Here’s what we consider when we’re offering support for B2B vs B2C clients.
Outbound Approaches Are Vastly Different
In the US, the DNC (Do Not Call) and TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) laws prohibit call centers from making “cold calls” to consumers without their prior consent. They also cannot call consumers who are on the Do Not Call List. Doing so can result in fines of up to $43,792 per call. For this reason, outbound calls make up a relatively small part of the B2C call center strategy. In B2C, outbound calls involve following up with donors or repeat customers, lending support, or answering questions.
These rules don’t apply to business clients, so outbound calls in B2B can make up a much larger part of the call center strategy. However, in B2B, you’re often dealing with highly specialized products and services, as well as large contracts, although on a lower-volume basis. The approach isn’t emotional, but rather ROI-based, so your customer experience team needs to deeply understand both the brand they represent and the one they’re pitching to – and be able to show value from a brand perspective. Additionally, the overall sales funnel tends to be longer, with purchases often taking weeks or even months. Your team might also be engaging with a variety of people working in different roles, so being able to modulate responses and track sentiment across multiple points of contact is vital. For multinational companies, bilingual support can be a major point of differentiation.
It’s All About Experience – But in Different Ways
Whether you’re in B2B or B2C, the customer always comes first. But depending on the market you’re approaching, the definition of “customer” can be quite different. In B2C, you’re typically working with one individual in service of their own specific needs. The experience is more one-on-one and involves nurturing individual emotional connections with a potentially diverse user base that might span a variety of ages and backgrounds. Because they’re personally paying for and using the product or service, B2C customers also tend to be more likely to “switch” if they have a less-than-stellar experience, so that personal connection is key.
The B2B customer experience, on the other hand, tends to be more complex, with people across different departments, responsibilities, and titles all looped in throughout the process. Not all of these individuals have decision-making power or access to the company purse strings, so the overall strategy may involve multiple stakeholders. Additionally, while consumer products tend not to be personalized, B2B customers expect to be approached with tailored products and services that specifically meet a specific use case and deliver clear business value, so being able to articulate the specific benefits of a product or service is vital. Through training, research, and the use of powerful feedback data and customer signal information, a skilled customer experience team will be able to navigate these challenges.
ListenTrust Excels at Both B2B and B2C
At ListenTrust, we’re ROI focused, no matter your target audience. Our nearshore team of highly experienced bilingual reps is uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional customer service to both the B2C and B2B markets. With robust 24/7 inbound call infrastructure and the option of a dedicated outbound team trained on delivering persuasive pitches and closing deals, we’re here to achieve powerful results that support your bottom line – and business growth. To explore the ListenTrust difference, get in touch today.
