Craig Killick
Small Business and Marketing
Why I hate the 4com marketing strategy
Posted on 06. Apr, 2009 by Craig Killick in Marketing & Sales
(This post was originally on The Escape Blog from May 08 and it attracted 16 comments, none to favourable to the company. I switched it to detract away from The Escape, although that is where I got the calls.)
Every three or so months I get a phone call from 4com trying to sell me something. Each time, I explain that I am not the person that buys what they sell and they apologise and then say they will take my details out of their database. Meanwhile, every time, they still ask me if I have listened to what they have to say.
Then three months later, I get another call.
They have become more personal in their approach. They obviously know that cold-calling doesn’t penetrate like the good old days so they don’t even mention their company name to the person that answers our phone at work. They say things like, “He knows me”, or “I’m returning his call”.
Persistence is okay, I get the need for persistence, but this? No permission, no targeting… come on!!
4Com – when will you bugger off and leave me alone? I don’t buy what you sell. I am not interested in what you sell… in fact I now really dislike your company – with a passion.
But, you know what? I’ll put money on it that they will call me again in the next three months.
I think that’s the key, to your point and cold calling especially – persistence.
There is a limit, a limit that often gets pushed too far that not only frustrates but also stops what you’re doing and wastes your time, which will inevitably result in the disliking of the company/brand and cold-calling as a whole.
And anyway, who ever liked cold calling?
Stay strong. Don’t buy from them! Really, it would be the worst possible business decision!
It sounds to me, that you need to train your receptionist up on how to screen your calls correctly , just a thought .
Langers. We are a small business so don’t have a designated receptionist. But, the 4Com sales person would call in a very personal way saying that I know them, they are a friend of mine. Bearing in mind that I am a Director of my company, it’s a tough judgement for someone to say no, or at least not try and put the call through.
Craig,
answering calls in a personal way – system speed dials if these are up to date then most phone systems will CLI recognise and show you the name of the caller or may be try auto attendant!!!
Chief, Thanks for the comment. Any telephone system I have does not excuse the tele-sales tactics IMO.
Chief is a Chief! he doesn’t know what he is going on about!