telecoms operator who decided to implement a cloud-based PBX service with minimal costs.
An active customer base for any operator is a formed and loyal Central Asia, where the cost of selling additional services tends to a minimum. The introduction of the correct additional service will certainly lead to an increase in the average check. To clarify: the right service is a service that technologically and ideologically complements existing services, and ideally also serves as a driving force for sales of the entire product line. Cloud PBX fully complies with the definition of “correct service”, although the cloud PBX itself must also be “correct”. All the many years of experience in developing and implementing the ITooLabs Communications Server platform are a clear confirmation of this. Virtual PBX service is a great way to breathe new life into the decrepit flesh of classic telephony. We do not know a single operator who would not come to increase revenue after the launch of the SaaS IP-PBX. Today let's talk about the seemingly obvious points that contribute to more active sales of cloud subscriptions.
In order to more effectively build the promotion of a new cloud telephone service, it is necessary to understand its advantages and specifics well. We have such an understanding and we are ready to share it in every way. The understanding was formed due to the constant analysis and monitoring of the activity of tens of thousands of users of our platform. What functionality, what “features” and additional services are most in demand by the average “user” of the virtual PBX and what are the ways to effectively promote these services? Let's make a small squeeze from previous publications and describe in more detail the most requested functionality and give recommendations for its promotion.
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The described five advantages - the minimum gentleman's set for any provider of cloud PBX. Now let's talk about how to correctly present these advantages to potential customers.
This functionality should be sold separately and, again, according to our statistics, up to 60% of your potential customers are ready to pay you for these advanced features. We understand the temptation to make a single tariff with all the functionality included, but there will inevitably be a conflict on all sides: some customers want to pay less (that is, not pay for advanced functionality), and you will not make a profit from those who are willing to pay more. You do not complicate your offer if you have only 2-5 additional paid options, clearly targeted to certain audiences.
Cloud PBX can be safely attributed to the category of asymmetric products, i.e. products about the capabilities of which your potential client either knows nothing at all, or knows much less than you. It would not be so sad if the client understood how tariffs are formed and did not understand only technical subtleties and additional functions. In most cases, visitors to your site in 10 seconds no longer understand what they want to receive a subscription fee from and how monthly payments are formed. This is especially felt if the tariff policy of the operator includes additional options, each of which increases the monthly bill. For example, recording conversations or notification of missed calls via SMS.
A tool that will facilitate the life of the client, can be a tariff calculator on the site. We should not neglect this, in general, simple option. We recommend placing a calculator on the rates page. Allowing the client to play an exciting game with checkboxes will increase your conversion. If the VATS service is offered in combination with virtual numbers (and usually it happens) and a guaranteed payment for telephone traffic, then a calculator is simply necessary. A very illustrative example is when a sales manager himself starts using such a calculator for sales. Tariff formation becomes transparent and clear to everyone, the numbers and asterisks converge both at the client and at the manager. People calm down and begin to realize that no one is going to hide extra money under footnotes in the contract.
The eternal question for most providers of cloud PBX service - we sell offline or online. Often this question is solved in favor of offline. This is understandable - for the proper organization of online sales requires a lot of effort - to integrate billing and cloud platform, write a lot of web scripts, classes and handlers, learn how to track sales in automatic mode, create the correct rules for techies and merchants. We know of cases where our partner operators have postponed the online implementation to “do it a little later” and in the end have never done so. Although it is absolutely correct to run with offline sales, you should not postpone the start of sales because of it. Faster start sales - quickly figure out the service and collect the requirements for the "configurator" itself.
It is clear that you can simulate online sales using the “Connect” button and the simplest contact form, behind which the sales department e-mail is hidden, but this half-deception is quickly opened and users are not always happy about it, expecting them to access the test PBX account for three minutes. At the same time, there is nothing deadly in the offline sales scheme, since no one has canceled the physical signing of a contract for communication services, just as no one has canceled the traditional call of a sales manager the next morning, but we recommend thinking about the possibility of giving customers a free test period and give it exactly online means.
We believe there is no need to explain why this is necessary - your cloud phone project turns into an online store operating 24/7, even if this online store distributes test subscriptions for free.
In the case of the ITooLabs Communication Server, the online generation of demo subscriptions is made fairly easy. You can use either the SOAP API created by us, or you can order the configurator development from the vendor. And the one and the other does not take much time and effort. The question is more about the specificity of your wishes. We recommend not to get involved in the seeming simplicity and attractiveness of the offline model and at the start consider the possibility of introducing online generation of test accounts. Marketers will surely thank you for such a “feature”, because each test account is a lead that can be used to increase conversion, and the client will be additionally promoted, if he can, over a cup of tea in the evening, carefully study the interface and functionality of the service.
