The basics: What are outbound dialers?

Outbound dialers are tools that enable call centers to make outbound calls. They provide a variety of features used in day-to-day customer service operations. This includes automating the dialing process, organizing contact lists, and many other ways of boosting efficiency.

Modern solutions are cloud-based, doing away with the need for physical hardware and infrastructure. With cloud solutions, functionality, maintenance, security, and resilience are all delivered by the cloud provider.

Of course, outbound dialers are just one tool successful contact centers utilize. They should be used alongside additional features like call analytics and app integration for the most efficient approach.

What is a preview dialer?

A preview dialer is a popular example of an outbound dialer. With this technology, call advisors are presented with necessary information about upcoming calls. They can assess the difficulty of calls on a case-by-case basis, and choose whether to make a call or move to the next name on the list.

Combined with other features, such as click-to-dial, a preview dialer can boost the speed and efficiency of calls.

A contact center might use preview dialing to identify more challenging prospects. This way, agents can better prepare for a conversation. When the time comes to initiate a call, they have a higher chance of a successful result

Advantages and disadvantages of preview dialers

The most obvious advantage of preview dialers is that agents have a much stronger knowledge of upcoming callers. They’ll understand prospects on an individual level, and be more able to build a rapport. They’ll know when initiating a call is wise, and when more research is needed.

Preview dialers also come with some challenges. By focusing on research, rather than calls, there’s a risk that agents might procrastinate. Without proper oversight, this could harm contact center efficiency. There’s also a risk of spending too much time on research, lowering overall call volumes. This is where skills such as prioritization and time management become crucial. To find the perfect balance between research and speed, agents must perfect their time management skills.

What is a predictive dialer?

An outbound predictive dialer is designed to identify calls that are likely to have a long ring time or reach a recipient’s voicemail. Modern tools can achieve this through a dialing mode that uses artificial intelligence to assess the likelihood of a call being answered.

The tool will then automatically ring numbers that have a high probability of being answered. When a recipient answers, the call will be forwarded to the next available agent. By weeding out potentially unsuccessful calls, agents can spend more time talking to customers.

As well as predicting the behavior of recipients, predictive dialers will look at factors relating to agents. This includes the number of employees online and the average call-handling time of each agent. It will use this data to find the most appropriate team member to respond to a call.

Businesses that use predictive dialers usually receive high volumes of calls and have low-profit margins. These businesses need to maximize the value of every call. The increased intelligence and efficiency that predictive dialers bring make this an ideal solution.

Advantages and disadvantages of predictive dialers

A predictive dialer puts a major focus on efficiency. Instead of wasting valuable agent time on calls that fail to connect, you can ensure a steady stream of customer conversation.

Agents spend less time idle, and more time helping your business to achieve its goals. Some solutions will also leave a voice mail message to recipients that didn’t pick up. Even if you didn’t initiate a conversation in the first instance, there’s a chance a prospect will call back.

Predictive dialers, however, are also a much more intensive solution. They ensure that agents are always “on the go.” They’re likely to move from one call to another with few breaks in between. This constant workflow might be efficient, but it can cause high levels of stress and increase the chance of burnout.

There’s also a risk that predictive dialers may initiate more calls than can be handled by available agents. Recipients may find themselves on an empty line, and abandon a call before being routed to an agent. When this happens, the recipient is left frustrated, and a potential customer is lost.

There are legal requirements that must be considered when using predictive dialers. For instance, the UK regulator Ofcom has a stringent set of regulations, with harsh fines for businesses that break them. Similarly, businesses in the United States must comply with the equally strict Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

Both pieces of legislation are far-reaching and detailed. What’s more, ignorance is not viewed as a valid excuse for avoiding fines. Without a strong knowledge of legislation, it's easy to make costly errors with your use of a predictive dialer.

What is a progressive dialer?

A progressive dialer automatically moves an agent from one call to another. This ensures a smooth call transition and removes the need to make calls manually. The system initiates a call with the next number from the list as soon as a call ends.

Unlike a predictive dialer, this tool does not focus on the likelihood of a caller answering. It is also a more fast-paced solution than the preview dialer, as operators do not have the option to skip calls.

