Questions To Ask Your Telemarketing Agency
📞 What Questions Should I Ask When Assessing Which Telemarketing Agency to Hire?
Hiring a telemarketing agency can be a game-changer for your sales pipeline. However, while agencies aren't trying to deceive, they are often an optimistic bunch. This optimism, combined with the pressure to win your business, can lead them to fall prey to common data biases when reporting performance.
You need to move beyond their best-case scenarios and dig into the real, sustainable truth of their delivery.
Here are the crucial questions to ask to uncover an agency's true performance and help you make a decision based on reality, not just optimism.
🚀 Part 1: Uncovering Performance & Avoiding Biases
The most critical part of your assessment is scrutinizing the performance data they provide, specifically guarding against Survivor Bias and Selectivity.
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Verbal stories are easy to exaggerate or misremember. Putting key performance indicators (KPIs) in a simple document forces them to be accountable for the specific numbers cited.
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A few good months are not a trend. You need to see if their success is consistent or just a statistical outlier. Consistent performance over a long period is the true measure of their process.
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You are hiring an agency, not an individual. If their 'best-in-class' results came from one stellar agent who has now left, their average delivery for your campaign will be much lower. Demand to see the team average.
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Agencies might boast about dials or appointments set. Focus on metrics that lead directly to revenue for your business: how much does a sales-ready lead cost and how many of those leads actually close?
📝 Part 2: Vetting their Track Record and Process
Beyond the numbers, you need to assess the quality of their overall operations and their commitment to client success.
1. Case Studies and References
"Do you have recent, relevant case studies (in a similar industry or deal size)?"
Follow-up: Check the date. A 5-year-old case study is nearly useless.
"Do you have references I can contact, and are they current clients?"
Follow-up: Always ask the reference: "What was the biggest challenge you faced working with them, and how did they resolve it?" This uncovers process, not just outcome.
2. Training and Staffing
"What is the average tenure of your telemarketers, and what is your monthly staff turnover rate?"
A high turnover rate means you are constantly dealing with new, inexperienced agents on your campaign. Low tenure suggests a lack of investment in their people.
"How will the team assigned to my account be trained on my specific product and industry?"
A great agency doesn't just read a script; they invest time to understand your value proposition so they can have a credible, value-led conversation.
3. Reporting and Communication
"How often do we receive reports, and what specifically is included?"
Look for a clear breakdown of raw data, not just aggregated averages. You should be able to see activity (dials, talk time) and outcome (leads, conversions).
"What is your process for managing and escalating negative feedback or low performance mid-campaign?"
This question tests their willingness to admit and correct mistakes quickly, showing a mature, process-driven approach.
🎯 Conclusion
When selecting a telemarketing agency, remember that their job is to sell you on their service. Your job is to hire the most effective and consistent partner.
By asking these pointed questions, you move the conversation away from optimistic anecdotes and toward documented, long-term performance data, allowing you to hire with confidence and avoid paying for a service that relies on past luck or a single superstar.
