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HP’s call center generates leads to resellers

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DQC Bureau
New Update

The call center is increasingly assuming center stage in the sales and

marketing activities of HP India with as much as seven to 15 percent of the

company’s monthly sales accruing from leads generated and managed by its call

center. Although HP declined to quantify the value of sales that accrue from the

call center, it is estimated to be in the range of Rs 8-10 crore per month

depending on whether there is a campaign going on or not.

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The service is particularly beneficial for its SMB and consumer segment which

typically requires more information before making a purchase. HP started on this

initiative two years ago when it outsourced its call center requirements to

Delhi-based DSS Mobile.

Since then, the call center has played an undeniable role in passing on

valuable leads to resellers and increasing the business turnover many times

over. Calls are either categorized as ‘hot leads’ or ‘information seekers’

depending on the urgency of the calls. Agents are trained to elicit responses

that could help them sift serious buyers from information seekers.

Sales

accrued from call center are around Rs 8-10 crore
HP to

develop specific campaigns to be handled entirely by call centers
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A hot lead is then passed on to the reseller depending on criterion like

profile of the reseller, proximity to the customer and so on. If several

resellers qualify, then the software picks up the reseller which has the least

amount of transaction to its credit.

The role of the call center does not end in simply passing on the leads.

Agents keep in touch with the customer and continue with the follow-up till the

deal is closed in favor of HP or against it – in marketing parlance they call

it "till the loop is closed."

"It is a dynamic process whereby non-performers are pulled out of the

network just as performers are propped into the network. Performance is based on

the ability to transform leads provided by the call center. About 40-50 percent

of resellers form the CIC network," says Vasudha Duggal, Manager - Customer

Information Center (CIC) and CRM, HP India.

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"Resellers are tremendously happy with the system," says Raj Kumar

Rishi, Country Manager, SMB, HP India. The feedback from resellers has been that

it is one of the successful initiatives of the company. So will HP look at

developing call centers as an alternate channel? "No," says Rishi,

"but certainly the value from call centers are increasing and we shall look

at developing specific campaigns that would be handled entirely by call

centers." Right now, this functionality is restricted to facilitating the

reseller.

Also HP is convinced that the outsourced model of its call center would

remain integral in its scheme of things. Says Rishi, "We are looking at

expanding the model both in terms of reach and functionality."

As of now, the call centers are located in the eight cities of Delhi, Mumbai,

Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Pune with a total of 19-20

seats dedicated to the company.

BALAKA BARUAH AGGARWAL

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