Callbox

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Bentley Systems is an engineering software technology firm. We’ve been developing technology solutions for over 35 years. My specific role is the sales account manager focused on the construction industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Callbox?

I was hired to drive sales and adoption of a new technology that we’d acquired called SYNCHRO. However, I’m only one person. I needed a company to help fill the gaps ins our marketing research and sales so that we wouldn’t have to hire more internal team members. Their responsibility would be to find and call qualified leads for me so that I could capitalize on them. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Callbox generates leads for us through cold calls. At the start, we provided them with a list of contacts to reach out to along with sales playbooks and other internal training resources. We even did some role-playing scenarios to make sure that their agents were ready to prospect and call our accounts.

They had the training process down, but we did need to help as far as the messaging. We wanted to make sure that it sounded like the call was coming from a Bentley Systems representative rather than someone interpreting our mission.

From there, it’s just been a matter of them calling our contacts, documenting their notes, and handing them off to us through our marketing platform. They also leverage their own internal database to conduct outreach based on our given parameters, and they’ve done LinkedIn social selling to help build a rapport with potential prospects. Their team helps scrub and revalidate contacts that we’ve already had.

What is the team composition? 

Anna (Marketing) handles our regular communication cadence. She includes other members as needed to help out with internal marketing operations. 

How did you come to work with Callbox?

We were already engaged with Callbox on a different technology project and saw results there. Expanding our partnership to this project just felt like the natural evolution.

How much have you invested with them?

We pay them on a quarterly option, totaling about $16,000 per engagement.

What is the status of this engagement?

This particular project has gone on since October 2020, but we’ve worked with them prior. We’ve just renewed our contract and are waiting internally for confirmation on when to start back up. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

From a sales side, about 10 of their leads have been converted to opportunities with a dollar value of roughly $150,000. We haven’t closed any deals yet, but we haven’t lost any either. The team also provides what they call marketing-qualified leads, which are leads that help us do more strategic targeting for our specific product. 

As far as their professionalism, they’re very consistent. I’ve actually worked for a lead generation company early in my career, so I think they’ve done a quality job compared to my previous training. 

How did Callbox perform from a project management standpoint?

We have weekly reports to recap feedback and identify where we can improve so that we can better guide them in our asks. They’re great at reporting back what is or isn’t working, suggesting minimal tweaks to keep improving on the engagement. If something isn’t readily available, they’re quick to update us. In that sense, we feel reassured that we can count on them. 

In terms of tools, the reports have followed a consistent template to maintain the same look and feel. They use HubSpot to capture information.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their eagerness and willingness to keep improving upon the engagement are impressive. It’s not just a one-and-done project where they give us information. Instead, they keep at it to evolve. That’s been one of the stronger aspects of this engagement because it reflects what I’ve seen during the short time that I’ve worked with them. How they go about things is very natural. It’s not like we have to try and teach them anything; they’re just willing to mimic our company culture.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There have been times when they’ve provided feedback on certain accounts that have competitive information without knowing the specifics of that company nor the contacts. But, they’ve been better at incorporating that, so there’s not much information left that we need to ask for.

Outside of that, there isn’t anything drastic that they need to improve upon. We’re three months into this engagement, but you’d think it was six just because of how efficient they are in our processes. Both teams have done a great job to support this engagement. There’s always a sense of urgency and prioritization. They’ve conveyed that what they’re doing for us is important, regardless of whether they have other customers or not.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Even if you have a sales development or business development team, you should consider working with a company like Callbox for lead generation and marketing qualification services. They can help fill in the gaps where you fall short, and the team offers a different perspective on how you think to improve your sales.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing operations lead for a telecoms (telecommunications) company that operates in more than 12 countries and provides services to over 170 countries. Our main services involve network and digital solutions, including IoT, the Cloud, and cybersecurity.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Callbox?

The challenge was to generate leads, bring opportunities to the table, and increase revenue. Our brand awareness in the US wasn’t as huge as it was in our main markets, and that’s why we wanted to spread the word about our presence here.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Callbox manages outbound marketing activities, so calling and engaging with our target audience. Their activities are a mix of outbound calling, social media marketing, email marketing, and Google advertising to promote our website and landing pages. They also manage a chatbot that we integrated into our website.

