Experts often combine call analytics with other tools. This helps to solve non-standard tasks and clearly see the effectiveness of ad campaigns. That’s exactly how digital agency Trusty Labs works. It is for two years already the Ringostat partner. Read below how to use call tracking in combination with custom solutions and CRM — explains Vitaliy Trussevich — the agency CEO.
Why an agency needs call tracking
Our clients often do not understand why it is needed to count leads. They are interested only in one metric — sales. But to increase selling, you need to provide a detailed analysis of traffic sources. Our experience shows that 80% of companies’ requests are always represented by calls. That’s why it is important for us to understand which launched activities bring them.
Our agency is focused on the result and must constantly improve the efficiency of its work. To do so, we implement solutions — including call tracking that allow analyzing this effectiveness. There are three basic tasks that call analytics solves, both for us and our clients.
- We see the results of our work. Whether launched campaigns bring traffic and requests, which are the most effective ones.
- We can always report the client on the work of advertising activities. Sometimes a client doesn’t look at reports but at the flow of calls. Nevertheless, for our part, we still track each channel, enter data into reports and provide analytics.
- We define the quality of leads by listening to calls. We consider not only the lead but the whole funnel — starting with the traffic from a specific channel up to a deal in the CRM. That’s why we have an understanding of whether a request is relevant, as well as “its quality”. In other words, whether, all in all, it led to sales. Thus, we understand which campaigns bring calls that are more likely to lead to the deal.
All this affects the effectiveness of launched advertisement and our agency as a whole. We provide campaign optimization by the level of deals that become sales but not simply by the level of presence/absence of calls.
We know nothing on leads if call tracking is not enabled. We will see only 20% of inbound requests in Google Analytics. But based on such a number of data it is impossible to make clear conclusions. That’s why call analytics is a key point for optimization. We even have internal regulations: if we provide lead generation for a client, then we won’t take without an implemented call tracking.
While working with the project we use not only reports available as default in Ringostat. We also make our custom ones — separately on calls from ads or specific sources. An example below is custom reports that we made for one of our clients’ project:
Call tracking, custom solutions and integrations for accurate analytics and data visualization
When we receive a new project, we install a call tracking for it and enable integration with the client’s CRM. Thus, we use ready-made integration modules of Ringostat with CRM that can be a bit modified for a specific project if there is such a need.
Due to call tracking and CRM system integration, contacts, deals, and tasks are automatically created in the last one, by the fact of each call. If the call is missed — the task “to callback a customer” with a deadline is created. Meanwhile, in the card of a deal is displayed the advertising source of the potential user’s transfer.
Read more about Ringostat integrations with CRM systems in the article “Profitable cooperation with the world-famous CRM — Ringostat integration with HubSpot and Salesforce”.
We have our own solution — a reporting system for work with project data. It provides a more clear understanding of the launched campaign and which channels lead to closed deals. The following data is transferred to our database:
- on calls using API Ringostat — we transfer all available data, simply saying, 34 parameters, however, we use the information on sources of calls more often;
- on requests — from the client’s CRM using API or Webhook, in the second case, if the funnel stage changes during the deal, the event is transferred to our base.
If a client does not have CRM, then we offer him our custom solution where he can put information in front of the request. All statistics are collected in our database. When we launch advertising, parameters with maximum details are inserted in a particular part of utm:
- creatives;
- banners sizes;
- company’s promo — for example, “-50% off for a second purchase”;
- categories of products that are promoted, etc.
Everything is standardized and when we take data to the base we can easily parse them by eight columns. Thus, we understand up to the smallest detail what worked out and brought calls, requests, and sales. We can optimize ads to make them the same efficacy as the most successful campaigns.
We work a lot with integrations for clients to receive the most transparent analytics. For example, we have a client — a brokerage firm that sells insurance policies. They receive many calls and have five specialists who receive them. We enabled the integration with CRM that the company uses.
Thus, calls, recordings of them and ad sources are automatically transferred to the CRM. Cookie transfer is also customized and then all data are directly transmitted to Enhanced Ecommerce. Due to this, our experts and the client see what policy was purchased via request from a certain channel. We can explain to the client that a definite service is bought for a specific request. All this helps to see the cost-effectiveness of separate products, optimize the budget and achieve greater results with fewer costs.
What is the pattern for listening to calls
- If we notice that channel brings not relevant requests we listen to 10-15% from it. So we can find out the reason for this by wasting a minimum of time.
- If a client has questions about the quality of leads in general, then we listen to 10-15% from all calls. We have a custom script that chooses calls for listening in Excel. We also provide for clients our own manual that explains how to listen to recordings of calls in Ringostat.
Listening to calls helps to discover subtle insights. I will set an example of our client — language school. We noticed that general requests related to English learning mostly bring calls from parents who want to register a child for a course. When an adult searches a course for himself he enters an absolutely different pool of requests. Due to an understanding of this information, we have been able to adjust ads and increase their CTR.
Examples of call tracking usage on actual projects
When relevant keywords bring “semi-target” requests
One of our clients is a real estate developer for whom we provided a lead generation service. Every day the company receives a giant flow of inbound calls, however, the client was unhappy with the quality of leads. Most often, people called only once and haven’t contacted the company anymore.
Sales reps tried to call them back themselves, we installed remarketing for website visitors — but there was nothing to do. That’s why our specialists started to listen to calls trying to find out the reason. It turned out that often called those people who wanted to receive a state grant for a social program as it provided a discount on mortgages. However, this developer did not participate in this scheme. It means that they were ready to buy an apartment but on other conditions than provided the client.
We found out that such non-target requests were brought by definite keywords. Meanwhile, at first sight, these keywords seemed absolutely relevant. They were opt-out and the client started to receive calls only from target customers.
The sales rep is a weak point
One of our clients is a company from the B2B segment that sells the product in the water purification niche for large enterprises, factories. The client has multi-million dollar contracts and long-term projects. At the beginning of the cooperation, we warned him at once that the sphere is complicated. Nevertheless, we brought 68 leads during the first month. At the same time, the commercial director wasn’t satisfied with their quality. He explained that the ad campaign brings individuals and these leads are not relevant.
Using call tracking we discovered that the problem is different. Among all requests, there were 45 calls from business clients that wanted to discuss a big order. However, the sales rep couldn’t clearly answer questions. This topic requires deep technical knowledge, but sales reps weren’t experts in this field. They specified the information during several workdays so then the offer was not relevant. We discussed it with the company’s founder as for us it’s a question of reputation — as a result, the company prolonged a contract with us.
Conclusions
1. There are several reasons why an agency needs call tracking:
- allows seeing the results of the agency’s work — whether the advertisement brings traffic and calls, which of the launched campaigns are the most successful;
- specialists can always report to the client — even if he is simply interested in the call flow, the agency tracks each channel, enters data into reports and provides analytics;
- it is possible to determine the quality of leads by listening to calls — experts determine whether relevant requests are brought from specific channels, and can change the advertisement so that it would bring more targeted calls.
2. Using call tracking and CRM integration, specialists see how the traffic is converted not only in calls but in sales as well.
3. Trusty Labs also has a custom solution — the system of reports. With its help, the agency’s experts can see how performed this or another campaign. It helps to optimize it and achieve greater results. Data are transferred to the base and then to Google Enhanced Ecommerce:
- on calls via API Ringostat;
- on requests — from the client’s CRM via API or Webhook.
4. Listening to calls reveals non-obvious insights that could stay unmentioned by specialists. For example, if relevant keys bring non-target requests or clients understand the advertising message in the wrong way.