https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

New/Changing Channel Programs


Ding, Dong … BellSouth Calling

  • Written by Kelly
  • January 31, 2005

BellSouth is taking a tried-and-true approach to reach residential customers - door-to-door sales.

Cydcor Ltd., which provides outsourced sales operations, is outfitting BellSouth with authorized agents for the effort. These representatives promote BellSouth services, such as BellSouth FastAccess DSL service, BellSouth long-distance and DIRECTV service.

“This new consumer sales channel has everything to do with competition and the need to be more proactive in getting to our customers,” says Zealous Wiley, BellSouth’s communications manager of Consumer Services. “In today’s hyper-competitive market, we can no longer rely on customers calling us. We must reach out to them and go meet them on their turf.”

Customers are glad to see BellSouth in the neighborhoods – taking a more proactive interest in customers’ communications and entertainment needs, says Wiley. And as products and services become more complex, this channel provides a more consultative sales approach, he adds.

BellSouth launched the new sales channel last spring in Atlanta and has expanded into eight key metros, including Birmingham, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Louisville, Miami, Orlando and West Palm. Plans call for rapid expansion of this new sales channel to all nine states in BellSouth’s service area early this year.

In the Atlanta trial, BellSouth reports that that 20 percent of consumers welcomed agents into their homes, and 35 percent of those consumers purchased additional services from BellSouth. According to Wiley, each representative is knocking on about 50 doors per day. As of mid-December, BellSouth had approximately 70 agents deployed.

Of course, BellSouth isn’t the first telco to rely on face-to-face sales. Excel has been a posterchild for ‘relationship marketing,” relying on people in the community to distribute its services to their friends and families. But as it reorganizes under bankruptcy, VarTec Telecom Inc. - which acquired Excel from Teleglobe in 2002 - recently announced it is abandoning that vast marketing channel it had used to sell communications services to consumers and small businesses.

Meanwhile, Lightyear Network Solutions LLC, which serves more than 300,000 customers nationwide generating annual revenue of $120 million through its professional agent partners, is now zeroing in on coaches, teachers, preachers and other community-connected individuals seeking extra income to sell its services through the Lightyear Alliance.

Cydcor also has been tapped by other telecom carriers, such as Qwest Communications International Inc., AT&T Corp. and SBC Communications Inc.

For example, in 2001, when Qwest executives got fed up with telemarketing, direct mail and television advertising that failed to generate substantially more money, they turned to Cydcor, which tapped people to go door-to-door hawking DSL, PCS and bundled services. Cydcor says within six months it procured 13,000 new DSL customers per month for Qwest. Qwest no longer contracts with Cydcor.

AT&T, too, looked to Cydcor to energize its ailing marketing strategies, particularly after the carrier lost market share due to divestiture. Following research at retail locations, Cydcor determined a lack of product-specific training and focus among retail sales agents was a problem. The company recommended AT&T implement face-to-face sales, and provided the reps for the job. Cydcor concluded its work for AT&T in 2003.

Finally, SBC contracted Cydcor to help it build its first national sales agent program. The system allowed reps to access updated information on customers, services, promotions and billing, giving them more talking points during a sale. The program remains in effect and has more than doubled since February 2003, Cydcor says.

Links
Teleglobe International Holdings Ltd www.teleglobe.com
VarTec Telecom Inc. www.vartec.com
Excel Telecommunications www.excel.com
VarTec Telecom Inc. www.vartec.com
Lightyear Network Solutions LLC www.lightyearcom.com
Cydcor Ltd. www.cydcor.com
Qwest Communications International Inc. www.qwest.com
AT&T Corp. www.att.com
SBC Communications Inc. www.sbc.com
Tags: Agents Business Models New/Changing Channel Programs

