The phones ring. Scores of people talk at once. People rush around, from desk to desk. The call center is a dynamic, fast-paced environment, but it’s one that needs the right tools and resources.
With so much call center software out there, choosing the right technology for your organization can be daunting. There’s your budget to consider. Your circumstances. Usability. Features. Contracts. The list is endless…
However, there’s one piece of technology you can’t ignore: Dialers. This simple piece of technology is the foundation of any successful call center. It allows your agents to dial numbers quickly without having to refer to call lists. The dialer does all the hard work. It chooses the right people to call at the right time, with minimum effort from your sales teams.
But which dialer is right for you?
The Benefits of a Dialer in a Call Center
It goes without saying that dialers automate many of the menial tasks associated with call center operations. Very few call centers these days, with the exception of small nonprofit and political organizations, can rely on manual dialing. It takes too long, and it’s prone to human error. What if your agents dial the wrong number? What if your agents dial the same person twice?
The truth is, it’s just inefficient to have your agents waste time scouting lead lists and manually dialing. Did you know that call centers experience up to 300 percent more productivity every single hour with an autodialer?
This hugely significant productivity increase is the same across all industries and regardless of the quality of data being used. (Though, of course, good-quality data is super-important, too)
There are four main types of dialer:
- Power
- Predictive
- Preview
- Progressive
Among these, predictive and preview dialers tend to be the most popular in modern call centers. All of these dialers, however, can be linked to CRM systems for deeper insights about customers.
Power Dialer
Power dialers are the most basic type of dialers. They automatically call numbers on a leads list so agents don’t have to manually dial each person they need to talk to.
Predictive Dialer
Predictive dialers determine which calls will be successful or not by using analytics. Calls with a long wait time, for example, or an engaged tone will be automatically skipped to free up agents’ time. This can be a good way for agents to make a large number of calls in a short period of time.
Preview Dialer
Preview dialers let agents see the next call in their leads list. It’s then up to them to make the call, usually by pressing a button on the phone. They can also skip the number and dial the next number of the list. Preview dialers benefit agents who need to pull up customer details between each call. This is very important because agents can read up on their customers before they make calls and adjust their sales techniques where necessary.
Progressive Dialer
Progressive dialers automatically dial the next number of the leads list, so there is no interruption between calls. This type of dialer removes the wait time between each call, so it can increase productivity in your organization.
What are the benefits of using a preview dialer?
When you integrate a preview dialer into your call center with a good CRM system, you can provide agents with all the information they need about their leads before the call even begins. This lets agents customize their sales techniques and optimize their sales approach. Some of the most successful companies in the world use preview dialers to speed up call times and improve sales success rates.
Agents who use preview dialers can benefit from the following:
- Fewer dropped calls.
- Shorter delays between calls.
- A better sales approach with data-driven information.
- Automation with CRM and leads lists to save time.
“With a preview dialer, you will never have to experience the horrible dropped calls and lost leads, keeping your spirits up throughout your working day,” says EVS7, a company that provides electronic voice services. “When you are calling hundreds if not thousands of people in one day, it is really useful to have the customer’s details up on the screen throughout the call, which is what the preview dialer offers.”
A More Professional Approach
Preview dialers make your calling agents come across as professional members of your team. Unlike the other types of dialers on the list, this kind of dialer gives your sales agents some “breathing space” in-between calls to research the next customer in line and optimize their sales techniques.
As the agent will have information in front of them before the call, they don’t need to “think on their feet” and make small talk to the customer. Instead, they can get down to the main prerogative: Making sales. There’s no wasted time. The agent is prepared before the phone rings. And, most importantly, it feels less like a cold call. This, of course, means outbound numbers are less likely to be flagged as spam or blocked entirely.
As the government and phone carriers crackdown on robocallers, many genuine call centers have found it more difficult to make outbound calls. Preview dialers could provide these centers with a simple solution.
Preview dialers also let call center managers monitor agents on a deeper level. They can find out which agents are using the right sales techniques to engage with customers and improve their training.
Preview Dialer in Blended Call Centers
Preview dialers benefit managers and agents who work in blended call centers, where agents can make and receive phone calls depending on the circumstances.
In blended call center environments, agents have more data on the needs of their customers, and this information provides agents with the insights they require for more successful selling.
Takeaway
Dialers are an essential piece of call center technology that automates many of the manual tasks associated with making outbound calls. Preview dialers, however, offer agents the chance to research their customers before each call, which provides them with an advantage, especially in blended call center environments.
