| ion: The predictive dialer uses a variety of | | | | performance. There are services with analog |
| algorithms to predict both the availability of agents | | | | phone capabilities but they usually limit you to a |
| and called party answers, adjusting the calling | | | | certain computer. The services that offer a full |
| process to the number of agents it predicts will | | | | VOIP are usually a fix cost and unlimited dialing |
| be available when the calls it places are expected | | | | capabilities. |
| to be answered. | | | | Auto Dialers |
| What it means: A predictive dialer is a | | | | Definition: An auto dialer is an electronic device |
| computerized hardware system that automatically | | | | that can automatically dial telephone numbers to |
| dials batches of telephone numbers on multiple | | | | communicate between any two points in the |
| lines for connection to agents assigned to call | | | | telephone, mobile phone and pager networks. |
| stations. Predictive dialers are widely used in call | | | | Once the call has been established (through the |
| centers and are very effective when ran | | | | telephone exchange) the auto dialer will announce |
| correctly. | | | | verbal messages or transmit digital data (like SMS |
| My favorite type of predictive dialing is the | | | | messages) to the called party. |
| hardware based systems that have NO VOICE | | | | What it means: the key technology for auto |
| RECOGNITION. This is a program that causes a | | | | dialers is the ability to detect the difference |
| slight delay due to the software trying to figure | | | | between a live human pickup and answering |
| out which calls are reaching live people. It is | | | | machine or disconnect. These are a little outdated |
| designed to eliminate disconnects and answering | | | | with the newer predictive dialers and hosted |
| machines. However from my experience you lose | | | | services being so much better. I don't know of |
| about 35% of you're pitchable connects due to | | | | any auto dialers that can come close to the basic |
| the customer saying hello twice. In my office we | | | | predictive solutions out there. |
| use a 6 man dialer that calls out on 8 phone lines. | | | | OVERVIEW AND CONCLUSION |
| My reps pitch 100% of every person that | | | | With over 8 years of dialer experience in different |
| answers the phone because they hear the call | | | | sized call centers I have come to one major |
| ring into the home owner. Each six man dialer | | | | conclusion in dialing as we know it. Predictive dialing |
| should be able to generate about 30-40 mortgage | | | | is the absolute best way to go. I use the 6 |
| leads per day. | | | | agents x 8 lines per dialer method because my |
| HOSTED PREDICTIVE DIALERS | | | | reps get to pitch every single person. This model |
| Hosted predictive dialers (aka: Web-based | | | | is great for the small to midsized operations. The |
| predictive dialer, or VoIP Predictive Dialers) use | | | | nice thing with my hardware systems is that you |
| the hosted servers in their model to provide | | | | can stack multiple dialers on one computer so |
| organizations and individuals with a predictive dialer | | | | growth is pretty inexpensive in comparison with |
| capability without having to buy expensive | | | | some autodialing systems that require a computer |
| hardware or phone systems. | | | | at each station. |
| Pros: | | | | The Auto dialers are almost a thing of the past. |
| -No required investments in computer or | | | | The only settings they are good for is big call |
| telephone hardware | | | | centers that have 100s of agents and really need |
| -No required investments in software or licenses | | | | to use the Voice Recognition. Due to big payroll |
| -Administration and support are handled by the | | | | costs. These centers have to be only talking to |
| service provider | | | | live people even if they loose 35% of the pitches |
| -Links into the system are remote, enabling | | | | due to the delay. These are not good fro small to |
| agents and supervisors to connect from any | | | | mid size operations. |
| location | | | | The one down side to the predictive dialers is that |
| -Software updates and upgrades included. | | | | they are an investment. They can be costly and |
| Cons: | | | | for most small business it’s hard to come |
| -Service is dependent on an internet connection; | | | | up with the capitol for a system like this. What I |
| when the internet goes down, so does the | | | | suggest for shops like this is to start out using a |
| service | | | | cheaper hosted service until you make enough to |
| -Providers using VOIP as their primary delivery | | | | invest in the in house system. |
| method experience limited reliability and | | | | |