Most Recent


  • Revamping
    As Broadcom Deal Looms, VMware Revamps Partner Connect in a Big Way
    What’s coming and when? Find out. Hints: New methods of compensation, progression, more focus on services.
  • Job cuts
    Malwarebytes Layoffs Impact Workers as Part of Strategy Shift
    The layoffs aren't a reaction to market conditions.
  • Evolution of Man
    TD Synnex Restructure Begs the Question: Death of Communities, or an Evolution?
    Recent departures, appointments and subsequent fold-ups within the company call for an examination of ecosystems.
  • Advantage
    Skyhigh Security Adds Nutanix, Dell Vets to Channel Leadership Team
    Skyhigh Security will share more about its upcoming partner program in early 2023.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Conflict Boxing Gloves
    Channel Conflict, Controversy: SolarWinds Hack, Racism, Layoffs, Zoom-RingCentral
  • Social media smartphone
    Social Media Roundup: Partners Talk Crypto, Security Hiring
  • Europe skyline
    The Master Agent Model Is Taking Off in Europe
  • Deep Learning, AI
    From T1s to 'Human Experience': TBI's Bryan Reynolds Is Witnessing a Channel Revolution

Upcoming Events

View all

MSP Summit

September 13, 2022 - September 16, 2022

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

May 1, 2023 - May 4, 2023

Galleries

View all

As Broadcom Deal Looms, VMware Revamps Partner Connect in a Big Way

August 18, 2022

The CF List: 2022’s Top 20 CCaaS Providers You Should Know

August 18, 2022

Skyhigh Security Adds Nutanix, Dell Vets to Channel Leadership Team

August 18, 2022

Industry Perspectives

View all

How to Take Shared Responsibility for Securing Cloud

August 11, 2022

Seize the Application Modernization Opportunity

August 2, 2022

A Growth Mindset: Your Organization’s Strategic Differentiator

August 1, 2022

Webinars

View all

Outsmarting RaaS: Implementation Strategies To Help Your Clients Before, During, and After a Ransomware Attack

August 23, 2022

Why it is Important to Upgrade Aging Servers and How to use Live Optics to Upgrade Efficiently

August 25, 2022

Executives at Home are Not Alright: An Intro to Digital Executive Protection

September 8, 2022

White Papers

View all

Work Goes Remote – (and Other Top ITOps Trends)

May 25, 2022

The New Bottom Line: How MSPs Can Meet the Healthcare Crisis While Evolving Their Businesses

April 19, 2022

How to build a Security Operations Center (on a budget)

April 4, 2022

Channel Futures TV

View all

ThreatLocker Preaches Zero Trust, Addresses Industry Competition

Microsoft Targeting Partners to Sell Teams, Windows 365 to SMBs, More

August 15, 2022

ScienceLogic Debuts New Partner Portal

August 9, 2022

Vonage a ‘Single Communications Stack Provider’ for Partners, Customers

June 27, 2022

Twitter

ChannelFutures

#CoffeeWithCraigandJames features Lynn Tinney of @ZayoGroup and @patrickoborn of @Telarus. dlvr.it/SWsl0t https://t.co/YjWTOIdJwm

August 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

The @TDSYNNEX personnel changes and restructure begs the question: is this the death of communities, or rather an e… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

August 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@Infobip, @bandwidth and @Avaya have earned top spots as #CPaaS providers, according to @SW_Reviews.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

August 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

From mentorship to DE&I efforts, channel leaders from @ScienceLogic and @Lenovo speak about women's leadership.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

August 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

[email protected] Security adds @nutanix, @DellTech vets to channel leadership team. #cybersecurity dlvr.it/SWsDTq https://t.co/X5z7tCiATx

August 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@Malwarebytes layoffs impact 125 workers as part of shift in GTM strategy. #cybersecurity dlvr.it/SWsBl6 https://t.co/8fo2BtnfAr

August 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

Get ready for the inside scoop on @VMware’s changes to @VMware_Partners. #PartnerConnect is getting some big enhanc… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

August 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

Our latest #CFList highlights top #CCaaS providers, with @Avaya, @Microsoft, @8x8, @Vonage, @Five9, @awscloud,… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

August 18, 2022

MSP 501

The industry's largest and most comprehensive partner awards program.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X