4 Outbound Dialler Types and When to Use Them
by Audrey Oh
Outbound diallers are an essential resource for contact centres. They can minimise errors, reduce the cost of calls, increase efficiency and enhance the customer experience. But what exactly are they and which outbound dialler type is best for your business? We’ve put together a handy guide to help you get started with this indispensable resource.
What is an Outbound Dialler?
An outbound dialler is a piece of software or a cloud-based system which automatically places outbound calls from sales agents to prospective customers. They are an example of Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), whereby a computer communicates with telephone systems. There are many different types of dialler, each offering its own unique set of functionalities. Most contact centres use outbound diallers that are integrated with their Customer Relationship Management (CRM), which provides sales staff with detailed customer information. CRM integration also allows effective management and prioritisation of leads.
What Are the Benefits of an Outbound Dialler?
An outbound dialler allows sales agents to place a large volume of calls in a fraction of the time it would take if they were to dial out manually. More calls mean more opportunities to sell, thus diallers can dramatically increase revenue.
Diallers can quickly and accurately prioritise the warmest leads and filter out those which are unlikely to result in a sale. This allows the sales team to target their efforts and convert callers into customers before they disappear.
Callstream’s Midas is a hosted dialler that fast tracks live lead data from hot web prospects to sales staff, giving them an edge over competitors. Midas always connects the agent first, ensuring that a customer is never left waiting which means an excellent customer experience every time.
Which Type of Outbound Dialler Should I Use?
There are many types of dialler and they are not consistently categorised or labelled. Certain dialler types are often referred to by multiple names. We’ve picked the top four dialler types that can boost efficiency and increase sales. When choosing an outbound dialler, you should consider your business-specific objectives, resources and budget.
Predictive Dialler
What is it? This is the gold standard of diallers. A predictive dialler automatically places a call by predicting the availability of sales agents to take the call. The dialler uses algorithms and ratios that calculate metrics such as average call duration. It dials multiple numbers simultaneously to ensure that as soon as a sales agent ends a call, they jump right on to the next one.
What are the benefits? Predictive diallers are a huge time saver and as a result, they can save your business a lot of money. Your sales team won’t waste a second dialling a number and waiting for a reply, receiving busy signals or reaching a voicemail service. And there will be no lengthy gaps between their calls.
When should I use it? Predictive diallers are often used in telemarketing, debt collection, customer service follow-up and market research. If your sales team work on commission qualifying leads, they’ll love predictive diallers because it maximises the time they spend on the phone prospecting — and time is money!
Power Dialler
What is it? This term is often used to refer to all types of outbound dialler, but it also refers to a specific type of dialler. A power dialler, or “rapid dialler”, automatically calls the next number on a contact list as soon as an agent ends their call. If the number is busy or goes to voicemail, the dialler moves to the next number on the list. It does not call multiple numbers simultaneously as a predictive dialler does.
What are the benefits? A power dialler means that sales agents do not lose time locating contact details, dialling out or having long gaps between calls. Sales agents can focus on live calls knowing that their next call will be set up for them.
When should I use it? If your focus is on enhancing customer service and keeping an eye on your budget, a power dialler could be the best choice for you. A power dialler only calls a number when an agent is free to take the call, meaning a customer will never be left talking into “dead air”, which is a risk with predictive diallers. It can often be a more cost-effective solution than a predictive dialler.
Progressive Dialler
What is it? Progressive diallers operate similarly to predictive diallers but the number is not dialled until an agent is free to take a call, eliminating the risk of silent calls and frustrated customers. The system manages the dialling process and automatically moves on from numbers that are busy or unanswered.
What are the benefits? Sales agents can take a high volume of calls and no time is wasted on the dialling process. There is no risk of customers being left waiting for an agent to respond as the call is only placed when an agent has indicated that they are available.
When should I use it? If your objective is to improve customer experience, increase customer loyalty and gain more revenue from existing customers, a progressive dialler is a good choice. This type of dialler is a simple and effective way to upsell products or services to customers.
Preview Dialler
What is it? Preview diallers offer a slower pace of outbound calling. Numbers are automatically dialled but only when an agent has marked themselves as available and then only after a specified time. So, a call handler may indicate they are free to take a call and the dialler starts a timer for five minutes, after which the next number is dialled.
What are the benefits? This system gives sales agents and call handlers plenty of time to review customer information before they are connected. This opportunity to prepare ahead of the call can improve the service a customer receives and increase the chances of a positive outcome.
When should I use it? If your business involves the resolution of complex or sensitive cases, such as debt collection or customer complaints, staff may need the extra time a preview dialler allows them to familiarise themselves with a customer before speaking to them. Perhaps you sell bespoke products or services and sales agents must understand the precise business needs of a customer before they deliver a pitch? The more steady approach of a preview dialler may be the most suitable for your needs.
The Ultimate Outbound Dialling Solution
Callstream’s Midas hosted outbound dialler is a cloud-based dialler with an online environment. It incorporates the advantages of a progressive dialler and seamlessly integrates with CRM and SQL database information. If your business has multiple sites or a team of remote workers, Midas provides an ideal unified solution. Unlike some predictive diallers, there is no risk of dropped or silent calls as Midas always connect to the agent first, meaning you can rest assured that customers and prospects will always receive outstanding service. The system also supports effective lead management as it automatically prioritises calls and dials “hot” leads first.
Find out more about Callstream’s Midas outbound dialler and how it can help your business. Book a free demonstration today.