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PREDICTIVE DIALER
TECHNOLOGY.....
PREDICTIVE DIALING UTILIZES A TECHNOLOGY THAT
AUTOMATICALLY CALLS PROSPECTS, WEEDS OUT DEAD-END
CALLS AND BOUNCES LIVE CALLS TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE
TELEPHONE REPRESENTATIVE. PREDICTIVE DIALERS NOT
ONLY IMPROVED THE OUTBOUND TELEMARKETING INDUSTRY,
THEY TRANSFORMED IT. THE HISTORY OF THE INDUSTRY
CAN NOW BE DIVIDED INTO TWO GENERATIONS.....THOSE
THAT STRUGGLED BEFORE THE TECHNOLOGY, AND THOSE
THAT SUCCEEDED AFTER IT. YEARS LATER, THE
TECHNOLOGY HAS STILL RETAINED ITS' APPEAL AS ONE OF
THE TOP EFFICIENCY BOOSTERS IN THE TELEMARKETING
AND CALL CENTER ENVIRONMENT..
BEFORE PREDICTIVE DIALERS WERE INTRODUCED
TELEMARKETING CALL CENTER REPS HUNKERED OVER PAPER
LEADS, PECKED OUT PHONE NUMBERS - OFTEN FUMBLING
BECAUSE OF FATIGUE WONDERING THROUGH A MAZE OF
DEAD-END ANSWERING MESSAGES, BUSY SIGNALS AND
HANG-UPS. THEN PREDICTIVE DIALER HIT THE OUTBOUND
SCENE, EFFICIENCY SKYROCKETED, ABANDONED CALLS
PLUMMETED AND MANAGERS COULD NOW RAPIDLY ADJUST
CONTACT CENTER SITUATIONS TO SPREAD OUT RESOURCES
BASED ON OUTBOUND/INBOUND FLOW. PREDICTIVE DIALERS
ARE NOW AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF OUTBOUND OR
INTEGRATED TELEMARKETING CALL CENTERS SERVING AS
ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS IN A SUCCESSFUL CUSTOMER
RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM) STRATEGY.
TODAY'S PREDICTIVE DIALERS DO MORE THAN JUST DIAL
NUMBERS: THEY CAN CREATE COLOSSAL BOOST IN
PRODUCTIVITY AMONG INDIVIDUAL AGENTS. BY PLACING
NUMEROUS CALLS SIMULTANEOUSLY, PREDICTIVE DIALERS
CAN LOG THE NUMBER OF HANG-UPS, BUSY SIGNALS AND
DISCONNECTED NUMBERS, AND USING ALGORITHMS (COMPLEX
MATHEMATICAL FORMULAS) CAN NOT ONLY ANTICIPATE WHEN
A CALL WILL YIELD A LIVE PERSON, BUT WHICH AGENT
WILL BE AVAILABLE TO TAKE THE CALL. THROUGH THESE
CALL ROUTING TECHNIQUES, MANAGERS USING THE
TECHNOLOGY CAN EXPECT A PREVIOUSLY UNHEARD-OF LEVEL
OF PRODUCTIVITY FROM THEIR TELEMARKETING STAFF:
PREDICTIVE DIALERS FREE UP ENOUGH TIME FOR AGENTS
TO INTERACT WITH CUSTOMERS AS MUCH AS 45 MINUTES
OUT OF EVERY HOUR. PREDICTIVE DIALERS CAN ALSO HELP
MANAGERS NEGOTIATE CALL PEAKS AND VALLEYS,
DISTRIBUTING CALLS AS EVENLY AS POSSIBLE AND
REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD THAT SOME AGENTS WILL SIT
IDLE WHILE OTHERS RECEIVE MULTIPLE CALLS IN A
ROW.
PREDICTIVE DIALER CAN EVEN CREATE A CIRCUITOUS CALL
CYCLE, THAT IS THE OUTBOUND CALL LEADS TO THE
INBOUND CALL, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS CALL BLENDING.
WHEN AN ANSWERING MACHINE PICKS UP, PREDICTIVE
DIALERS CAN DO THE UPFRONT WORK OF LEAVING A
SCRIPTED MESSAGE, RESCHEDULING THE CALL FOR ANOTHER
TIME AND EVEN WORKING AS A REVERSE AUTOMATIC CALL
DISTRIBUTOR (ACD) WHEN THE PROSPECT OR CUSTOMER
CALLS BACK.
DIALERS OF TODAY.....