Our analysts say that the operators who provide the test period automatically make more sales than their offline colleagues. We strongly advise to consider their opinion.
Every time when we are preparing to publish another material for our blog, we understand that the topic of cloud telephony is endless and extremely interesting. We have big plans for this year and we will try to write as often as possible and as informative as possible. We have prepared some more technical and marketing cases that will be regularly laid out here and in our blog on Habré. In short, the continuation is guaranteed to be.
An active customer base for any operator is a formed and loyal Central Asia, where the cost of selling additional services tends to a minimum. The introduction of the correct additional service will certainly lead to an increase in the average check. To clarify: the right service is a service that technologically and ideologically complements existing services, and ideally also serves as a driving force for sales of the entire product line. Cloud PBX fully complies with the definition of “correct service”, although the cloud PBX itself must also be “correct”. All the many years of experience in developing and implementing the ITooLabs Communications Server platform are a clear confirmation of this. Virtual PBX service is a great way to breathe new life into the decrepit flesh of classic telephony. We do not know a single operator who would not come to increase revenue after the launch of the SaaS IP-PBX. Today let's talk about the seemingly obvious points that contribute to more active sales of cloud subscriptions.
In order to more effectively build the promotion of a new cloud telephone service, it is necessary to understand its advantages and specifics well. We have such an understanding and we are ready to share it in every way. The understanding was formed due to the constant analysis and monitoring of the activity of tens of thousands of users of our platform. What functionality, what “features” and additional services are most in demand by the average “user” of the virtual PBX and what are the ways to effectively promote these services? Let's make a small squeeze from previous publications and describe in more detail the most requested functionality and give recommendations for its promotion.
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What do users want?
- Voice greetings and menus (IVR). Virtual PBX is often started to be used to automate the processing of telephone calls, to increase the conversion in telephone sales, to optimize the process of communication between the customer and the seller. The first thing our users usually do is set up an inbound script. An incoming call is the most common event in the life of a classic office and how a cloudy robot secretary meets a new client often determines the future fate of a deal. It is very important to convey to the potential user of a virtual PBX the fact that with the help of a cloud subscription even a small business starts to look solid, it is possible to send the client the right way, saving him both time and loyalty. It is highly recommended when creating promotional materials or landing pages to describe the fact of the existence of such a wonderful feature as a voice greeting. We see that almost all connected clients use the voice greeting, because with it they really sound solid. But with the IVR, the situation is a little different. Navigation through the voice menu in reality only needs very large companies, while a small business only hurts - who among us likes to choose something when ordering something? The statistics confirms this. There are very few realistic IVRs, mostly customers use greetings. Feel the difference.
- Conversation statistics. Without meaningful and visual statistics of conversations, office telephony looks much less attractive. Chronic and intractable lack of a huge number of “knee” IP-PBX is the absence of a well-developed statistics module. It is enough to demonstrate once to the client how with the help of two clicks the whole dark side of the sales department’s life is revealed to once and for all dispel his doubts about the need to acquire a cloud miracle. We have long watched how people use the statistics section of ITooLabs and tried to create this section in the most ergonomic and visual form. Be sure to draw the attention of potential customers to the fact that the statistics of telephone conversations is very necessary and important, and that its use will help to effectively evaluate the work of salespeople or technical specialists. Landings, KP and other promotional materials should clearly describe this point. Often, the client himself does not fully understand how convenient and useful it is to see all telephone reports online and make management decisions based on statistical data.
- Integration with third-party SaaS-services. Clouds came in earnest and for a long time, literally everything migrates into the clouds - from accounting to specialized applications. The average SMB representative is almost certainly already using something cloudy-virtual in their business processes. Obviously, integrating SaaS services with each other is an excellent way to provide the customer with a tool to improve business performance. Our analysts have identified a trend - users are increasingly using the ITooLabs API for CRM integrations. People want to automate sales, and telephony is a must-have background for most sales. It’s at least strange not to promote such demanded functionality, about half of the clients just expect to be offered something like that. The fact that the cloud PBX has an API and boxed integration with the most popular clouds should be written in huge letters in each offer. Highly recommend.
- Popular voice VAS. A cloud PBX should be able to call not only to landline or mobile and not only from softphones or IP phones, a cloud PBX should be able to call in all possible ways. There are more and more such methods: this, including the very popular now FMC SIM cards. If your VATS is able to be friends with corporate mobile communications, then many customers will come only for the sake of this function. We implemented FMC support for a long time and we see that we are in the market. Our partner operators, offering converged services, are growing rapidly, connecting customers who switch from other platforms only because they need to control calls from cell phones. Do not be lazy, study this question in more detail, the niche is not yet occupied and you can manage to take your place under the Sun.