Callbox works to generate qualified leads from companies. They schedule meetings for our sales executives with leads. Their team provides us with an overview of a lead after talking to them, which allows us to bring a solution to the table when we meet with them.  

What is the team composition?

We work with Callbox’s VP of operations, a service manager, and three more resources, including a social media specialist and a sales representative. The service manager acts as a project manager for all of our campaigns and there’s a campaign manager who schedules meetings and tweaks messaging for campaigns.

How did you come to work with Callbox?

We sought the help of a lead generation company based in the US or at least a company that targeted its services to US markets. As we have internal processes, we also needed an adaptable company. A willingness to adapt to our processes was key in our negotiations along with the right lead generation expertise.

Callbox had more than 15 years of experience in lead generation and proactively made recommendations based on our needs. They were also one of the few companies that charged by campaign rather than lead. We chose them because we believed in their ability to do good work.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $20,000–$50,000 per year and have spent around $100,000 on their services so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We initially hired them for a three-month-long project in March 2019, and we’re continuing to run campaigns with them. We look forward to renewing the process in March 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We measure the number of leads their team generates, so how many meetings they’re able to secure for our sales executives. We also measure the quality of leads, so how many leads involve the contacts we seek. Although their team’s securing fewer leads, they’re better quality leads. Callbox collects contacts with the proper job titles, and we’re generating more opportunities.

As the decision-making process for our services takes 3–12 months, we don’t see instantaneous results. During the campaign that their team launched in 2019, they generated over 100 leads and secured 3–4 customers that increase our revenue on a monthly basis.

How did Callbox perform from a project management standpoint?

In the beginning, the process was quite complex. However, after the first 2–3 campaigns, it was clear that Callbox understood our goals. We also went through a change in the project’s leadership, and the involvement of their VP of operations was key to our continued collaboration. 

Their team’s now in constant communication with us. We have weekly calls to check on the project's progress. Their ability to be flexible with our internal processes is key to their services, and it’s a competitive advantage of Callbox’s. For example, they schedule meetings between leads and our sales executives.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Flexibility and proactivity are two of their strengths and key to their competitive advantage. They adapt to our requests, messages, and products. Callbox also tells us about their progress and what can and can’t be done.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although there’s always room for improvement, I don’t have constructive criticism for Callbox at the moment. Their marketing automation could be better, but they’re doing a good job so far.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

To get the most out of your investment, know your value proposition and target audience. That will help Callbox adapt and give the best advice.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company provides dedicated Managed IT Services providing management and governance of IT Infrastructure, Systems, End Users and Security 24x7 for small to medium companies with limited IT staff. We operate from a US based facility with approx. 50 engineers. My position is Director of Business Development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Callbox?

To identify prospects who have understaffed IT services and need to run IT Best Practices and add complimentary IT resources at a fraction of the cost of additional IT staffing.

What were your goals for this project?

To identify 10-20 appointments per month and to convert these appointments into ongoing opportunities and close a percentage of these opportunities.

SOLUTION

How did you select Callbox?

In large part based on previous social media write ups and based on Callbox's flexibility to allow me to run a campaign that was based on a cost per qualified me as determined by me.

Describe the project in detail.

We explained our business model in detail and then co-jointly developed a calling script that has been modified over time. We meet weekly to discuss the results of the campaign. I provide feedback to Callbox on every appointment as they occur, including follow up appointments with the prospects.

Also provide feedback on no shows or appointments that are not on target so collectively we can continue to refine the search process.

What was the team composition?

Our Callbox team composition includes our Account Manage/ Team Leader, a campaign manager responsible for communicating the appointments and statistics to us, a dedicated telemarketer, and a shared team that works on mailings and linked in.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Given that these are longer sales cycles we continue to wait for our initial closed deal. The appointments have been consistently of very good quality. The process has become very refined so that we have gradually had fewer and fewer "no shows".

