This checklist considers inquiry management to be a process with many
different functions regardless of the type of software or vendor used to
manage the inquiries. This is a check list that will evolve over time and
we expect many versions of it as members send critiques and comments. If
you see something that is missing or should be changed, edited, updated or
deleted, send your comments by Alpha and number listing to: [email protected] Subject: Update SLMA Checklist
| Feature |
Yes/No? |
A. Data Capture and
Access – Is there is processing gap? |
| Is an inquiry
captured and presented within two hours to the sales channel?
|
|
| Is the inquiry
checked against address correction software?
|
|
| Can the data
be accessed by the sales channel as lists?
|
|
B. Screen
Inquiries?
|
| Can duplicate
inquiries be identified (usually short term within the last 90
days)? You may decide to eliminate or tag these as dupes.
|
|
| Can national
accounts be identified and assigned to the proper representative?
|
|
| Can
grandfathered or key accounts be identified and assigned to the
proper representative?
|
|
|
| Are previous
inquirers flagged and identified (usually long term, over 90 days)?
These are duplicates.
|
|
| Can bogus
inquiry names screened out (Mickey Mouse?)
|
|
| Can
competitors be identified and screened out so that information
(literature) is not sent and the inquiry is not sent to the sales
channel?
|
|
C. Ask Profile
Questions – Qualifying: helps to avoid source prejudice.
|
| Are answers to
profile questions from the web, shows, scripts, or BRC, etc.,
captured? The questions are: need, time frame, application,
budgets, etc.
|
|
D. Grading – This
can only be done if the proper questions have been asked.
|
| Is the inquiry
graded based on information from profile questions?
|
|
| Do you assign
a letter grade or a temperature grade? Boolean Logic?
|
|
E. Inquiry Nurture
- Is technology being used for nurturing?
|
| If the inquiry
is not "qualified" for distribution, can it be nurtured?
|
|
| Is mail a
nurture option?
|
|
| Is email a
nurture option?
|
|
| Is
telemarketing a nurture option?
|
|
F. Can inquiries be
tracked within "Sales Stages?
|
G. Fulfillment – It
may not always be printed material!
|
| Is fulfillment
done by PDF?
|
|
| Is fulfillment
done by mail?
|
|
| If by mail, is
there a personalized laser letter enclosed?
|
|
| Is there a
business reply card enclosed?
|
|
| Is fulfillment
completed within 24 hours?
|
|
| Can the names
of resellers be included in the letter or somewhere within the
package?
|
|
| Do you provide
only the materials requested, or do you provide materials even if
they are not requested? (not recommended)
|
|
H. Inquiry
Distribution- Is the inquiry going to the right salesperson or is it
delayed in a filter system?
|
| Can you
distribute only qualified inquiries?
|
|
| Can you
distribute the inquiry to the sales channel by zip code?
|
|
| Can you
distribute the inquiry to the sale channel based on longitude and
latitude?
|
|
| Can you
distribute the inquiry to a sales channel based on the product of
interest?
|
|
| Can you
distribute the inquiry to a sales channel based on the product
price?
|
|
| Can you screen
all inquiries against the company customer list and distribute the
inquiry to a specified sales channel?
|
|
| Can management
send follow-up reminders to sales representatives for inquiries that
are not opened within a specified time?
|
|
| Can you
distribute the inquiry based on the answers to profile questions?
|
|
| If a sales rep
does not open an inquiry given to them within a specified time can
you email a reminder to him or her that an inquiry is waiting?
|
|
| Can the
company take back inquiries that are not opened within a specified
time by the sales channel?
|
|
| Can you send
an inquiry to multiple salespeople covering an area?
|
|
|
I. Inquiry
Qualification: Do you send unqualified inquiries to your salespeople?
|
| Can the raw
inquiry, based on qualification stages, be placed into categories
such as: Qualified? Unqualified? Nurture?
|
|
| Can the
inquiry be qualified based on the answers to profile questions?
|
|
| If the inquiry
is not qualified, can you send a second mailing, email or telephone
them to qualify them? A.K.A. nurturing?
|
|
J. Sales Lead
Resolution? Can you enforce a 100% follow-up policy?
|
| Can the sales
representative or reseller close out the lead with a resolution?
Such as: Won, lost, No Interest, Future Remarket, no contact, etc.
|
|
K. Reports: Can
you prove the ROI for your campaigns?
|
| Will the
system provide campaign reports?
|
|
| Can sales
management look at reports showing inquiry distribution by sales
representative/reseller?
|
|
| Can sales
management view a report showing open lead aging?
|
|
| Can marketing
view reports that show inquiries by source and by source type?
|
|
| Can sales and
marketing view reports by sales actions taken?
|
|
| Can management
review lost sales by source and by source type?
|
|
| Can management
review the average cost per inquiry by source / source type?
|
|
L. Business Rules: Do business rules exist which guide marketing and sales actions,
expectations
and behavior? See "Business Rules for Inquiry Management" in the
resources section of the Sales Lead Management Association Site. |
ActOn Software
Applied DM Research, Inc.
CartoonLink, Inc.
ClickPoint Software
eti Sales Support
Event Technologies
The Hill Group
ITN International
Invenio Solutions
InterlinkOne
LeadLife
New Business Strategies
The Pedowitz Group
PointClear, LLC
Sales Benchmark Index
SalesFUSION
Sales Leakage Consulting
Sandler Training
Validar Inc.
The Vanella Group
VanillaSoft
Velocify
The Velos Group, Inc.
Vorsight