Best Auto Dialer Software
Buyer's Guide
When you’re working in a fast-paced environment like a call center, having to manually dial each number can be tedious and a huge waste of time. That’s why most call centers automate this process through auto dialer software.
An auto dialer or automatic dialer allows agents to make hundreds of calls a day without having to manually enter or dial any numbers. It helps boost productivity while also reducing agent workloads.
This guide will give you an in-depth look into what auto dialer software is, its benefits, features and more. Let’s dive in!
Executive Summary
- Auto dialer software is a call center tool that automatically dials the next number on a list once an agent is done with his call.
- Automating dialing can help boost call center productivity by reducing idle time, speeding up outbound calling and improving lead generation.
- It’s important to properly understand and evaluate your organizational needs to determine which tool would be best suited for your company.
What Is Auto dialer Software?
Auto dialer software is a call center automation tool that automatically dials the next number on the contact list once an agent is done with a call. This eliminates the need to dial each number manually and allows agents to go through their contact lists faster.
In an outbound call center, agents need to contact as many numbers as possible in order to generate leads. Automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, like dialing, helps maintain a fast-paced work environment and makes handling large call volumes easier. Integrating software into your call center infrastructure can be the secret to creating the superhuman agent.
Auto dialer software usually comes with different types of dialers, like predictive dialers, power dialers and progressive dialers. Teams can use any one or a combination of these dialers depending on their specific needs.
Types of Auto Dialers
- Predictive Dialers: Predictive dialers are designed to improve conversion rates. They automatically dial and prioritize contacts based on the predicted likelihood of the call being answered and the connection being productive. Predictive dialers place calls simultaneously, discard unanswered calls and route only answered calls to agents to maximize efficiency and productivity.
- Progressive Dialers: Progressive dialers dial many lines simultaneously, helping reduce idle time. Once the dialer gets a live connection, it connects the call to an available agent.
- Preview Dialers: Preview dialers provide agents with important contact data, like name, occupation, lead type and more, to help them tailor their sales pitch for that particular customer.
- Power Dialers:Power dialers are designed to automatically call the next number on an agent’s contact list as soon as their current call is finished, so agents don’t have to manually place each call.
- List Dialers: This is a vertical dialing mode that allows agents to switch between different dialing options, like predictive or power dialers, based on their needs.
Primary Benefits
Let’s look at some of the primary benefits of auto dialers and how they can help your organization.
1. Faster Outbound Calling
If you’re an agent working in an outbound call center, it’s likely that a major chunk of your day will be spent making calls in order to generate leads. Long contact lists and quotas to fulfill make time-saving measures crucial. Automation saves valuable time and resources, allowing agents to focus on more important tasks.
In 2023, Hubspot found that improving sales process efficiency was one of the top priorities for one-third of all sales professionals. Tools like auto dialers and automatic call distribution can help make your sales process more efficient and reduce issues like agent collision and confusion. Timezone rules dialing, which allows agents to dial contacts only at appropriate times, also helps avoid both missed calls and wasted time.
2. Increased Productivity
Cold calling tends to have an abysmal conversion rate — it’s only about 2% according to LinkedIn. Auto dialing tools like predictive dialers can predict which connections will be most productive, helping improve cold call conversion rates.
Auto dialers also allow agents to make one call after another without having to wait, giving them more time to focus on the more important part of their job — talking to your customers and prospects. Reducing idle time means increasing the amount of talk time for agents.
Another downside of manual dialing is that sometimes a contact may not pick up the phone. When this happens, the agent has essentially wasted their time. Auto dialer software dials numbers in the background, connecting calls to agents only when they’re answered.
3. Improved Lead Generation
One of the main purposes of calling existing customers and prospects is to generate leads. Call center agents work to call up as many contacts as possible in order to try and sell, cross-sell or up-sell products or services.
However, only answered calls generate leads. Nearly half of the businesses interviewed in a recent report by Hiya said that they had lost revenue due to unanswered calls. Auto dialer software ensures that only answered calls are routed to agents, improving the number of people interacted with and thus boosting lead generation.
Additionally, auto dialer software also includes tools to increase the chances of a call being answered. For example, predictive dialers guide agents to only call numbers which are predicted to be productive based on prior interactions, increasing the chances of a lead being generated.
