How important is a telephone call?

“There is a lot more going on than I thought, and this call has encouraged me to get more involved in the future.”

A telephone call…what a novel approach in this digital age! With an increase in remote working and more online interaction, we may ask how valid or even cost effective this seemingly “old fashioned” communication is for membership organisations. How much easier is it to fire off an email with all the relevant information. Indeed, how much easier is it to click on a link to get to where you want to go.

However, this shift has bought with it the negative impact of a substantial number of emails per day and therefore, email fatigue. Not only is communication then lost under the volume of messages, but emails are also ignored. The sheer volume of emails can often be overwhelming and, after prioritising our workload, we are left with the thought process of “I’ll do that later”.

In comparison, telephone contact delivers personal two-way, real-time interaction. It also brings the obvious benefits of enhanced member engagement and the ability to express thoughts and feelings (something that can often get lost in translation through text). The cost of outbound calls has also decreased over the years with the use of VOIP.

More importantly, this communication also enhances the value a member places on their membership, as well as the belief that they are not just another number within the organisation. Feedback from members we speak to suggests that they are very appreciative of the personal call and are often surprised to be contacted in this way, especially international members.

“I am very busy, telephone contact for me is better than email, especially regarding events in my local area.”

This is not to suggest that email interaction and an online presence are not hugely valuable and in fact, essential for membership organisations. The stats alone show the importance of social media, chatbot style website support, and email take-up in relation to member feedback and renewal. However, telephone calls should still be integrated to complement outbound messaging to enhance the membership experience and ultimately, retention.

For example, our experience says that a personal call with a member during the first six months of their membership not only strengthens the relationship but also the likelihood of renewal at the end of the first year.

“Everything has been made much clearer and easier thanks to this call, I’ve also learnt where to access the resources I didn’t know about!”

Also, the evidence is very clear that personalised telephone intervention during the renewal cycle increases the numbers of members who renew, encourages earlier renewal, and in the end, reduces the number who eventually lapse!

“Very pleased to receive your call, I was going to cancel due to the cost but now you have reminded me of the benefits I’m delighted to stay as a member.”