How a UK telecoms and CCTV provider moved from credit reference data to human-verified B2B records, and lifted its telemarketing conversion rate more than fivefold in six months.
Mtech Communications is an established B2B service provider specialising in telecommunications, CCTV and web-based services. It has served a wide-ranging client base for over five years and employs around 40 people, including a direct telemarketing team and a quality control department alongside other back-office staff. The business relies heavily on data to reach new markets and make valuable connections, with data accuracy having a direct and pronounced impact on targets, relationships and sales.
Before engaging Market Location, Mtech Communications was running its telemarketing from credit reference data supplied by a business credit checking provider. Credit files are built to assess financial risk. They indicate whether a business is a safe bet to trade with, and say considerably less about whether it is a live prospect, who the current decision-maker is, or whether the number on file still reaches them.
What arrived was a mix of campaign data, cold leads and confusing records with little contextual relevance. Much of it was generic, and it was often inaccurate and not fit for purpose. In many situations the contact information available for senior decision-makers had changed over time, which made it more of a liability than an asset. As a B2B service provider reliant on telemarketing and client contact, Mtech Communications felt the effect directly in its operations and service quality.
Call-to-meeting conversions were limited to around 0.6%, well below the company’s 1% target. The telemarketing team spent much of its time cleansing data rather than using it. Sales teams were affected in the field too, with face-to-face appointments compromised by a lack of clear information. This reached the board, and affected issues as diverse as staff morale and reputation management.
Mtech Communications evaluated multiple data suppliers, including some with fixed fee structures. Key issues were not resolved, with much of the data presented remaining outdated and irrelevant. After online research, the company selected Market Location and a dataset built for the job it needed doing.
One of the deciding factors was Market Location’s UK-based call centre, the team behind the human verification. Mtech Communications felt confident in the quality and accuracy of the compliant data, and in five things in particular:
The relationship started with a short-term trial and became a long-term partnership.
“From trial to now, our head of telemarketing has quadrupled her output.” – Dan Levy, Group Marketing Manager, Mtech Communications
Mtech Communications initially engaged Market Location for a six-week trial focused on 2,500 selected data records. The collaboration during this period was critical, and a relationship developed based on real-world results and mutual respect.
Market Location took the time to understand Mtech Communications as a business, from its history and current challenges to its immediate and long-term growth plans. Mtech Communications offers a highly tailored service to its own clients, and Market Location reflected that with custom data and flexible delivery standards.
The custom data package was designed to address four operational challenges:
Market Location’s business data is built specifically for sales and marketing teams, refined and maintained over 50 years, and drawn from the Verified Business Universe: real, trading UK businesses with contactable decision-makers. Credit data is one input among several, alongside telecoms, directory, Companies House and web intelligence. Where those signals suggest a business has opened, changed or moved, a member of the UK-based team confirms what is true on the ground.
Results came through quicker than first imagined.
Improved conversions and sales
With a previous call-to-meeting conversion rate of around 0.5 to 0.6%, there was a lot of room for improvement. Average results quickly doubled to 1.2%, and reached an average of 3.26% after six months. Mtech Communications is now aiming for 4 to 5% as it builds new working systems on good data. Better conversion had a direct impact on sales, as the benefits of data accuracy flowed through to all aspects of the business.
Increased performance efficiency
With reliable access to accurate information, Mtech Communications was well equipped to refine internal triggers and hit new targets. Good data is not only about accuracy but also timing and response. When records are correct, connections are made possible and pathways are developed based on internal criteria.
Better morale and reputation
Intangible factors often have a real and lasting impact. With employees able to access and use accurate data, telemarketing morale improved across the board. People enjoyed making calls as they were more accurate, and businesses responded positively as they felt validated. Good data is about refining existing processes and allowing new processes and relationships to develop.
Based on the success of the data used in its telemarketing programmes, Group Marketing Manager Dan Levy built Market Location into his marketing plans as he looked for ways to grow the business.
“We are very much looking at other services like email campaigns due to the success we have had. We are looking at different ways that Market Location can add additional revenue streams to our business and do different types of campaigns.” – Dan Levy, Group Marketing Manager, Mtech Communications