I continue to be in contact with the majority of leads uncovered throughout this process. I have submitted a number of proposals and anticipate that in the next 4-8 weeks we will have closed business. Those closings will be the initial ROI that we are seeking.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow has been very positive. They are responsive and act as though they are an extended part of our company which is exactly the model we convey in our business to our clients.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They over exceeded expectations in the delivery of committed qualified leads during the initial period and have been very consistent throughout this process.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I always think it is valuable to get to meet all the members of the team you are working with. I believe it makes for better relationships even if they are virtual meetings.

There are members of the team we have never been introduced to. I also think the quality is very team dependent and that we have had been paired with a very competent and committed Team Leader and Campaign Manager.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing for an image post-processing company that serves hospital radiology departments, imaging centers, and imaging clinics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Callbox?

We were looking to get better quality leads into the top of our funnel for our business development team. Previously, we had a scattershot approach where we’d rely on SEO to bring in leads. A lot of those leads weren’t qualified and weren’t a great fit for our service. We also go leads through email campaigns, networking, and referrals. All of these methods weren’t getting us the qualified leads we were looking for.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We used Callbox initially to refine our process and improve it. This time, we decided to hire them for a more extensive engagement. We have our own database of hospitals, radiology departments, and imaging centers across the US. We provided Callbox that information and they also have a research team with their own database.

As part of the process, we had an onboarding meeting where we discussed what they had done for us in the past and what changes we’d like to see. We told them which contacts we wanted to get in touch with, along with their positions.

From there, we worked up an initial script with them that their telemarketers could use to get through any gatekeepers through to the stakeholders. We worked with them on the script and came up with a number of answers to potential objections they had, too. The goal was to get an interested lead to agree to an appointment with one of our sales representatives.

Additionally, they provide outreach through email and LinkedIn outreach for the leads we were looking for. They also have a schedule to call and re-dial contacts that they haven’t been able to get in touch with.

What is the team composition?

I work with K6 (Project Manager), Alex (Sales Manager), and April (Management Solutions Lead).

How did you come to work with Callbox?

They were hired the first time before I started the position. When we re-engaged, we did a three-month trial and decided we wanted to work with them going forward.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $54,000 annually.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2020, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Once they got up and running for us, they started providing us with 6–10 qualified leads a week that we probably wouldn’t have had in our funnel otherwise. They also get us a number of marketing qualified leads. The multi-touch approach proved to be really successful for us. We’ve definitely gained business tied to work that Callbox does.

In our weekly calls, they generate a list of objections that they’ve heard from prospects. Over time, we’ve talked to them and worked with them to craft different answers for different objections, which changes over time. They’re very responsive and their research team provides very in-depth data. We’re happy with the work, overall.

How did Callbox perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate email, phone, and Zoom to keep in touch. We have a weekly standup for updates and feedback, too.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Whenever we have a script change request, they’re very responsive in incorporating those changes. They communicate very well in our weekly call as well and are able to articulate challenges well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re happy with them and have no complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

In your discovery call, make sure you provide all relevant marketing materials so they understand what products or services you offer. Make sure it’s all understood so they have the best tools to get qualified leads interested.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Sales Manager for a IT cloud services company responsible for managing lead generation and business development strategies

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Callbox?

Muti media approach to lead generation and appointment setting.

What were your goals for this project?

As a sales and lead generation project, our goal is to generate leads and revenue. We measure success in contracts acquired in excess of lad generation cost.

SOLUTION

How did you select Callbox?

Interviewed, researched, and evaluated 5 lead generation companies before selecting 2 for 6-month trial projects. CallBox outperformed and was signed for a 1-year engagement.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Call Box generates leads through email digital and direct calling into targeted accounts. The agreement is activity-based. By that, I mean Callbox contract for a specific number of outbound calls, emails impressions every month.

We conference weekly to adjust the message and manage common objections or other required changes to messaging.

What was the team composition?

Callbox team is a mix of a project manager, team manager as well as the person actually making calls. Direct feedback is the key to a successful engagement. On our side, it is the sales manager marketing manager, and sometimes the sales reps managing the prospect's life cycle.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We have a relatively long sales cycle (6-12 months) Tracking lead origin and outcome is important. Since engaging with Callbox we have signed one new contract which with our typical customer Life Time Value covers the cost of the project.

