There are many auto-dialers to choose from, two of the most common of which are power and predictive dialers, but how should you go about choosing the best one for your business? It’s all down to the pros and cons and how you’re going to use them.
What Is a Power Dialer?
A power dialer is an outbound dialer. It automatically selects and dials the following number in a queue after a call, thereby saving agents time dialing manually. Once a call is finished, the dialer immediately dials the next number on the list automatically.
What Is a Predictive Dialer?
A predictive dialer is also an automated outbound dialing system, but with a subtle difference. It calls a list of numbers and only connects agents to live calls, thereby ensuring no time is wasted on invalid numbers or waiting for dial tones. It filters out busy, not in service, voicemails, and no-answer calls to maximize agent talk time.
Power Dialer Vs. Predictive Dialer Use Cases
To help you decide whether a power vs. predictive dialer might be better for your business, it’s good to compare the main differences and how they can be best used.
Let’s start with the power dialer, such as EVS7’s Power Dolphin.
Power dialers are very useful for campaigns, such as the Democrats Abroad campaign for voter outreach. A power dialer is suitable because it gives users time to update information in the system. It also allows users to provide highly personalized service.
With a power dialer, agents can make, on average, 70 calls per hour. The call ratio is constant at 1:1. In other words, that’s one call per free agent. Agents can drop a voicemail message, and control for dialing the following number is with the agent.
Power dialers are also ideal for:
- B2B – Calling other businesses
- Warmer or more expensive leads
- Higher-income leads & prospects
- Inside sales teams
- Needing to leave personalized answering machine messages
A predictive dialer can also be used for campaigns, as evidenced by Organizing for Change that used a predictive dialer for their calling campaign. A predictive dialer is ideal if minimal personalization is required and when a prospective database is massive.
The calling ratio is varied, as it is set up automatically by whatever predictive dialing software you decide to use. For example, rather than an agent having to drop a voicemail manually, specific predictive dialing software can detect an answering machine and drop the call automatically.
The software automatically dials whatever number comes next in the list. It is then connected to an agent who is free immediately. The predicted calls per hour with predictive dialers are, on average, 110 calls per hour.
Predictive dialers are ideal for:
- Very cold lists
- Lists with lots of answering machines and bad numbers
- Having a call center manager that can manage legal considerations
- Spreading product/cause awareness
- Debt collection/reminders
- Political canvassing/surveying
How to Choose Between Power Dialer and Predictive Dialer
Before you make your final decision, there are a few more things to consider. Take the following factors into account when comparing a power dialer vs. predictive dialing.
Metrics
These include the call ring time, average call duration, and call-to-call conversion rate. Effectively, the call ring time is productive time lost for your agents. You can’t do anything to change the call ring time with a power dialer, but predictive dialers have the option to set the calling ratio.
A predictive dialer uses algorithms to adjust the calling ratio. Predictive dialers automatically determine the call-to conversation conversion ratio, whereas you have to set up the appropriate calling ratio manually with a power dialer.
General Considerations
For larger teams with more agents online at a time, a predictive dialer is a good fit. Mid-sized and smaller teams, on the other hand, will see more benefit from a power dialer.
Predictive dialers are better for low-quality databases. However, when a database is from a trusted source, a power dialer can be just as effective.
For small surveys with short call durations, a predictive dialer would be perfect. However, for sales and more extended conversations, a power dialer would be the ideal choice.
Regulations
FCC regulations specify that abandoned calls should not exceed 3% of all answered calls. A power dialer makes it easy to stay compliant, but with predictive dialers, staying compliant could be an issue.
Both predictive and power dialers have an essential part to play in boosting productivity and efficiency. However, both have their advantages and disadvantages. Understanding whether a predictive vs. power dialer would be better for your business means you’ll be able to make a more calculated decision.
