Area marketing reps are a busy team that can always use some additional support. The balancing act of sales, grower requests and building relations via growers or retailers can strain hours of work in peak seasons, and/or can provide a varying result. The Performance Inquiry program was developed to allow client sales representatives to focus on sales, product and customer relations and support in the peak growing season, all the while a support network via AgCall is tending to the performance inquiries.
The objective of this program was to differentiate branded products in the marketplace by providing a level of product inquiry service and maintain high product quality support for each branded product regardless of the retail supplier (some branded products received different levels of service).
The strategic recommendation from AgCall was to:
AgCall has provided this service to our client for more than 10 years. We have had very low turnover of Associates, so growers and retailers know and trust them. Audits of growers determined a high level of satisfaction with the process and brand satisfaction was positive. Performance issues vary year to year, but providing a wide coverage area with many Associates, we have been able to deploy Associates into hotspots to handle issues quickly and professionally. In fact, in 100% of cases, the grower is contacted within 24 hours and 90% visit the field/grower and settle the claim within 3–4 days – a much shorter timeframe than when previously handled by client representatives.
Client management has noted that claims are handled with less product replacement, but higher grower satisfaction, due in part to the impartiality of the process, the fast response time, the educational component and the local knowledge the associate brings to the program. Less than 1% of claims ever require additional client involvement. Our client has done Net Promoter Score follow-up. After someone comes to settle an inquiry, the NPS score increases from 5–10, up to 30, with no difference between a company rep and an AgCall rep handling the PI.
Interested in what AgCall has to offer your business? Contact one of our Business Development Consultants today.
Ed Mazurkewich
Business Development Consultant
Email: e.mazurkewich@agcall.com
Twitter:@edmazurk
Mobile: 1 (403) 350-8184