Tracking and Accountability
Most community banks really want their officers and select employees to make outbound customer calls. Unfortunately for most, this desire for a calling program, with positive results, has not translated into any type of reality. What has resulted is a great deal of frustration in senior management and yet one more program added to the list of things that never got done, or at least done effectively. We’ve been involved with many outbound calling efforts over the past 20 years and most are still experiencing great success. However, a few have not done so well. Here are the two main reasons for failure.
Inconsistency in Tracking
Any successful outbound calling program will require consistent tracking of results. This is done in a weekly “Reason to Call” meeting that shouldn’t last any more than 15 minutes. Missing this meeting for even just one week will negatively affect your results. The impact of seeing published results of the number of outbound calls each week, compared to previous weeks, is undeniable and will drive your program. When viewing the weekly numbers, don’t waste time on the non-performers, deal with them individually. Recognize successes and discuss what is working best with the performers.
Lack of Accountability
When starting an outbound calling program it’s tempting to set a minimum number of calls. This will only put a ceiling on the number of calls your officers make. For example, if you set a minimum of 3 calls a day, then that is the most you will get and often a little less. Look for quality, not quantity. However, as a rule of thumb, if you can’t get an officer to call more than two customers a day, there’s a serious problem. Bottom line… Hold your officers accountable for making calls. If they refuse, then take appropriate steps to move forward. Keep in mind, a banking officer that can’t make outbound calls is no different than a teller that can’t count.
A Successful Outbound Calling Program
There’s obviously more to a successful program than these two things, but without them your efforts will certainly fail. Take a look at our 6 Keys To A Successful “Reason To Call” Program to get started on the right track.