Since we have several leads still active in our pipeline and still have 5 months of service, we believe this will be a profitable engagement.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

A very good line of communication and the collaboration methodology is very well integrated. Their portal to monitor progress is also very helpful.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their structure, systems, and methods are all very impressive. Great communication, feedback, and adjustments as required.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Most of the improvements (changing directions and messages) are related to my delay in providing feedback and asking questions in the 1st few months. As their client, only I know my industry and messaging which cannot be outsourced.

Although they make that point in the engagement process, maybe if they stressed the importance of early adjustments and messaging a bit more, I would have been more aggressive.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Director of sales for IT ousorcing company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Callbox?

Marketing campaign generating qualified leads.

What were your goals for this project?

Establish brand recognition and develop leads

SOLUTION

How did you select Callbox?

We reviewed several companies but Callbox was the most flexible integrated solution

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After we selected Callbox we began planning a strategy of marketing campaigns and lead generation activities that would yield results. The key element was the collaboration with Callbox pre start date which has yielded higher than expected results.

The mutual objective was to get the majority of the campaign right up front before launching the activities.

What was the team composition?

President, VP of Operations and Director of Sales from our company. Callbox engaged Sales, PM, telemarketing supervisor and the actual marketing person herself.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Thus far lead generation has surpassed typical expectations. We continue to collaborate Bi weekly to fine tune messaging to gain even greater results.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Outstanding! This is a major strength of Callbox. There has been a total team approach to the success of the project. Open dialogue yielding minor tweaks has shown steady increases in the results.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The collaborative engagement. We have a total team approach from both parties which has made this a pleasant and successful campaign to date. Target dates have been met consistently.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are always areas of improvement that you seek but the team has been open to changes, assisted in offering suggestions, and met timelines. This team has made this a pleasant joint venture from both sides while yielding results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a technology company creating real time, accurate, granular data for the CPG and Retail industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Callbox?

Appointment setting and Lead gathering

What were your goals for this project?

We needed qualified leads for our business development team and quality appointments for our sales department.

SOLUTION

How did you select Callbox?

The selection pre-dated my arrival to the company.

Describe the project in detail.

Our Callbox team had to understand our specific target audience and our technology enough to speak/message clearly about it. Callbox is making cold calls and using LinkedIn messages to reach our prospective audience.

They've also hosted a webinar for us, including booking attendants and running the tech.

What was the team composition?

There are two team leads, with whom I can email and expect responses from in a very timely manner, and two direct team members who make the calls/send emails. All have been great about sending communications to our specs and changing the pitch as requested.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Callbox has gotten us over 80 solid leads and/or appointments, which our inside teams are now working.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Once Callbox understood what we do and our target audience, the workflow has been very effective, thanks to good communication.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

That they were able to understand the technology enough to work with the sales pitches and get the attention of some big companies, including some we hadn't had success with on our own.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Thanks to good communication with our Callbox team, any time I've wanted something changed/altered, it's been done quickly and well - I can't complain.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Chief Revenue Officer of the company, and my KPI is to growth the company revenue, Margin & profit. Our company solves business challenges with marketing & technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Callbox?

We hired callbox as our extension arm in the business development process for potential leads of clients who have business challenges requiring a solution for marketing & technology.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals of the project was to have another team dedicated on outreach to potential new clients ,work with our presales team to optimize the qualification and sign big deals!

SOLUTION

How did you select Callbox?

We selected callbox based on a network referral through our own contacts list, which highly recommended the team for cold lead generic outreach

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Callbox team will reach out to prospects based on an ideal customer profile scenario, which both parties agree to initially and continue to optimize along the way. We helped and trained the callbox team with level 1 technical knowledge, and work on call scripts, social scripts so that they are equipped with the right answers.

What was the team composition?

Callbox team: campaign manager, caller, social media, hubspot integrator Atypical team: Technical, Creative and business consultants

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project took about 6-7 weeks worth of content optimization and nurturing of potential clients to get off the ground. we're 8,9,10+ weeks into the process, and we're getting 10-15 leads/week, with 2-3 leads that are very warm.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Both parties worked on the flow, so that it is a give and take relationship. We had to understand the challenges on their end, while sharing the challenges on our end to ensure that we create the best workflow possible and we're still trying to improve it.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

willingness to be open minded about a constant optimization process, and not scared of change and comfort zones.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We work on an optimization model, so with that in mind, our teams are constantly working on improving both lead quality and lead quantity.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the VP of Business Development for an inheritance funding company. We purchase a portion of an heir's rights to inheritance for cash upfront.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Callbox?

