Posted by on November, 29 2019 8:29 pm
Productivity is perhaps the most important factor in success when it comes to being a contact center agent. The more calls you can make - correctly - the better suited you are to working in an outbound center. Quick fingers and quick minds make great agents!
However, there are plenty of tools and technology that make being a successful agent easier. One of the key elements of making enough calls in an outbound center is the right outbound calling software. In most of today’s centers, automated dialers are responsible for helping to make things happen.
What kind of automatic dialer could your center make the best use of - and what kind of impact would it have on your agents’ productivity? When you make the right choice of outbound calling software, the answer is a positive impact - one that you might have never seen coming!
There are several types of outbound dialers available to choose between. It is important to note that each uses automation to make dialing quicker and simpler, which will help boost agent productivity and utilization. However, every dialer is not created equal. There are elements in every choice that make it perfect for specific types of outbound call centers. Choosing between the available options is what will help you maximize your staff’s productivity.
The most common types of dialers currently available include:
To better understand how they impact agent productivity, let’s examine each in more detail:
Predictive dialers are the beginning point for most centers that are looking to outfit their operations with more automation - on a budget. These dialers are great starting points because they cost much less to implement than other power dialers, but can be just as effective if your agents are already used to putting in the effort.
Predictive dialers are named for the ability of the technology to predict the amount of time that an agent needs to handle a call properly. Why does it do this? Because to boost the productivity of your agents and your center, the software automatically connects agents to their next waiting call as soon as they conclude their previous one.
It is important to note that while this is a great place to start when you’re looking to boost productivity in your facility, it does come with limitations. Predictive dialers result in a relatively small but still notable number of abandoned calls. Consumers may be connected to an agent despite that agent not being prepared to field the call. This occurs as a simple misjudgment of the technology, but can be very frustrating for consumers. It’s also something to consider when choosing your power dialer option. Remember, in many cases, you really do get what you pay for.
Think of the progressive dialer as the next step forward - or the next phase of progress - in improving the power dialer. When you want to take a big step in the productivity that your dialer offers your agents and center, the progressive dialer is a great mid-range option.
The name of progressive dialers comes from the ability of the technology to monitor call progress. This means that the software isn’t just guessing in terms of when an agent is finished with their current conversation - it knows. This means far fewer abandoned calls and far more meaningful connections with consumers.
Progressive dialers also provide information to the agent before the call is connected. This means that your agents are better able to handle calls, all without the provision of that information detracting from the productivity that results from automated speed.
While progressive dialers are more expensive than predictive dialers, they are also much more effective. Again, investing in solid technology is often worth the upfront cost!
Preview dialers are the most efficient and effective form of power dialers currently available. They offer the most information to agents before the call is actually connected. This makes them great for applications such as the medical information field, where the amount and complexity of information are critically important.
These dialers are named for the fact that agents can preview the information that they need to properly handle the call. What is notable about this type of dialer is that, while it is automated, it does not focus solely on speed. There is a lot of importance placed on preparing the agent for the call properly, so the agent is given plenty of time to adequately review the relevant information. Afterward, they manually indicate their preparedness for the next automatically-connected call.
A small side note for those consider dialers: There are two more general types of dialers, categories that all others fall into. These are software dialers and hardware dialers, sometimes also referred to as mechanical or machine dialers. However, while the latter are still in existence and in use in some centers, the overwhelming majority use software dialers. All of today’s best automated dialers fall into the software category.
It is also important to note that all of the dialers that were previously mentioned are power dialers or automated dialers. So, no matter which option you select, they are all designed to cut down on the amount of time and effort your agents have to put into the tasks that are required of them during everyday operations. Essentially, no matter which type of automated dialer you choose, your agents will be more productive as a result.
For more information on the various types of outbound calling software available today - and how each might be suited to the needs of your center - contact the industry experts at ChaseData today. We have the software and solutions your team needs to create a better plan for outgoing calls - and make the return on those calls better than ever, too! Don’t wait; give us a call today to learn more!