NOW MORE THAN EVER, PREDICTIVE DIALERS ARE
INCREASINGLY BEING SOLD NOT AS INDIVIDUAL
COMPONENTS, BUT AS ONE KEY ELEMENT IN A WELL
ROUNDED SUITE OF CALL CENTER PRODUCTS. AT THEIR
BEST, DIALERS WORK SEAMLESSLY WITH COMPUTER
TELEPHONE INTEGRATION (CTI) SYSTEMS, PRIVATE BRANCH
EXCHANGES (PBXs) AND ACDs TO CREATE COMPLETE CALL
MANAGEMENT NETWORKS, RETRIEVING CUSTOMER
INFORMATION FROM DATABASES SO AGENTS HAVE IT IN
HAND EXACTLY WHEN THEY NEED IT.
PREDICTIVE DIALER TECHNOLOGY IS ALSO CONSTANTLY
UNDERGOING IMPROVEMENT INCLUDING A CURRENT
MULTIMEDIA REVOLUTION THAT HAS CREATED A DYNAMIC
NEW ARRAY OF FEATURES. BRIMMING WITH TECHNOLOGIES
THAT LET AGENTS NOT ONLY MANGE INBOUND AND OUTBOUND
CALLS, BUT ALSO ANSWER E-MAILS AND PERFORM WEB
CHATS. CALL CENTER WORKERS CAN NOW CUSTOMIZE
SCRIPTS FOR INCREASED COMPLIANCE, CREATE OUTBOUND
MESSAGES SPECIFICALLY TAILORED TO THE TYPE OF
CUSTOMER AND CAMPAIGN. AGENTS CAN ALSO SWITCH BACK
AND FORTH BETWEEN STANDARD PREDICTIVE DIALING AND
PREVIEW DIALING, BRINGING UP PROSPECT OR CUSTOMER
INFORMATION SO THE AGENT CAN JUDGE A SITUATION
BEFORE TAKING A CALL BASED ON THE CENTER'S SPECIFIC
GOALS.
PREDICTIVE DIALERS ALSO ACCOMMODATE OTHER CALL
CENTER OBSTACLES LIKE FAX AND ANSWERING MACHINES.
IT CAN GAUGE WHEN AN ANSWERING MACHINE BEGINS
RECORDING, RATHER THAN LEAVING A MESSAGE AFTER A
SET AMOUNT OF TIME AVOIDING A MESSAGE THAT STARTS
TOO SOON OR CUTS OFF EARLY. WHEN THE DIALER DETECTS
A FAX TONE, IT CAN SEND A FAX WITH INFORMATION ON
HOW TO CONTACT THE CENTER.
TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY.....
DESPITE THE ENTHUSIASM SOME HARD-CORE ADVOCATES
HAVE FOR THE TECHNOLOGY, PREDICTIVE DIALING IS NOT
FOR EVERY CONTACT CENTER. IF USED IN THE WRONG
SITUATION = SUCH AS WHEN THERE AREN'T ENOUGH AGENTS
TO CORRECTLY MONITOR, PREDICT AND RECEIVE CALLS -
IT CAN BE A CLEAR WASTE OF MONEY. A PREDICTIVE
DIALER WILL ACCELERATE FAILURE WITH AN IL-CONCEIVED
CAMPAIGN. A PREDICTIVE DIALER WILL LAND YOU IN THE
CROSS HAIRS OF THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION OR YOUR
ATTORNEY GENERAL IN A FEW HOURS ABSENT OF THE
APPROPRIATE COMPLIANCE PROTOCOLS. A PREDICTIVE
DIALER IS NOT A CURE ALL PANACEA.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF PREDICTIVE DIALING IS TO MIX
GOOD QUALITY WITH MAXIMUM PRODUCTIVITY, AND A
SLOWER-PACED CALL CENTER, NOT BOUND BY THESE GOALS,
MAY BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT ONE. FOR CENTERS IN WHICH
AGENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO GET TO KNOW CUSTOMERS
PERSONALLY AND SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS NEEDED TO
SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS, PREDICTIVE DIALERS SIMPLY
OFFER NO LOGICAL BENEFIT.
BUT IF A DIALER IS USED BY A TEAM OF MANAGERS
WILLING TO EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AND
MAXIMIZE TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES, DIALERS CAN BE A
GODSEND TO THOSE WHO LIVE AND DIE BY CALL QUOTAS.
FOR CALL CENTER CAMPAIGNS THAT REQUIRE AGENTS TO
CONSTANTLY TURN-AND-BURN CALLS AND ANSWER A MINIMUM
NUMBER PER HOUR, PREDICTIVE DIALERS PROVIDE A
SIGNIFICANT BOOST TO CALLS PER HOUR RATIOS. CALL
CENTERS THAT OPERATE ON STRICTLY OUTBOUND CALL
TRAFFIC OR WORK WITH A HEALTHY MIX OF INBOUND AND
OUTBOUND CALLS STAND TO BENEFIT THE MOST FROM THE
TECHNOLOGY.
