Carry out sales activities in a contact centre

URN: INSCC005
Business Sectors (Suites): Contact Centre
Developed by: Skills CFA
Approved on: 2021

Overview

This standard is about carrying out sales activities in a contact centre. This involves handling incoming and outgoing contacts through variety of communication channels (telephone calls, live chat, web chat, social media), identifying sales opportunities and providing information to customers to develop interest in the services and products of the contact centre. You will be required to sell services and products you are familiar with and use sales techniques to make the most of opportunities that arise. It is for contact centre professionals responsible for selling services and products directly to the customer.


Performance criteria

You must be able to:

Carry out sales activities in a contact centre

1.      access customer, services and product information to prepare for direct sales activity in a contact centre

2.      establish customer wishes and needs through questioning and active listening

3.      match customer wishes and needs to available services and products to offer options

4.      respond to customer questions and queries

5.      adapt your selling style and technique to mirror customer wishes and behaviours

6.      close the sale by agreement with your customer during customer contact

7.      confirm and record your customers' order

Gather and use specified sales information for sales activities

8.      gather and collate information about the services and products available through direct sales

9.      gather and assess customer information held which will support sales activities

10.   collect information from customers that supports potential sales and helps to identify their needs

11.   provide information to customers about the services and/or products that are available

12.   check customer information with customers to ensure that all details are correct

13.   keep appropriate records of customers

14.   research potential new customers

Contribute to direct sales to customers in a contact centre setting

15.   establish customer identity, using organisational security protocols, to access customer information to support the sales process

16.   establish customer needs for potential sales of services and products within your authority

17.   record your customers' needs using your organisation's systems and procedures

18.   use information expressed by customers to identify possible matches with available services and products

19.   present features and benefits of services and products to customers

20.   respond to customer questions and objections

21.   adapt your sales approach and style to customer preferences

22.   identify and act on for cross and up-selling

23.   confirm customer requirements and needs to close the sale

24.   check the accuracy of the order you have recorded with your customer

25.   complete authorisation or payment details to finalise the sale with your customer

26.   pass customer contact to a colleague with authority if a sales request is beyond your authority

Keep sales records relating to direct sales through a contact centre

27.   follow organisational procedures to identify and record customer and services and product data during the sales process

28.   retrieve information as required from sales records

29.   use sales records to update customer information that supports the sales process

Comply with relevant regulations and legislation during direct sales in a contact centre

30.   identify regulatory requirements which impact on direct sales activities through a contact centre

31.   follow current legal, regulatory and data protection requirements, codes of practice and organisational policies and procedures relating to handling personal information and sales activities


Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

  1. the range of services and products available for sale
  2. the features and benefits of available services and products that impact on the sales process
  3. the sources of information about the services or products that you are able to deal with
  4. how to present information to customers about the range of services and products for sale
  5. the organisational procedures for establishing customer identity in a contact centre transaction
  6. the sources of sales data from direct selling through a contact centre
  7. the sources of market and customer data from direct selling through a contact centre
  8. the sales processes and techniques used in your organisation for making direct sales
  9. the techniques and procedures for confirming customer needs and closing the sale
  10. the importance of checking accuracy of customer information with the customer
  11. the records that need to be kept regarding customer information
  12. how to carry out research for potential new customers
  13. the techniques for handling objections and questions from customer during sales activities
  14. the importance of adapting your style and approach to mirror customer style and perspective
  15. how to set sales targets including cross-selling and up-selling
  16. how to maintain sales records in accordance with organisational procedures
  17. how to retrieve information from organisational sales records
  18. the techniques for linking customer requirements with available services or products
  19. the common concerns and questions raised by customers during direct sale 
  20. how to adapt your sales approach to suit customer preferences
  21. how to identify cross-selling and up-selling opportunities
  22. the process for confirming customer requirements to close the sale
  23. the limits of your authority to complete sales transactions
  24. the colleagues who can take over a customer transaction when it is beyond your competence or authority
  25. how to maintain sales records in line with organisational procedures
  26. how to retrieve information from organisational sales records
  27. the information required to complete a sale
  28. the organisational procedures for recording sales details
  29. the organisational procedures for taking payment or establishing order authority with your customer
  30. the organisational policies and procedures for direct sales through contact centre dealings with customers
  31. the current legal, regulatory and data protection requirements, codes of practice and organisational policies and procedures relating to handling personal information and sales activities

Scope/range


Scope Performance


Scope Knowledge


Values


Behaviours


Skills


Glossary


Links To Other NOS


External Links


Version Number

1

Indicative Review Date

2026

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

Instructus

Original URN

CfA CC18

Relevant Occupations

Adviser, Agent, Contact Centre Operator

SOC Code

7211

Keywords

Contact Centre, sales, direct sales, customer information, products and services