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A predictive dialer empowers call centers to ensure their agents are effective because it automatically calls various numbers at once and sifts through all the calls that won’t be answered. It also helps match available agents to ensure they’re available for the next call without wasting the agent’s time, according to Mika Kujapelto, CEO and founder at Laptop Unboxed.
“Therefore, call center agents can be more time-efficient and productive with their work by using predictive dialing,” Kujapelto said. “They don’t have to manually dial a list of phone numbers or waste time on calls that won’t pick up.”
A Growing Market for Predictive Dialer Software
Predictive dialer software uses statistical algorithms to predict the availability of call center agents and estimates the normal time for phone calls to be answered, according to a report from Grand View Research. The dialing rate is then adjusted accordingly considering these two factors, researchers said.
“Much like an AI-powered data analyzing software, a predictive dialer uses AI algorithms to dial telephone numbers automatically and lessen the time required for manual dialing,” William Cannon, CEO of Signaturely, said.
The global predictive dialer software market size is expected to reach $12.19 billion by 2028, according to the February 2021 report by Grand View Research. That figure is expected to expand at a CAGR of 37% from 2021 to 2028.
From a global industry perspective, Grand View Research found:
- Predictive dialing handles blended calls and deals with both outbound and inbound calls, prompting businesses to adopt the software to deliver higher customer satisfaction.
- Cloud-based predictive dialer software assists businesses with the processes related to voice broadcasting and live call transfer. Its key features include voicemail detection, concurrent calling, campaign analytics and text-to-speech conversion.
- Predictive dialer systems are suitable for small and medium enterprises as they can auto-dial calls efficiently as per the business needs.
- Continued adoption of the latest technologies in emerging economies, such as China and India, is expected to create growth opportunities for the market in Asia Pacific.
Related Article: Is 2021 the Year AI Dominates the Call Center?
What Are the Benefits to a Call Center Agent?
McKay Bird, chief marketing officer at TCN, said predictive dialing software has several benefits for a call center agent, including:
- Reduce time wasting tasks: Predictive dialing takes a lot of the manual work out of the agent’s hands. Besides not having to dial the 10-digit phone number every time, if a customer doesn’t pick up, the predictive dialer automatically notates that and moves on to the next, Bird said. “This means the agent doesn’t need to additionally waste time notating that the customer didn’t answer,” he added.
- Increase productivity and effectiveness. Agents are prone to becoming tired and losing steam when they personally dial number after number without successfully reaching someone. With the elimination of these repetitive tasks, Bird said, agents are able to devote their valuable time to active calls.
Predictive dialing can also improve agent sales because the software can figure out more suitable times for customer calls, according to Kujapelto.
“These tools supply the agents with a constant stream of calls, without them having to go through a numbers list, dialing the numbers manually, and calling several times before a call gets answered,” said Sam Shepler, CEO of Testimonial Hero. “They make their job faster and easier.”
What Are the Benefits to the Call Center?
Three of the biggest benefits to a call center in general are efficiency, compliance and an increase in sales. Predictive dialing helps reduce wasted time by automatically connecting agents to those people who have picked up — and never to customers who don’t, according to Bird.
“Predictive dialers can leave a message or automatically hang up when they reach voicemail, then call the next number in the database,” Bird said. “This is all happening while agents are talking to live customers.”
Predictive dialers can also help call center managers reduce one of the key risk factors in their outbound operations: regulatory compliance. Further, call centers can see an increase in sales when using this technology by exponentially increasing agents’ time speaking with prospective customers.
“It can help companies stay in compliance with the Federal Trade Commission by keeping the phone numbers in the database free from any blocked numbers, which means they can save more money from any fines that could occur without the software,” Kujapelto said.
Related Article: 4 Reasons Why the Call Center Should be Omnichannel
How Does Implementation of Predictive Dialing Software Work?
The implementation of predictive dialing software can vary depending on the specific tool you choose to go with, Bird said. The biggest factor to consider when comparing different tools is the ability to implement and scale rapidly.
“With the right predictive dialer, your call center should be able to seamlessly integrate a predictive dialer with your platform,” Bird said. “An on-premise predictive dialer will require more time and equipment compared to a cloud-based predictive dialing system; which requires less time and no onsite equipment. A smooth implementation of predictive dialing software would involve simply logging the agents into the platform, training them and training the managers.”
Training Needs for Managers and Agents
What is the training behind predictive dialing needed in a call center? The training needed for a predictive dialing software involves training both the managers and the agents, according to Bird. The power of the predictive dialer is that the manager sets the campaign settings, and the agents focus only on talking to the customer.
“It’s essential to ensure managers are trained on campaign management, and agents are trained on customer service and the best ways to focus on the callee,” Bird said. “With both parties properly trained, the call center will be able to use the predictive dialing software to its full potential.”