A progressive dialer is best suited for call centers that handle consistently similar calls. An agent can move from one call to another without the need for additional research or planning.

Progressive dialer software will always make one call per agent. There’s no risk of becoming overburdened with calls, or recipients being left on empty lines. Some solutions will also provide data and statistics for each call, such as average call abandonment rate, or speed of answer, helping to improve the customer experience.

Advantages and disadvantages of progressive dialers

Progressive dialers can provide major boosts to employee productivity. They ensure that employees can easily transfer from one call to another without manually dialing a number. This means more time spent speaking to customers and growing your business.

A progressive dialer also means reduced call abandonment rates. It ensures there’s an agent available for every call so that a recipient is never left on an empty line. This system also puts less pressure on agents, ensuring they only speak to one customer at a time.

While there may be little time between calls, agents aren’t having to deal with several callers concurrently. Reduced stress means agents can focus more on the individual needs of each customer, leading to a more tailored overall service.

The downside of this approach is that agents will not reach as many customers. If your primary goal is lead generation, you might find the use of predictive dialing systems a stronger option.

Additionally, as there is no option to skip calls with the progressive dialer, agents have less chance to prepare. They might find it harder to reach a successful outcome with more challenging calls.

Choosing the right dialer for you

Ultimately, there is no “right choice” when it comes to picking an outbound dialer. Every contact center is different and each has individual needs. That’s why the process of choosing a dialer should begin with an assessment of your requirements. What are the demographics of the prospects that you are aiming to reach? What are the long term goals of your organization? Which form of outbound dialer will give you the greatest chance of meeting your objectives?

For instance, a B2B business might target very specific individuals. It’s likely to need to adjust sales pitches each time. This scenario might make a preview dialer a strong option. A B2C company doing mass market research, on the other hand, might choose a predictive dialer in order to reach a larger number of customers.

Aside from your industry, there are other factors that may impact your choice of dialer. These include:

• The size of your call center: If you’re only running a small team, it’s unwise to choose a dialer that calls high volumes of customers at once. A bigger organization conducting large scale call center campaigns, however, might prefer to maximize call volume.

• Time differences: If you’re targeting customers in a different time zone, it's better to opt for a predictive dialer. This way, you’ll have the ability to choose the most efficient time to call customers.

• Compliance: Regardless of preferred dialer type, ensuring compliance with rules and legislation is critical. Make sure your chosen provider has taken the necessary steps to ensure compliance.

Predictive vs. progressive dialer

As we’ve seen, both predictive and progressive dialers come with a great many benefits. They are, however, different tools, both having advantages in certain scenarios.

Both solutions are extremely time-efficient. As explained, the predictive dialer is capable of analyzing contacts and determining the best time to make a call. The best predictive dialers filter disconnected and busy lines, giving agents a higher chance of reaching customers.

Meanwhile, a progressive dialer is a strong option for supporting employee satisfaction and well-being. It ensures that agents handle calls one at a time and aren’t rushing to pick up the next connected call. It does, however, mean that you’ll be able to call a smaller number of customers. This makes the dialer less effective for businesses that want to gather large numbers of leads.

To reiterate, there is no correct option. Your choice should be based on business goals, as well as the other factors listed above.

Easy dialing with Vonage

Every contact center needs the best possible outbound dialer. As we’ve shown, there are multiple types of dialers, each serving different purposes. Predictive, progressive, and preview dialers all bring unique benefits to businesses. But finding the best solution between these different options can be difficult.

This is where Vonage can help. Our platform integrates with your CRM., combining the best of all worlds to help your teams work optimally.

Our CRM dialer capabilities include:

• Preview mode: Allows agents to flag and skip calls, ensuring agents are always prepared. 

• Automatic mode: Automatically dials the next call, minimizing wait time and ensuring efficiency.

• Dynamic lists: Ensures agents always speak to the right people at the right time. Dynamic lists refresh when new leads are available.

These are just some of the many features our CRM dialer offers. Why not see it for yourself? Request a demo today.