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Emerging popularity of inbound telemarketing

In an inbound telemarketing call center the agents do not initiate a call. All calls are made by customers who seek to place certain orders or request a service. The calls are generated through a number of methods such as newspaper and magazine advertisements, broadcast medium such as television or radio, brochures and pamphlets and internet ads. These advertisements feature a toll- free number (1-800- number) which the customers can dial to avail a certain service. The concept of toll free number was first used by AT&T in 1967 which made it practical to have call centers receive calls from all parts of the country. This system led to a centralized call center catering to all parts of the nation cutting costs and maximizing revenue. According to a survey more than one-third of Americans make 60 or more toll free calls per year!

Inbound telemarketing agents are trained to help customers select the products and services according to their specific needs. They also try and sell other products / services by informing the customers and giving them special offers and discounts. The agents have excellent persuasive skills and are trained to look into the needs of the customer. In many call centers agents are given extra incentive bonus if they sell products /services to customers above a certain threshold.

There are many reasons for the popularity of inbound telemarketing products. The marketers feature innovative concepts and products. Their prices are competitive and are generally lower than most similar products available in the market. Telemarketers define their products in detail and entice customers by giving them a guarantee and free a trial period for a product.

Inbound telemarketing has been used to fraud many unsuspecting customers .The most common phone scams include U.S. and Canadian cross-border promotions; illegal lotteries; non delivered merchandise; scholarships and employment scams; bogus credit repair schemes; and scams offering loans requiring paid fees in advance. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) looks after consumer protection against these telemarketing scams. The FTC has a toll free number: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1 877-382-4357).Customers can call the FTC on this number and ask for free information or file a complaint relating to inbound telemarketing.