A lot of choices and new products are launched every day and it can be tricky to select the right automatic dialer or autodialer for one’s business. It would be essential to talk about key points that one should consider when choosing an autodialer.
Compared to the telephone that was invented some 140-plus years ago, autodialers have been commercialized and made available in the market even later in the 1940s. Especially in the 2020s when telemarketing has continued as one of the most effective channels for reaching out to customers and producing lead generation was when the autodialer has reached its undeniable huge impact. For people leading a telesales group or are into cold calling, chances are high that finding a decent autodialer is on their to-do lists. These people need to consider their options properly.
Modern Autodialer Types
As technology advances, so does the autodialer. Automatic dialers in the modern era offer so much more than just initiating phone calls automatically. In these days and age, an autodialer can be programmed to drop voicemails to contacts, schedule and send e-mails and text messages to a list of contacts in several seconds and more.
To date, there are a few types of autodialers commercially available in the market. Here’s a quick overview of the types and their differences.
- Predictive Autodialer
A predictive autodialer dials a long list of contacts or phone numbers both automatically and sequentially. It uses a complex algorithm to reduce or cut the amount of downtime spent by agents if they have done the tasks themselves. When the autodialer system detects a connection or picked-up call, it transfers the call to an available live agent. It can be the best solution for busy outbound call centers with several to many agents dealing with calling campaigns.
- Progressive Autodialer
A progressive autodialer, on the other hand, puts calls only when a call center agent indicates that they are available to handle an incoming call. As a rule of thumb, progressive dialers make fewer calls compared to predictive autodialers, but a progressive autodialer helps decrease the rate of call abandonment through a boosted agent availability.
- Preview Autodialers
This type of dialing software or system allows the call center agent to see the prospect’s brief information before making or patching up a call. The preview autodialer creates a great option for internal sales call agents to prepare their scripts other than getting breathing space. This pause can translate to a more productive exchange or conversation with the prospect caller.
Steps to Determine Which Autodialer Suits the Business
Having known more about the types of autodialers, making a more educated decision is the next task to be more confident in one’s choice of autodialers.
- Make a List of All Autodialer Features that Are Highly Needed
Life can be simpler and easier when what is needed is known. This applies to the business world likewise. Personnel involved with choosing a reliable autodialer may start by first creating a new document and writing down current organizational problems faced, and how getting an autodialer can solve these identified problems. Aside from this, making a list of features for a company’s high-priority tasks is a must. This may take time but making sure that this is done saves a lot in the long run. Only after completing the tasks above can one gain a better understanding of what type of autodialer is for the business and know exactly what to look for in one.
- Size of the Organization and its Client Base
- Nature of Calls
- Budget
- Presence of Existing CRM
- Do Research on Search Engines and Refer to Software Comparison Sites
The internet is very generous when it comes to searching for information. Google has been the first stop for many when looking into something. So, Google may be the best place to start and type “best autodialer software” in the search bar. Tons of websites will pop up on the results page of search engines like Google. Take the time to look at the pages and choose which ones will stand out among the rest.
One may try not to go into the most popular companies alone but to read reviews from real customers as well.
3. Make an Autodialer Software Merchant Shortlist
Having identified some of the autodialer market’s most prominent contenders, it is time to shortlist them. Make sure to include around 5 to 10 options then narrow down the list by focusing on the ones that fit the business the most. Do reach out to all of the shortlisted merchants or vendors, ask them a few to as many questions identified, and importantly, request a product presentation. Try not to forget to jot down both the advantages and disadvantages of every candidate and compare as needed.
4. Test Away!
Remember that everything from common features, exclusive offers, and other perks look enticing on the autodialer software firm’s website. Make sure to look beyond this and ensure that they provide solutions that work for the business’s best interests. In this case, the best bet will be to contact the autodialer software firm and request either a product presentation or demonstration video, or a free trial.
A lot of autodialer software firms offer a free trial on their websites. This means that 7 to 14 days will be given to test the autodialer system fully and check how the product is in terms of user-friendliness, practicality, and usability.
At the same time, prepare questions to assess customer support. Testing the autodialer software firms is a must to tell if they are a good match. When a support team is no good, one can foresee that the business will be having problems in the future. Try reaching them in different channels and at different times of the day and see how they handle it. They should be able to give a fast response and one that is accurate and detailed. This way, the team handling the telesales can determine if they are indeed real experts that know what they sell no matter the angle.