We wanted to do an educational campaign across the US to inform attorney's about the industry and our company. Our industry is not well known, we were looking for an efficient way to educate and inform attorneys of it's existence.

As a company we did not have the resources to dedicate to such a campaign.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to be able to speak to attorney's one on one to explain how we can assist the heirs to estates they are handling. We want to speak with as many attorneys as possible in the US. We anticipate this project to create open doors to building relationships with attorneys.

SOLUTION

How did you select Callbox?

We did extensive research into companies who provide this type of service and decided Callbox would be the best fit. Our CEO did the majority of research, interviewing of companies and decision.

Upon review after the promo period, all involved in the project were given an opportunity to give feedback before entering into a year long contract.

Describe the project in detail.

Callbox representatives call a list of attorneys, which they have accrued, not that we provided. They give a small blurb about our company to get the law firm interested and then schedule an appointment or send an email.

Integration was simple, as the attorneys agree to appointments or emails they forward the attorney information and we take it from there. We have fixed quarterly payments.

What was the team composition?

I am unclear as to the vendor's side team size or changing members. Our account representatives have remained the same and are very helpful and accessible.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We have not only been able to spread the word about our industry but have also been able to build long lasting relationships.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow is excellent. Inquiries to Callbox are quickly responded too, with not just a simple answer but also an explanation and a willingness to meet to go into an issue further. The scheduling, managing expectations and communication is stellar.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their responsiveness is impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They had taken over chat, and sometimes there was a bit of miscommunication as to when and how to respond. but that was quickly resolved.

There are some time zone issues in regards to scheduling for clients that are in a different time zone then us, but all issues were quickly resolved.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

AdvisorServe provides objective insurance resources for Fee-Only Financial Advisors. As Director of Operations, I oversee much of our firm's client experience, application processing, and business development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Callbox?

We hired Callbox to find and contact Fee-Only Advisors throughout the US to introduce our firm, share what we have to offer, and set introductory phone calls with us. This was done through direct phone marketing, email and LinkedIn marketing, and digital marketing.

What were your goals for this project?

We want to serve Advisors in every region of the US and expand our reach every year. The main goal of the project was to connect with Fee-Only Advisors for a half-hour introductory phone call or Zoom meeting.

SOLUTION

How did you select Callbox?

Callbox was unique in that they were willing to learn our business model and industry lingo to interact with our prospective clientele in a meaningful and winsome way. The capabilities of finding advisors we didn't know existed AND then putting us in touch with them was critical, and Callbox was the only operation that was able to so.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The Callbox team began their work by getting to know our business, our employees, our process, model, and objectives. They created a script for phone calls and some key phrases to communicate our value-add for digital marketing.

They researched the Fee-Only Financial Planning industry nationwide and assembled a list of prospective clients. Then their team marketed AdvisorServe to those advisors through phone calls, LinkedIn ads, and email campaigns.

What was the team composition?

Callbox worked as a team with several specialists on our project including the main marketing consultant (making phone calls, composing emails, etc.), a project leader to communicate with the team and AdvisorServe as a liaison, and a project operations facilitator, ensuring we collected accurate contact information for our database, etc.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We were able to connect with dozens of Advisors who are the exact people we want to work with. Each week, almost daily for most of the campaign, we would receive information and appointments for introductory phone calls with Advisors that are the exact kind of people we want to serve.

Callbox did a great job of discovering who we were and who we needed to connect with, and then connecting the dots to get us in conversation with those people.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We received frequent communication via email and Zoom calls with the Callbox team to stay on the same page and maximize our efforts. The Callbox team received our feedback and suggestions, as well as creatively proposed excellent content and ideas to us so that we could all work together to execute a successful marketing campaign.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The willingness to learn our company's value-add and our industry's lingo was critical to this campaign. Short of hiring someone in-house and bringing them up to speed for the better part of a year, I don't know how anyone else would have been able to do what Callbox did for us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing comes to mind.