What pricing models do appointment setting services use?
Most providers use one of four models: a monthly retainer, a per-meeting fee, an hourly rate, or a per-number fee. Each shifts risk differently between the provider and the client.
A monthly retainer means the client pays a fixed amount each month for a set scope of calling. A per-meeting model charges for each booked appointment. An hourly model bills for the caller's time regardless of results. A per-number model charges a flat amount for each contact on the list, covering a set number of call attempts per person.
Per-meeting pricing sounds attractive because the client only pays for results, but it can create a misalignment: the provider may push for quantity over quality, booking meetings that waste the client's time. Monthly retainers give the provider more room to work a list thoroughly, but the client carries more risk if results are low. Per-number pricing sits between the two: the cost is predictable from the start, and the provider has no incentive to rush or pad the numbers.
What affects the cost of appointment setting?
The biggest factor is who you are calling. Reaching a senior decision-maker at a mid-sized company takes more attempts and more skill than reaching a small business owner directly. Lists with mobile numbers typically have higher contact rates than lists with office lines.
The caller's location matters too. Offshore call centres charge less per hour than Singapore-based callers, but the trade-off is accent familiarity and local context. For B2B calls within Singapore, many businesses prefer a local number showing on the recipient's phone.
Call complexity also plays a role. A simple meeting request for a well-known service costs less to deliver than a call that needs to explain an unfamiliar product before the prospect will agree to meet. The opening message, the reason for the call, and the number of follow-up attempts per person all influence the final price.
How does hiring a caller compare to using a service?
Hiring a full-time sales development representative in Singapore means paying a base salary, Central Provident Fund (CPF) employer contributions of up to 17% for employees aged 55 and below, plus recruitment, training and management time. SDR salaries in Singapore vary widely depending on experience and industry, and the total cost of employment is substantial once CPF and overheads are included.
An outsourced service avoids the fixed headcount cost. The business pays for the calling it needs, stops when the batch is done, and restarts when it has a new list. The trade-off is less direct control over the caller and less integration with the sales team's day-to-day workflow.
For businesses that need calling in short bursts, such as ahead of a product launch or after a trade show, a service is usually more practical than a hire. For businesses that need continuous prospecting across a large market, an in-house caller may eventually cost less per call.
Are there compliance costs to factor in?
Yes. Any business making marketing calls in Singapore must comply with the Do Not Call (DNC) provisions under the Personal Data Protection Act 2012. Before calling, the business must check its list against the relevant DNC register at dnc.gov.sg. A check result is valid for 21 days, a change introduced on 1 February 2021. The PDPC's Advisory Guidelines on the Do Not Call Provisions set out the full requirements.
The DNC Registry gives organisations 1,000 free lookup credits per year. Additional credits are purchased in tiers. This is a cost the business bears whether it calls in-house or through a service.
Calls to an organisation for the organisation's own business purposes are generally outside the DNC rules, but that protection does not cover calls about the individual's personal needs. For the exact boundaries, the PDPC Advisory Guidelines are the primary reference, and a lawyer can advise on a specific case.
Financial advisory firms should note that under MAS Notice FAA-N02, only the licensed financial adviser firm itself may appoint an introducer. An individual representative cannot engage an appointment setting service on their own behalf.
What does Greetsby charge?
Greetsby uses a per-number model. Each batch of numbers is priced at S$1.80 per number, covering up to four call attempts per person on different days. A batch of 1,000 numbers costs S$1,800, 2,000 numbers S$3,600, and 3,000 numbers S$5,400.
Each batch is paid before calls start. There is no contract and no monthly fee. When the batch is finished, the client decides whether to order another. The client approves the call opening before any calls are made, and every call is recorded and available for the client to review.
The first batch shows what the client's own list produces, and the weekly report breaks down calls made, people reached, meetings booked and meetings held.
Questions
Is appointment setting worth the cost for a small business?
It depends on the value of each meeting. If one new client covers the cost of a batch many times over, even a modest booking rate can pay for itself. The clearest way to judge is to run one batch and measure the pipeline it creates.
Do I need to check the DNC Registry before sending my list to a service?
Yes. The business that owns the list is responsible for checking it against the relevant DNC register before the calls are made. A check result is valid for 21 days. The registry is at dnc.gov.sg.
Can a financial adviser representative hire an appointment setting service directly?
No. Under MAS Notice FAA-N02, only the licensed financial adviser firm may appoint an introducer. An individual representative should speak to their firm's compliance team first.
What is the difference between appointment setting and telemarketing?
Appointment setting focuses on booking a meeting between the prospect and the client's own sales team. Telemarketing is broader and can include selling directly over the phone, conducting surveys, or generating leads. Appointment setting does not involve giving product advice or closing a sale on the call.
Sources
- PDPC: Do Not Call Registry for Organisations
- SingaporeLegalAdvice.com: Check the Do-Not-Call Registry Before Marketing to Singapore Phone Numbers
- Allen & Gledhill: MAS Responds to Feedback on Proposed Amendments to Advertisement Regulations and Introducer Notice
- CPF Board: How Much CPF Contributions to Pay
General information for businesses in Singapore, not legal advice.