I used to do that but we called it Telemarketing! ( ring- ring- ring - Hello Mr/ Mrs.___________ SLAM? CLICK hello,hello?)
No, Telemarketing is, well, Telemarketing. Multichannel prospecting could include TM but most folks shy away from this unless it's part of a two-step permission based follow-up for support and the like. Normally, Multichannel would leverage various components of TV, Space, Online, Direct Mail, Alternative Media, etc, as the conduit. CRM (Customer Relationship Mgmt) is the art of understanding and predicting customer needs, and developing the intelligence and infrastructure to automatically reach out to them with timely reminders, targeted recommendations, and incentives. For instance, if customer was a known maintenance DIY'er, a mfr could develop the entire parts list based on various statistical elements and have the entire kit prepared and ready for pickup or delivery. Due to the efficiencies across the enterprise, the mfr and retailer can pass on special savings to the customer creating a win-win. John Deere and Lands End are a couple of examples of those who do a pretty good job in this area. Harley on the other hand is pretty clueless. When you do it right, customers appreciate the convenience and embrace the experience. The key is to avoid paying good money to present an offer that's not relevant, timely, or appropriate to the individual.