Why people are your biggest asset in a post-COVID world – Toucan Telemarketing

The pandemic has led to an unforeseen acceleration in the adoption of new technologies. From Zoom calls to live events, businesses are trying their hardest to keep afloat with restrictions in place.

Despite this reliance on technology, it’s important to remember that people are still our biggest asset. Just ask Paula Bates, managing director of Toucan Telemarketing, an appointment-setting agency that has been forced to change in recent months.

Some of the biggest lessons learned come from Toucan’s competitors, as Paula explains. “Some larger agencies haven’t been able to work from home. They rely largely on scripts, and if conversations deviate from that script, there’s no supervisor to help.”

While people are an asset in larger agencies, Paula says it’s the small agency approach that really guarantees that buyer-seller connection.

“Smaller companies can adapt more quickly”

With Toucan’s account manager approach, prospects speak to a dedicated contact, helping to build those strong relationships. “Some of our competitors have 1,000 people in a call centre. If they lost even one client, there would be a huge loss in revenue. It’s important not to put all your eggs in one basket.”

Likewise, with these personal connections, Paula’s team can make calls outside of the traditional sales remit. They can check in or update their data to ensure an effective appointment-setting process.

“People need to plan for the future”

While this flexible approach has worked for Toucan in the short term, Paula warns that companies must also think long-term.

“It’s too easy to simply think now that there are hundreds of unemployed people waiting to take a job. You can’t take on just anybody, otherwise you run the risk of wasting hours training.

“When people work with us, they’re buying in to a team of people. We have experience and knowledge, plus the capacity to change quickly if something isn’t working.”

With 19 years of experience under her belt, Paula’s clearly got a winning formula – pandemic or no pandemic.

“The world is going to be like this for months. Life has to go on and business has to go on. We help our clients find a way that’s going to suit them.”

Find out more about people power – get in touch with Toucan Telemarketing here.