Dialing technology has changed over time, as automation has taken over and made phone calls more efficient for agents to initiate. Businesses rely on calling campaigns to help reach goals and increase profits through telemarketing. This means agents in the contact center need to proactively call people to advertise to them. That is why it is essential that businesses implement the right resources and software to help maximize efforts.
Power dialing is one of the technologies that has been improved on over the years and can help agents. Never heard of power dialing before? Don’t worry, we’ll explain everything about it.
While it’s a straightforward technology, it is still highly beneficial for any business looking to streamline their phone operations.
How Power Dialing Works
A power dialing system handles the outbound dialing process by automatically dialing numbers from a complete contact list so that agents may speak with people about the purpose of their call. This can help generate new leads for agents and eliminates the need for them to manually dial every number they are trying to get to from the list.
The dialer will instantly connect a contact with the agent once they answer the phone. When the agent is done speaking with the contact or didn’t manage to reach that person to begin with, then the power dialer will automatically call the next number in the queue.
A power dialer increases efficiency by saving time for agents to focus on their calls and filling out any required paperwork after the call. It also ups the number of calls they can make in a single shift. Outbound calls go more smoothly with this kind of automation. Agents no longer have to go back and forth between the phone and the contact list.
Power Dialer VS. Predictive Dialer
When looking for a power dialer system you are sure to come across software known as a predictive dialer. The two are similar in design, but have a fundamental difference. A predictive dialer also makes automatic calls from a contact list and connects those who answer to a live agent, however it is different from a power dialer because it calls multiple numbers at the same time.
Predictive dialers perform using an algorithm that analyzes how long it takes for a call to be answered, how long calls last, and when agents are available to be able to determine call ratios. So, the dialer predicts when a specific agent should be available and matches a call to them. If calls go unanswered too often, then the dialer can readjust the call ratio.
Both are good options, but a predictive dialer is intended for call campaigns with high volumes of calls. A power dialer is ideal for small to medium businesses with fewer agents working than in a larger contact center. It is actually illegal to drop over 3 percent of calls, so a power dialer is a better choice if there are not enough agents available consistently to answer the phone. It also gives control to the agent in terms of dialing speed, which may be more beneficial in this case.
Benefits of a Power Dialer
Businesses that need to make a lot of outbound calls during call campaigns can greatly benefit from this technology. A company may shell out quite a bit of time and money in order to generate new leads, so it’s important that agents get to all those leads so they do not go to waste. Here are some of the noteworthy benefits of implementing a power dialer into your contact center.
Agent Productivity
As this article has highlighted so far, power dialers are really good for increasing agent productivity levels. Power dialers keep the workflow going without disruption, although agents can set their own dial rates, and they can get through calls at a higher speed than with manual dialing. The dialer will save agents additional time by automatically skipping voicemails, disconnected numbers, dial tones, dropped calls, and no answers.
It is an ideal phone dialing system in situations where there is a contact list with a significant number of contacts but agents still need to be able to focus on giving a personalized experience.
Maintaining Compliance
Several years ago the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) enacted the Telephone Consumer Protection Act in regards to the use of auto-dialers and prerecorded messages. A company can face hefty fines for failure to remain compliant if there are more than 3 percent of dropped calls due to agents not answering. A power dialer can help ensure this does not happen, which a predictive dialer does not necessarily guarantee. A power dialer only dials the next number when the agent is available and initiates the system to make the next call.
CRM Integration
A power dialer can conveniently be integrated into a CRM system for added efficiency. This allows a company to easily keep track of their contacts and segment and target customer populations. This allows you to sort and search through contacts with ease and create a more cohesive call campaign for higher sales conversions.
So, if you are looking to increase call rates while also maintaining compliance and offering a quality customer experience then you should definitely consider a power dialer.