Should I make my inside sales team stick to a rigid "script?"

Reps should have a script of THEIR best conversation and the list of questions they want answered on a call. Many "scripts" are built around unnatural dialog, and that just creates push-back from your prospects. But having your reps document "their" best conversation and using it as a reference won't sound scripted and achieve the results you want. It will help them stay on topic, and enable them to redirect the dialog when it goes off-topic.

Having all the data points they want to cover on the call in front them of them eliminates "I forgot to ask..." happening after the call.

No one likes the feeling of being telemarketed to. To have to enforce a rigid script may indicate you've got the wrong people calling or they haven't been trained properly. A properly trained inside sales rep can ask questions and listen for the business challenges that will convert the prospect into a lead. To me gaining a conversation is so valuable, you want to use it to build rapport, trust, and relationship... not carry on a conversation. Help your team to become more effective, to be able to meet the objectives of their call, and to convert more leads. Coach them, mentor them, support them, listen to their calls.

A properly trained sales rep will be stiffled by a rigid script. Educate the reps regarding your product and its benefits, your competition, and the market. Provide on-going sales training like Jessica suggested.

Maintain a short list, no more than 4 items, that must be addressed. Offer new reps several openers for each item to help them stay on task or turn the 'chit-chat' back to a relevant conversation.

Make sure management keeps an open dialog with the call center reps. Find out what the 'sticky' points are. See if they need something from you. Mentor them.

“Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly.”

All great answers….
I would add that rigid scripting can be very valuable when used correctly.
Every sales team should be following a best practices playbook (policy and procedure) format that has proven and predictable scripts and processes . This is the foundation for putting in place a system where your team can have more predictable results and best success rates.
As Mari said..Best conversations should be the outline used for the script. Be sure the script is natural and there are seamless responses to pushbacks and kick downs. In training hit the rep with every angle of the script. This allow the rep to be able to easily navigate and not get lost when thrown curve balls.
Rigid formats….
Entry level and more junior reps should be following the script very closely during training and ramp- up to full quota. This must be in conjunction with a solid management support system of listening on calls and role playing. If the script is solid the rep should have a clear roadmap to eventually cut and pasting the script and ad libbing with their own personal style. However….the script must be always used as the foundation…
Once the rep is acclimated and working the script in balance with ad libbing, management should be sure to continue to have best practices in place.
Best practices at this stage should include documented next steps in the sales process. Be sure that everyone on your team is moving through the process in accordance to the documented best practice procedures. Consistency is very important in a junior and senior environment.
Note- for more senior reps…use the script in training and allow them to have more creativity in the delivery. However…the message must be consistent with the feel of the script. Remember the script is based off of best conversations that yielded best results.
Good luck.

I believe that with any new sales person, or someone new to your company, there always needs to be some "call guide". However if someone has to utilize a script, and can not add personality through ad libbing, i see no success in their future as a salesperson, or the sales managers success in asking them to not utilize their personality skills.

What a great discussion!

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This engendered quite an interesting discussion! I give the same advice I do for public speakers training to sound authentic: use guidelines or bullet points, not a word-for-word script. In fact, stealing a concept from Richard Natoli, providing agents with a playbook (general procedure) that can be personalized rather than exact scripts is the most successful. In fact, your post so inspired me that I blogged about it here: To script or not to script: http://bit.ly/cAF5jk

I've been training telemarketer/telesales groups for years. Personalization is critical to a 1:1 successful engagement. Sticking to a static scrip in real time doesn't offer it anymore. Only great training can buy you successful engagement and conversion.

Paul,

I would avoid a rigid script, particularly in an inside sales environment. If you are looking to earn repeat business (and I am guessing you are), the inside sales team needs to build relationships with your customers/prospects. That isn't going to be achieved with scripting. Comprehensive initial and ongoing training about your company, the market within which it operates, competitors and your positioning against both combined with a call guide should be used as the foundation of that relationship. I would then put in place some rigourous internal and external quality controls to measure effectiveness.

Cheers,

William

Developing an effective phone force is a process for any campaign regardless if it's short term or a foundation of your business model. For one, you likely have a lot of turn-over due to the nature of the position. So having a closely followed script is important for training purposes. If you have the luxury of time, and people can become comfortable with the script, you can loosen the reigns. Another approach is to automate some of the more important detail. Pre-recorded messages, if done well, can create room for your live-reps to be more conversational.

I am against these scripts, because they do not work. Just teach your team how to manage their finance and how to invest in their customers which generates assets for you, your downline (including customers) and your company