What Do Telemarketers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Telemarketers solicit donations or orders for goods or services over the telephone. They also deliver prepared sales talks, reading from scripts that describe products or services, to persuade potential customers to purchase a product or service or to make a donation.

Other tasks include:

• Contact businesses or private individuals by telephone to solicit sales for goods or services, or to request donations for charitable causes.
• Explain products or services and prices, and answer questions from customers.
• Obtain customer information such as name, address, and payment method, and enter orders into computers.
• Record names, addresses, purchases, and reactions of prospects contacted.
• Obtain names and telephone numbers of potential customers from sources such as telephone directories, magazine reply cards, and lists purchased from other organizations.
• Adjust sales scripts to better target the needs and interests of specific individuals.

We asked Telemarketers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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50% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 46% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Telemarketers explain products or services and prices, and answer questions from customers. They deliver prepared sales talks, reading from scripts that describe products or services, to persuade potential customers to purchase a product or service or to make a donation.

A typical day for a Telemarketer will also include:

• Contact businesses or private individuals by telephone to solicit sales for goods or services, or to request donations for charitable causes.
• Obtain customer information such as name, address, and payment method, and enter orders into computers.
• Record names, addresses, purchases, and reactions of prospects contacted.
• Answer telephone calls from potential customers who have been solicited through advertisements.
• Telephone or write letters to respond to correspondence from customers or to follow up initial sales contacts.

We asked some Telemarketers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	100% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	38% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	70% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	31% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	81% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	50% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Telemarketers also schedule appointments for sales representatives to meet with prospective customers or for customers to attend sales presentations. They may also conduct client or market surveys to obtain information about potential customers.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Telemarketers Obtain names and telephone numbers of potential customers from sources such as telephone directories, magazine reply cards, and lists purchased from other organizations. They might also Adjust sales scripts to better target the needs and interests of specific individuals.

In addition, they Answer telephone calls from potential customers who have been solicited through advertisements.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Telephone or write letters to respond to correspondence from customers or to follow up initial sales contacts.

To some Telemarketers, it is also their responsibility to Contact businesses or private individuals by telephone to solicit sales for goods or services, or to request donations for charitable causes.

Working life

Less than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Telemarketer, you can expect to work less than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes419041.htm