COMMON PREDICTIVE DIALING FEATURES.....
ANSWERING MACHINE OR VOICE
RECOGNITION - THE FIRST PREDICTIVE DIALERS DID ONE
THING: DIAL NUMBERS IN MASS QUANTITIES. THE
TECHNOLOGY COULD NOT DECIPHER WHAT HAPPENED ONCE
THE CALL WAS PLACED. TODAY'S DIALERS HAVE BEEN
CREATED WITH THIS SPECIFIC CHALLENGE IN MIND. THEY
CAN DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN AN ANSWERING MACHINE, A
FAX TONE, A BUSY SIGNAL AND A LIVE PERSON PICKING
UP THE LINE, AND BASED ON THAT RESULT CAN TRANSFER
THE CALL TO A LIVE AGENT, SCHEDULE A CALLBACK WITH
A SCRIPTED ANSWERING MACHINE OR FAX MESSAGE, OR ADD
THE NUMBER TO A DO NOT CALL LIST, NEVER TO BE USED
OR CALLED AGAIN. THIS FINAL FEATURE WILL SAVE A
COMPANY THOUSANDS IN REGULATORY HEADACHES.
CALL BLENDING- BEFORE
PREDICTIVE DIALERS, CALL CENTER AGENTS WERE DIVIDED
INTO TWO GROUPS: OUTBOUND AGENTS AND INBOUND
AGENTS. THIS SEEMED LIKE A LOGICAL ARRANGEMENT, BUT
IT PROVED TO BE A WHOLLY INEFFICIENT ONE, BECAUSE
IF ONE TYPE OF CALL PEAKED AND THE OTHER TYPE
DWINDLED, NEITHER TEAM COULD LOG ON AND PICK UP THE
SLACK FOR THE OTHER. IT ALSO CREATED BURNOUT AMONG
AGENTS, SINCE THEIR TASKS NEVER VARIED FROM DAY TO
DAY. TODAY'S DIALERS OFFER CONTACT CENTER THE
ABILITY TO BALANCE BOTH TYPES OF CALLS DISTRIBUTING
THE WORKLOAD EVENLY AND ALLOWING AN AGENT TO
ALTERNATE BETWEEN TAKING AND MAKING CALLS WITHOUT
HAVE TO MOVE TO ANOTHER STATION.
PACING FLEXIBILITY - THE
AMOUNT OF TIME A PREDICTIVE DIALER TAKES TO
TRANSFER A CALL TO AN AGENT CAN DEPEND ON CALL
LOAD, THE NUMBER OF AGENTS ON THE CLOCK, THE TYPE
OF AGENT/CENTER GOAL INVOLVED AND OTHER COMPLEX
FACTORS. WITHOUT CALL-PACING, AGENTS CAN TAKE TOO
MANY CALLS OR TOO FEW, UPSETTING THE CENTERS
BALANCE AND REDUCING EFFICIENCY. TODAY'S DIALERS
SIMPLY "GO WITH THE FLOW", ADAPTING TO CHANGING
CONDITIONS IN THE CALL CENTER, SUCH AS HOW MANY
AGENTS ARE OCCUPIED WITH OTHER CALLS, THE NUMBER OF
CALLS COMING IN AND THE TYPE OF CAMPAIGN BEING
WORKED ON. PREDICTIVE DIALERS DO THIS BY
AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTING PARAMETERS SUCH AS CHANGING
CALL TRANSFER SPEEDS, EXPANDING OR SHORTENING THE
TIME BETWEEN DIALED CALLS, OR MAKING FEWER OR MORE
CALLS. MANAGERS WHO WANT TO HAVE GREATER CONTROL
OVER THESE ADJUSTMENTS CAN ALSO MAKE MANUAL
CHANGES.
MULTIPLE CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT
- THIS FEATURE ALLOWS CALL CENTER MANAGERS TO SHIFT
AGENTS FROM TASK TO TASK OR PROJECT TO PROJECT
DEPENDING ON THE IDEAL HUMAN AND TECHNOLOGICAL
RESOURCES AVAILABLE. IF A GROUP OF AGENTS FULFILLS
AN ASSIGNED TASK, REACHES A SALES PEAK OR IS
FALLING SHORT OF A GOAL, CONTACT CENTER MANAGERS
CAN SWITCH THEM TO ANOTHER TASK WITHOUT HAVING TO
RECONFIGURE AN ENTIRE CALL CENTER FLOOR. MANY
DIALER NOW HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK MULTIPLE
CAMPAIGNS SIMULTANEOUSLY.
