Autodialer, automatic dialer or auto dialer?

The terms autodialer, automatic dialer and auto-dialer can mean the same thing to one person and totally different things to another person. The worst part is, one manufacturer of dialing systems can call a specific technology automatic dialing while another manufacturer calls the same technology a preview dialer. Even Wikipedia seems to change it's definitions every week or so and the ones that do end up staying for a while aren't accurate in our opinion. We will list some examples of dialing technologies and the names commonly associated with them.

Autodialer or auto dialer is a system that plays a pre-recorded message when the receiving partys telephone is picked up. Some other terms associated with a system that plays a pre-recorded message are: robodialer, voice messaging system, autodialer, auto dialer, automatic dialer (although in our opinion this is not a correct definition) and IVR.

Automatic dialer: An automatic dialer is a system that will dial telephone numbers automatically for you and connect a live person with a live person or answering machine. An automatic dialer comes in several different varieties:

  • Preview dialer or click to call: A preview dialer dials with a line ratio of one line per agent and will automatically pull up a lead when the agent logs on. The sales agent will have a chance to "preview" the lead information and notes. The sales agent then needs to press the "dial" button on the system. A preview dialer uses one telephone line per agent and will usually come with some type of CRM software for scheduling call backs and some have advanced features like voice recording, remote agents, logical scripting and predictive dialing features. Once the sales agent is finished with the telephone call, they will need to tell the dialer what the outcome of the telephone call was or DISPOSITION the telephone call. After they are finished dispositioning the telephone call the preview dialer will present the agent with the next lead so they can review their notes. Preview dialers are typically used for more valuable leads or taps. Many of our used systems, and new Blue Streak dialers have preview dialer and click to call functionality. On many systems you can upgrade more agents for just a few hundred dollars each.
  • Progressive dialer: A progressive dialer dials with a line ratio of one line per agent and will automatically pull up a lead and dial that lead when the agent logs on. The sales agent will have a chance to review the lead as the system is dialing and while the telephone is ringing. The live agent is connected with the telephone call so they can hear the ringing in their ears and begin speaking after the customer says hello or even leave a message on an answering machine. Progressive dialing is used when your agents can benefit from viewing the customer information but you want to keep them on a tighter time schedule than preview dialing.
  • Predictive dialer: A predictive dialer will typically dial with a ratio of 1.5 to 3 telephone lines per agent. a predictive dialer is the most efficient way of contacting customers and are typically used by companies that would like their agents talking to as many people as possible within a given timeframe. UsedDialers.com offers new and used predictive dialers.
  • Power dialer: A power dialer will dial with two or three telephone lines tied to one specific agent and does not offer near the efficiency increase of predictive dialing or offer the benefits of preview or progressive dialing. It is VERY DIFFICULT if not impossible to follow the 3% abandonment rate as stated in the Telemarketing Sales Rule. We do not ever recommend purchasing a power dialer. If you are considering a power dialer, you really need to consider a predictive dialer. UsedDialers.com does not sell power dialers because we don't see any benefits.

You may contact UsedDialers by phone at:  620.860.4205 or send an email to:  useddialers@gmail.com for more information about automatic dialers.

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