- Record conversations . The ability to listen to employee conversations with customers has already saved more than one deal. In some business segments, call recording is the only way to monitor and manage sales performance. We are good to see in our BigData that customers listen to call records and do it regularly. In a situation when each sale is valuable (for example, financial business) statistics + call recording = a prerequisite. If you are able to record conversations with cellular employees (see FMC), then your VATS will never be abandoned. Offer customers all the advantages of call recording in combination with all other functionality, and in combination with integration and FMC in the first place.
The described five advantages - the minimum gentleman's set for any provider of cloud PBX. Now let's talk about how to correctly present these advantages to potential customers.
This functionality should be sold separately and, again, according to our statistics, up to 60% of your potential customers are ready to pay you for these advanced features. We understand the temptation to make a single tariff with all the functionality included, but there will inevitably be a conflict on all sides: some customers want to pay less (that is, not pay for advanced functionality), and you will not make a profit from those who are willing to pay more. You do not complicate your offer if you have only 2-5 additional paid options, clearly targeted to certain audiences.
Tariff Calculator
Cloud PBX can be safely attributed to the category of asymmetric products, i.e. products about the capabilities of which your potential client either knows nothing at all, or knows much less than you. It would not be so sad if the client understood how tariffs are formed and did not understand only technical subtleties and additional functions. In most cases, visitors to your site in 10 seconds no longer understand what they want to receive a subscription fee from and how monthly payments are formed. This is especially felt if the tariff policy of the operator includes additional options, each of which increases the monthly bill. For example, recording conversations or notification of missed calls via SMS.
A tool that will facilitate the life of the client, can be a tariff calculator on the site. We should not neglect this, in general, simple option. We recommend placing a calculator on the rates page. Allowing the client to play an exciting game with checkboxes will increase your conversion. If the VATS service is offered in combination with virtual numbers (and usually it happens) and a guaranteed payment for telephone traffic, then a calculator is simply necessary. A very illustrative example is when a sales manager himself starts using such a calculator for sales. Tariff formation becomes transparent and clear to everyone, the numbers and asterisks converge both at the client and at the manager. People calm down and begin to realize that no one is going to hide extra money under footnotes in the contract.
Site configurator and demo account
The eternal question for most providers of cloud PBX service - we sell offline or online. Often this question is solved in favor of offline. This is understandable - for the proper organization of online sales requires a lot of effort - to integrate billing and cloud platform, write a lot of web scripts, classes and handlers, learn how to track sales in automatic mode, create the correct rules for techies and merchants. We know of cases where our partner operators have postponed the online implementation to “do it a little later” and in the end have never done so. Although it is absolutely correct to run with offline sales, you should not postpone the start of sales because of it. Faster start sales - quickly figure out the service and collect the requirements for the "configurator" itself.
It is clear that you can simulate online sales using the “Connect” button and the simplest contact form, behind which the sales department e-mail is hidden, but this half-deception is quickly opened and users are not always happy about it, expecting them to access the test PBX account for three minutes. At the same time, there is nothing deadly in the offline sales scheme, since no one has canceled the physical signing of a contract for communication services, just as no one has canceled the traditional call of a sales manager the next morning, but we recommend thinking about the possibility of giving customers a free test period and give it exactly online means.
We believe there is no need to explain why this is necessary - your cloud phone project turns into an online store operating 24/7, even if this online store distributes test subscriptions for free.
In the case of the ITooLabs Communication Server, the online generation of demo subscriptions is made fairly easy. You can use either the SOAP API created by us, or you can order the configurator development from the vendor. And the one and the other does not take much time and effort. The question is more about the specificity of your wishes. We recommend not to get involved in the seeming simplicity and attractiveness of the offline model and at the start consider the possibility of introducing online generation of test accounts. Marketers will surely thank you for such a “feature”, because each test account is a lead that can be used to increase conversion, and the client will be additionally promoted, if he can, over a cup of tea in the evening, carefully study the interface and functionality of the service.
Our analysts say that the operators who provide the test period automatically make more sales than their offline colleagues. We strongly advise to consider their opinion.
Every time when we are preparing to publish another material for our blog, we understand that the topic of cloud telephony is endless and extremely interesting. We have big plans for this year and we will try to write as often as possible and as informative as possible. We have prepared some more technical and marketing cases that will be regularly laid out here and in our blog on Habré. In short, the continuation is guaranteed to be.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/299374/
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