Call Center Auto Dialers

Inside sales is the process of collecting leads, making contacts, and closing sales from a remote location – typically over the telephone. This differs in several ways from outside sales, where sales professionals meet with their prospects face to face. Because it is different inside sales professionals need to utilize sales technologies in order to be the most effective, and compensate for the personal touch. An auto dialer is one such technology that is essential to productive inside sales call centers.

Call centers need to make as many quality calls in a day as they possibly can. A high number of outbound calls also allow call centers to contact individual leads numerous times, if necessary, in order to convert as many customers as possible. Many call centers use ratio auto dialers or predictive auto dialers because of the high level of calls that can be made each day with these solutions.

Ratio and predictive dialers both burn through a large number of leads very quickly because both types of dialers dial more leads than there are available sales agents to take those calls. This is done to account for the number of calls that are not answered or busy. These auto dialers also come with a percentage of dropped calls. For B2B call centers that have a more complex sales process and typically a higher profit on each call, dropped leads are not an option. In this case a power dialer is the only type of auto dialer that should be used.

Power Dialers call only one lead for each sales agent at a time. When a call starts to ring it is routed through to the agent. If the answering machine picks up the auto dialer can be instructed to leave a prerecorded message while the sales agent takes another call. Since these B2B sales are complex and could require a significant amount of time, the power dialer will not begin dialing other leads until the sales agent finishes his call. This solves the problem of burning through leads, dropped calls, and lag time.

Companies using a power dialer can expect to triple their daily call volume compared to manually dialing, but cannot dial the same volume of leads that a company using a ratio or predictive dialer can in a day, which for B2B companies is not necessary. What this kind of auto dialer may lack in shear call volume it more than makes up in its ability to provide each lead with a quality sales experience.

Inside sales is the process of collecting leads, making contacts, and closing sales from a remote location – typically over the telephone. This differs in several ways from outside sales, where sales professionals meet with their prospects face to face. Because it is different inside sales professionals need to utilize sales technologies in order to be the most effective, and compensate for the personal touch. An auto dialer is one such technology that is essential to productive inside sales call centers.

Call centers need to make as many quality calls in a day as they possibly can. A high number of outbound calls also allow call centers to contact individual leads numerous times, if necessary, in order to convert as many customers as possible. Many call centers use ratio auto dialers or predictive auto dialers because of the high level of calls that can be made each day with these solutions.

Ratio and predictive dialers both burn through a large number of leads very quickly because both types of dialers dial more leads than there are available sales agents to take those calls. This is done to account for the number of calls that are not answered or busy. These auto dialers also come with a percentage of dropped calls. For B2B call centers that have a more complex sales process and typically a higher profit on each call, dropped leads are not an option. In this case a power dialer is the only type of auto dialer that should be used.

Power Dialers call only one lead for each sales agent at a time. When a call starts to ring it is routed through to the agent. If the answering machine picks up the auto dialer can be instructed to leave a prerecorded message while the sales agent takes another call. Since these B2B sales are complex and could require a significant amount of time, the power dialer will not begin dialing other leads until the sales agent finishes his call. This solves the problem of burning through leads, dropped calls, and lag time.

Companies using a power dialer can expect to triple their daily call volume compared to manually dialing, but cannot dial the same volume of leads that a company using a ratio or predictive dialer can in a day, which for B2B companies is not necessary. What this kind of auto dialer may lack in shear call volume it more than makes up in its ability to provide each lead with a quality sales experience.

A Comparison of Telephone Dialers

A phone dialer is a type of telephony software that helps a single sales representative dial a large volume of leads. Because the phone dialer automatically calls through a predetermined list of contacts, the sales rep is able to stay on the phone longer and close more sales.

These dialers are also known as auto dialers or outbound dialers. These auto dialers will allow sales reps to reach thousands of prospective customers per day.

There are several types of telephone dialers, with the main kinds being ratio dialers, predictive dialers, and power dialers.

Ratio and predictive dialers both work to keep the sales reps on the phone every moment they are logged into a dialer initiative. Ratio dialers place numerous, simultaneous calls for each available sales representative. When one of these calls is answered the rest are dropped and the sales rep is transferred to that call. Predictive dialers usually call less people at a time, but start dialing leads before any sales representatives become available. This ensures that a lead will be waiting for each available sales rep, but when leads answer sales calls before any sales representatives are available, those leads are expected to wait on the line until a sales rep is routed in – they rarely do.

Dropped calls are a standard part of inside sales when using either a predictive or ratio dialer. Power dialers offer a solution to the problem of the dropped call.

A power dialer, in comparison to other dialers, focuses on quality interaction between the sales representative and their contact. This is achieved by having the power dialer place a call to only one lead at a time for each sales rep. The sales rep hears the phone rings, and can respond immediately when the call is answered. There is no “preferred drop rate” with a power dialer.

The power dialer is a technological improvement over manual dialing, increasing the number of calls made in a day by roughly 3 times. Power dialers are perfect for B2B communications, where secretaries need to be impressed by a sales rep before they connect him to their boss, and each individual sale is larger. In B2C sales, a power dialer stops the wasting of hundreds of leads a day because of the placement of too many calls.

All of these auto dialers can increase a sales representatives call per day ratio, but only a Power Dialer ensures that each call placed becomes a money making opportunity.

