With recent data indicating that as many as 43% of search related conversions occur over the telephone, it’s no surprise that marketers are considering adding Call Tracking software to their web analytics suite. As you consider different vendors, here are 10 questions we recommend asking each Call Tracking vendor:
- 1) Do you specialize in traditional Call Tracking or online Call Tracking?
Many Call Tracking providers specialize in tracking traditional response rates or online conversion rates, but not necessarily both. Consider a company that offers both, so that you can grow with the company as your business evolves. - 2) For online Call Tracking, can you integrate with Google Analytics?
If you’re focused on using Call Tracking to measure conversion rates from online ad campaigns, consider a company that integrates with Google Analytics. Here is a list of Phone Call Tracking vendors in the Google Analytics App Gallery. - 3) Do you offer “Whisper Messages” to announce each caller?
Whisper messages provide the sale rep answering the call with some vital information including the name of the caller and the source of her interest. Make your customer interactions more effective by feeding your sales team the information they need to understand the context of the call. - 4) Do you offer a Call Recording option?
Call Recording allows you to monitor and review the quality of your sales leads. Get a precise sense of how your calls actually proceed. - 5) How do I access Call Tracking data?
Reporting of data should work for you and your business. Reports should be made available in the way that is most convenient for you, whether they’re viewed online, downloaded to Excel, emailed to you, or accessed automatically via API. And you should sort through the data that’s relevant to you. At a minimum you should be able to filter by call time, call count, caller name, caller ID, and routing information. - 6) Do you offer custom call routing options?
Call Tracking isn’t just about measuring phone calls, it’s about distributing the sales lead to the right person to close the business. Consider a Call Tracking provider that provides custom Call Routing functionality. For example, route calls by percentage to sales reps, by geography to retail outlets, or by schedule to your office or cell phone. - 7) Do you offer both toll-free and local phone numbers? Do I own these numbers?
Your phone number itself communicates something important about your company. Companies hoping to project a national reach should consider toll-free numbers, while those focusing on local marketing may prefer local call tracking numbers. Find a provider that offers both options, suiting your particular needs. Another key point to consider is ownership of these numbers: if you decide to move to a new Call Tracking provider can you keep these numbers? Owning the number allows you the freedom to change providers without worrying about the hassle of advertising a new number. - 8) What tools are available for my bigger campaigns?
Your marketing campaigns might not be simple and straightforward. Instead of monitoring hundreds of diverse numbers individually, look for a provider that offers strong campaign management tools, allowing you to group related numbers into unified campaigns. For instance, you could group all your PPC campaigns together to garner an overall view of these efforts before then pulling custom reports for a more detailed look. - 9) If for any reason my numbers stop working, what type of support do you offer?
While all Call Tracking providers will claim an uptime of at least 99.9%, the real test occurs on the slim chance that there is downtime. What is the process for communicating that downtime to clients? What happens to the valuable data collected during periods of downtime? Ask your vendor what steps they have in place in the very unlikely scenario that something does go wrong. This will give you a better sense of how prepared the provider is for these situations. - 10) What tools are available for an agency managing Call Tracking for multiple clients?
Ask if the vendor can provide a portal for managing multiple accounts or the ability to segment reports within one account for different clients. Find out what your options are both in terms of technology and leveraging the Call Tracking vendor’s team to hel you provide value to your clients.