Features & Functionality
| List Dialing Mode | This vertical dialing feature allows agents to move between different dialing options. You can configure up to three different phone numbers for each contact, and the system will prioritize live connections with each of them. |
|---|---|
| Power Dialer | Automatically dial the next number in a contact list once an agent is done with a call, reducing idle time and helping agents go through their contact lists faster. |
| Predictive Dialer | Automatically dial phone numbers in the contact list assigned for a particular campaign, prioritized based on positive call history, and direct answered calls to currently available live agents. |
| Preview Dialer | Select a number from a contact list and view contact details, call history and other contextual information before dialing. |
| Progressive Dialer | Automatically dial the next call after agents have completed their current call, dialing only one number per contact center agent. This helps reduce idle time while also preventing agents from getting overwhelmed. |
| Redial | Call the last number dialed without having to manually re-enter any details. |
| Speed Dial | Quickly dial frequently contacted numbers without having to manually search or enter them. |
| Timezone Rules Dialing | Evaluate each contact's time zone to ensure they are only contacted at appropriate times. |
Software Comparison Strategy
We’ve gone through the benefits and features of auto dialer software, but, as with most things, there is no one size fits all. So, how do you find the right platform for your needs?
The first step is to determine what your company needs. What challenges are you currently facing and how are you looking to address them? If you need help determining this, try using our requirements template to get a clear picture of what your needs are.
Not all organizations are the same. If you’re a new business trying to generate fresh leads, your needs will be different from what a larger organization needs to cross-sell and upsell to existing customers.
You’ll also want to consider factors like the size of your organization and the volume of calls you handle on a day to day basis. Your auto dialer software should be able to handle this call volume, and offer options for scaling as your organization grows.
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, make a list of potential vendors and start reaching out to them. Be sure to ask them any questions you might have about the software before making a purchasing decision. Some vendors also offer free trials, so you can see how the software functions in your workplace before you commit.
Cost and Pricing Considerations
The price of an auto dialer software can vary based on a few factors. The first thing to consider is whether you want to make a one-time payment for your auto dialer software or use a renewable subscription. On-premise deployment is usually a one-time cost, while cloud-based software tends to use a subscription model.
Most vendors offer different pricing tiers depending on whether you need only the basics or a more comprehensive solution. Add-ons and plug-ins can also result in additional costs.
If you’re using an on-premise auto dialer software, it’s a good idea to check whether the one-time payment includes the cost of updates, repairs and maintenance. You may also have to pay extra for version upgrades down the line.
Most Popular Auto Dialer Software
To jumpstart your software search, our analysts have curated a list of some of the most popular auto dialer software programs on the market. Check out our picks below!
Five9
Five9 is a comprehensive call center management solution that can help enhance agent productivity, boost revenue and improve customer experience. The cloud-based platform offers comprehensive auto dialers with customizable dialing modes, including predictive, progressive, preview and power dialers, as well as tools to ensure TCPA compliance.
Preview dialing with Five9. Source
CallHippo
CallHippo is a cloud-based virtual phone system suitable for startups and small businesses. Its auto dialer tools are designed to improve agent productivity and empower them to generate and convert more leads. It also helps organizations deliver a smoother and more personalized customer experience.
CallHippo offers extensive auto-dialing features. Source
Amazon Connect
Amazon Connect is a cloud-based call center platform offered by AWS. The platform’s outbound call center management features include automated dialers, omni-channel routing, machine learning-powered answering machines and more. Amazon Connect offers a comprehensive platform to help organizations optimize their call center operations and boost productivity and revenue.
Auto dialer configuration with Amazon Connect. Source
Questions To Ask
Use these questions as a starting point for internal conversations:
- What’s our budget?
- Are we mainly looking to generate new leads or nurture existing ones?
- What’s our target customer base?
- Do we need remote agent support?
- Is the software compatible with our current system?
Use these questions as a starting point for conversations with vendors:
- Does the software require extra plug-ins or third-party integrations?
- Do you offer data security and privacy measures?
- Do you offer 24/7 support?
- Does the software integrate with our existing CRM and other marketing tools?
- Do you offer onboarding and training resources?
Next Steps
In a fast-paced, high-volume environment, auto dialer software can be an excellent tool for improving lead generation while maintaining efficient call center operations.
Choosing the right tool for your needs is crucial for the success of your call center. Check out our free software comparison report to learn more about top industry leaders and make the best decision for your company.
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