Successful business appointments, the ones that lead to contracts, are not always easy to arrange. Anyone looking to get in front of prospective new customers wants to reach the decision-makers. However, it is often the case that there are obstacles in the way, with various gatekeepers to get past.
The B2B telemarketing experts at Toucan Telemarketing understand how careful relationship-building and strategic communication skills can work to get past the gatekeepers to the decision-makers.
RMS is one of Toucan Telemarketing’s recent clients. Director Mike Lancaster explains the value Toucan Telemarketing’s services has added to his business in overcoming obstacles to reach the right contacts.
Outsourced Radiology and Gatekeeper Culture
“RMS is Radiology Management Solutions. We provide outsourced radiology services to the NHS and the private sector, specialising in CT and MRI scans and ultrasound. We know we can make a real difference, especially when it comes to reducing the cost of these services to our clients.”
However, difficulties can arise when attempting to make the right connections in the first place.
“If you consider the culture of most medical institutions, including the NHS, the gatekeeper concept is firmly embedded in them, generally, for very sound reasons, in managing patient demand and meeting it with often stretched resources”
Patients seeking consultations often must pass through various pre-determined stages of contact.
“This administrative maze can be more complex if you’re trying to make business connections in order to present your outsourced services. It takes research, perseverance and very good people skills.”
The Outsourced Solution
Nurturing leads and reaching decision-makers is a dedicated, skilled task. It is demanding and time-consuming.
“A key aspect of business strategy is knowing when to call in expert help, to support your objectives, and free up your own time to focus on the things that are your own specialisation”
RMS decided to use Toucan Telemarketing’s expertise to help reach the decision-makers they needed to contact to build their business.
Paula Bates, Managing Director at Toucan Telemarketing, talks tactics.
“This kind of B2B telemarketing is very much focused on relationship-building, and while the end goal is the decision-maker, this kind of skilled communication first comes into play with the gatekeeper,” Paula explains.
It involves a degree of empathy, where the caller must first put themselves in the gatekeeper’s shoes.
“It means recognising that they are busy individuals, and that their own credibility is at stake, should they decide to put your call through to a decision-maker. Therefore you need to build a rapport with them. The key then is how you do this without them thinking you are wasting their time.”
Experienced B2B callers must be strategic but also adaptable, thinking on their feet and, above all, listening.
“There’s groundwork to do, researching how the organisation you’re calling operates, and where various roles sit within it. But then there’s the important human factor, picking up on the tonality of individual voices, gauging and helping to set the level of engagement.”
Gatekeepers are people, and people are more likely to respond positively if the approach is right. Ultimately it’s not about cold calling, but communicating exceptionally well”
As RMS’s Mike Lancaster concludes, the results speak for themselves.
“Over the two years we’ve worked with Toucan Telemarketing, they’ve helped us secure a major new client and set up several new appointments with the potential for further new business.”
To discover how Toucan Telemarketing can play a crucial role in your appointment-setting success, please call 01260 294444 or visit toucantelemarketing.co.uk.