Complex Sales require the Power Dialer

An outbound phone dialer is a kind of telephony software that automatically calls through a list of phone numbers for a sales agent. Power dialers are one specific kind of dialer that is particularly effective. A sales representative who switches from dialing manually to using an outbound power dialer can expect a large increase in the volume of sales calls they can make in a business day. Research has shown it is not uncommon for this increase to be as much as four times the previous call volume. Some sales reps report that they are able to make three hundred to upwards of three hundred and fifty calls using a power dialer. That is equivalent to doing eight hours worth of work in only two or three

Outbound dialers work by loading a telephone number list of contacts or leads and then dialing them one at a time for the sales agent. The agent receives a phone call, from the dialer. When he or she answers the call, the dialer automatically patches through the phone call with the lead. After the call the sales representative stays on the line, and the dialer automatically patches through another call. This continues for as long as the agent stays on the line.

Power dialers call through this list one number at a time. Other outbound dialers that call a group of leads simultaneously are called ratio or predictive dialers. This allows these other dialers to call more leads, but only one of those calls can be routed through to the sales agent at a time. If more than one lead answers during each round of calling those extra calls are dropped, cutting off the other contacts who answer their phones. Additionally, it takes a moment for the outbound dialer to recognize when one of the many calls they are making is answered. This small time is referred to as a telemarketer pause, and often annoys leads being contacted.

Power dialers eliminate both the problems of the telemarketer pause and dropped calls. This makes the power dialer especially suited for complex sales processes, including B2B (business to business) sales. Since B2B sales often involves speaking to secretaries before a decision maker, and since they also tend to be high stakes sales, it is especially important to give each contact a personalized and streamlined approach. Other types of dialers just cannot do this.

Power dialers fix several problems of predictive dialers

Telephone dialers are software solutions that allow a sales professional the ability to call through a large volume of phone numbers in a business day. There are several kinds of telephone dialers, but they have several defining traits in common.

The purpose of a telephone dialer is to increase the number of calls made. Call centers and similar inside sales organizations frequently report an increase that is four times what they were calling previously. Because number of leads called increases the number of leads contacted. The end result is the number of sales closes increases and more money is made for the business.

To operate, every telephone dialer needs to be programmed with a list of phone numbers to call. Depending on your customer management software used along with the telephone dialer when each number is called more contact information on the lead may be presented to the sales agent on their computer screen. As numbers are called by the telephone dialer, the dialer routes answered calls to sales agents. This greatly reduces the amount of time individual sales representatives spend looking up leads’ contact information, manually dialing the phone numbers, and sitting through ring tones, busy signals, and answering machines.

The differences are in the amount of calls placed by the dialer at a time. Predictive dialers call many leads at a time. The ratio of how many people called is customizable, and different from call center to call center. The predictive phone dialer automatically calls whatever number of leads it has been programmed to, and then it analyzes the response. Busy signals, disconnected numbers, and voice mail messages can all be identified by the predictive dialer and the call is disconnected. Those that are answered by a live human are routed to a sales agent. While many leads are able to be called in this manner, there are a couple serious drawbacks. First, there is a pause when the lead first answers as the dialer attempts to identify whether or not there is a live person answering. Second, if more calls are answered than there are sales reps present then those calls are dropped.

A power telephone dialer addresses these problems. Instead of calling a whole mass of leads at once, the power dialer calls one lead at a time for each sales representative. While this means a slightly smaller number of leads being called compared to a predictive dialer (though it is still significantly more than manually dialing), the “telemarketer pause” and the risk of dropping calls are almost completely eliminated.

The Dialer

Historically sales were done with a store front that customers could visit or by door to door vendors bringing their wares and services directly to their customers. Recently shifts in sales practices have led to the development of “Inside Sales”, a very different focus with very different tools.

Inside sales differ from traditional, or outside sales, in several ways. The clearest distinction is how customers are encountered. Inside sales are often conducted from an office or call center, through the use of a computer and telephone. Sometimes visits or appointments are set up for a face to face visit, but the phone becomes the primary tool of communication.

Numerous different kinds of hardware and software have been developed to aid in the process of inside sales. Dialers have emerged as a staple in the inside sales industry. Dialers, or dialer software, are programs that monitor, record, alter, and streamline the calls that are made by any single sales agent. Not all dialers are the same, but many fall into a few basic categories.

Predictive dialers are designed to give increased control and flexibility to sales teams to improve the amount of talk time each agent has over the course of a workday. A ratio dialer works by calling a set amount of leads per available sales agent. This call per agent ratio takes into account that some calls are never answered by the lead. Ratio dialers can leave a prerecorded message when they encounter a voice mail system, and never bother the sales agent with the machine. The salesperson’s time is spent only with prospects.

A second type of dialer is the auto dialer. With auto dialers, the dialer will call through a list of leads automatically, patching them through to the sales representative as the call starts to ring. If a call is not answered the salesperson can choose to leave a voice message. An auto dialer reduces the amount of dropped calls from unavailable representatives or pauses between when the client answers and when the sales person connects to the call that may occur with a ratio dialer.

Power dialers are a third kind of dialer used in inside sales. A Power dialer can call through a list of numbers, similar to an auto dialer, but a power dialer gives more control to the call agent. The agent is able to control the rate of calling, by calling the agent as it makes a call to a lead. The salesperson answers the call, which is then patched through to the lead. Power dialers also have the ability to leave voice messages, emails, and faxes if a call is not answered.

All dialers are designed to increase productivity of inside sales departments. They all require a preprogrammed list of leads, but each have their own nuances to allow dialers to meet the needs of the diverse inside sales community.