It’s clear that technology is changing the business landscape, and will continue to revolutionize the way we do business. This change has been significant for some companies such as Amazon and Groupon, and severely detrimental for others such as brick-and-mortar stores. For Berbay, it’s exciting to learn about new technologies that can help us market our clients’ businesses, from QR Codes to capturing leads on the Internet.
Our latest “refreshing” experience with new technology came when we received a phone call from a prospective client who found us through the Internet. I answered the call, and initially it went as expected for a typical prospect conversation: The person asked me about who we are, what services we offer, what types of clients we work with, and so on. Five minutes into the call, the prospective client asked if I would be willing to Skype with him.
At first, I was a little taken aback by this request, because I had never been asked to Skype with anyone except my out-of-state cousin and brother. On the other hand, I was impressed by the prospective client’s knowledge of this kind of technology, as we frequently have to educate our clients on these types of programs. Although Skype has been around for years and is widely used, I had never used it professionally.
The prospective client and I had a one hour Skype conversation, discussing his firm’s needs and our services. I realized that on a Skype call, you have to pay attention to your posture, eye contact, etc.—all the things you would consider in an in-person meeting, but not on a conference call.
In the end, it was a very successful call. I was able to get to know the prospective client on a more personal level than I would have on a usual conference call. For Berbay, the experience opened a whole new door to face time: Now getting face time with a client doesn’t have to mean sitting across from one another—it can be as simple as a free Skype account.
What do you think about the effectiveness of Skype calls with prospective clients?