DO NOT CALL LIST - WITH
INCREASING REGULATORY OVERSIGHT, THE PREDICTIVE
DIALER ALLOWS YOUR COMPANY TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL
AND STATE LAWS. ALTHOUGH YOUR LIST MIGHT BE IN
COMPLIANCE WITH THE DNC LIST TODAY, THAT LIST CAN
CHANGE EACH MONTH LEAVING YOU WITH A NONCOMPLIANT
LIST. EACH MISTAKE CAN COST THOUSANDS IN FINES. A
PREDICTIVE DIALER INSURES THE WRONG PROSPECTS
AREN'T CALLED, EVERY CALL DOCUMENTED TO AVOID
FUTURE PROBLEMS. IN MANY STATES WITH ACTIVE
REGULATORS A DIALER IS NEARLY REQUIRED IF YOU
EXPECT TO SURVIVE. SOME STATES THAT REGULATE
OUTBOUND CALLING DEMAND THAT CALL CENTERS KEEP AND
USE RECORDS OF WHICH NUMBERS NOT TO CALL. WHETHER
IT IS A CUSTOMER WHO HAS REQUESTED THAT HE NOT BE
CONTACTED AGAIN OR A BUSINESS FORBIDDEN FROM TAKING
INBOUND CALLS, A LAPSE IN RECORD KEEPING CAN MEAN A
POOR REPUTATION AT BEST AND A LAWSUIT AT WORST. TO
AVOID THIS, MOST PREDICTIVE DIALER INTEGRATE A
COMBINATION OF INTERNAL RECORDS AND DOWNLOADED
NATIONAL AND STATEWIDE DO NOT CALL LISTS TO
EFFECTIVELY REDUCE UNNECESSARY AND POTENTIALLY
DAMAGING MISTAKES.
DETAILED REPORTING - FEW
FUNCTIONS ARE AS IMPORTANT AS BEING ABLE TO RECORD
AND MONITOR CALL SUCCESS AND CALL FAILURE RATES.
THESE SIMPLE, YET VITAL FUNCTIONS CAN MEAN THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CALL CENTERS THAT CONSTANTLY
IMPROVE EFFICIENCY RATES AND CENTERS THAT STAY
STAGNANT, NEVER IMPROVING THEIR HOURLY NUMBERS.
WITH REPORTING FUNCTIONS THAT ACCOMPANY MOST
PREDICTIVE DIALERS, CONTACT CENTER MANAGER CAN NOT
ONLY MONITOR HOW MANY SUCCESSFUL, FULFILLED
OUTBOUND CALLS WERE HANDLED BY AGENTS, BUT HOW MANY
CALLS WERE ABANDONED, HOW WERE ADDED TO THE DO NOT
CALL LISTS AS WELL AS IDLE TIME, RATIOS, ETC.
NEW PREDICTIVE DIALERS NOW
RANGE FROM TWO TO TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS PER AGENT,
ABOUT HALF THAT PRICE USED. MUCH OF THE TIME A
LOW-END USED DIALER IS SUITABLE. USED DIALER GEAR
IS OFTEN AVAILABLE, BUT BUYER BEWARE. RE-LICENSING,
SOFTWARE AND TECH SUPPORT FEES CAN MORE THAN DOUBLE
THE PRICE OF YOUR "GREAT DEAL". ONCE YOU OWN THE
EQUIPMENT YOU ARE AT THE MERCY OF THE MANUFACTURER
DUE TO THE PROPRIETARY NATURE OF THE SOFTWARE.
CAVEAT EMPTOR!
MITCHELL WILL LEND OVER TWENTY YEARS OF PREDICTIVE
DIALER AND COMPUTER EXPERTISE TO YOUR DIALER
DECISIONS. FLUENT IN SEVERAL OPERATING PLATFORMS
INCLUDING DOS, CDOS, UNIX AND WINDOWS, MITCHELL IS
RECOGNIZED BY THE INDUSTRY AS KNOWLEDGEABLE, WELL
VERSED AND COMPETENT. SIMPLE ADVICE CAN OFTEN SAVE
THE BUYER TENS OF THOUSANDS. MITCHELL WILL ASSIST
WITH BRINGING TOGETHER YOUR HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
VENDORS, T1 CONFIGURATIONS, EVEN TRAINING ON MANY
SYSTEMS. DO NOT EXPERIMENT - IT'S SIMPLY TOO
EXPENSIVE!
VISIT <LINKS>
TO VIEW PREDICTIVE DIALER MANUFACTURERS OR SEE
PAGE21-USED
DIALERS FOR USED
PREDICTIVE DIALER LISTINGS, THEN CALL MITCHELL TO
DISCUSS PRACTICAL, PROVEN AND ECONOMICAL SOLUTIONS
TO YOUR PREDICTIVE DIALER
DECISIONS.
copyright©2009/mitchell eaves
82 wall street/suite 1105/ny, ny
10005/212.898.9000
brokerrus@earthlink.net
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