Predictive mode of auto dialer is the most productive calling mode today. It allows you to quickly call a large volume of numbers and at the same time provide almost 80% of the load of operators. And all because an intelligent algorithm and mechanism of dialing numbers are used. Algorithm of the predictive dialer system analyzes the course of the call campaign (the number of successful dialings, duration of the conversation, time of unavailability), and based on statistical methods dials a certain number of numbers simultaneously. For example: numbers are dialed automatically in the background.The system predicts the agent availability based on statistical data, so when the conversation ends, the operator will immediately be assigned the client who answered the call.
Main tips for setting up predictive calling in the most effective way
The number of simultaneously dialed numbers (or the dialing pace) depends on the contact list quality, the nature of the campaign, the conversation script, and how well this mode is configured.
1. Use for teams with at least 5-10+ agents
As calculations have shown, the system begins to work optimally when the agent team assigned to this campaign involves 5-10 operators, ideally – 15-20. In this case, the first hundred calls are “heating up” and collecting information for the matrix, after which the dialer comes to “working capacity” and loads the call center operators to 70-80%.
Of course, the human factor cannot be ruled out. Many people think that working in a call center is a non-stop flow of calls, and that operators don’t even have a minute to take a break from their conversations. But, many are also mistaken, because this is a myth. Even with predictive dialing, you can configure the required working time in campaign settings, so 20-60 second breaks between calls are allowed. It all depends on the company’s policy and ethics towards its employees. They are supposed to be given breaks, and 100% workload is impossible in principle, because a person is not a robot.
2. Don’t forget about configuring the automatic working time properly
For better performance you will also need to manually add to the system the average duration of the dialer (standard is 30 seconds) and working time (this is an automatic time that is activated after the call is over, so that the operator has time to rest and finish working with the client’s card. So, the system analyzes the average duration of the call automatically for a particular group of operators. This is not only the duration of the call itself, but also the preceding and subsequent stages of the cycle: from waiting in line to the operator to post-call processing.
As with other metrics in the call center, the normal after-call work time will vary from company to company. And here it’s important to keep a balance between quality and quantity. On the one hand, too long service times can indicate low productivity, problems in call routing, incompetence of operators. On the other hand, it is important that customers’ problems are solved, even if it takes 5 minutes instead of 30 seconds. But in this case it’s better to use Not Ready status, or its subtypes. In general, a reasonable compromise can be reached if you analyze not only the overall rate, but also the individual components to understand at what stage there is a hitch.
3. Configure redialing rules for every telephony status
Ideally, if the outbound call center software has an automatic redial function for unsuccessful call attempts. This allows the flexibility to set up a redial depending on the status of the previous attempt.
Thanks to this, no contact will be lost, because the auto-dialer will dial the client the required number of times at the interval you have specified. If the function of automatic redial on unsuccessful dialing attempts works without interruptions, then when the attempt is successful, the client will be connected to an available operator in a second.
4. Set up time zone rules to stay compliant
The call center services many regions of the country that are in different time zones. If the operator does not recognize the client’s city, he or she can disturb the client outside of normal business hours and lose the deal.
Be sure to consider time zones and time frames. If your company operates in many regions and time zones, the calling system should take into account not only time frames, but also specific time zones. Agree that calling a client at midnight will have a fairly predictable result, so a regional setup is helpful.
How it work:
- upload a database with phone numbers and their time zone
- enable the time zone dialing in the campaign settings and set up the allowed time frame
5. Use predictive mode for cold calling or for low to medium-quality leads
If your call center conducts cold calls and data collection, a predictive dialer is ideal for you. Its essence is that it decreases agents’ manual work, a predictive dialer calls the database and connects call center employees with those who answer the call. Operators do not waste time on tones and missed calls, and make 3-5 times as many calls and transactions with the same number of working hours.
Moreover, if the call on the other end is “Busy”, “No answer”, “Out of zone”, the system will call back as many times as specified in the redialing rules settings. Each contact is processed and the result is recorded. In this mode, your call center will stop losing leads, respectively, the call center efficiency of cold calling increases without any difficulty.
With predictive calling, your employees are not distracted from sales. That is, 70-80% of their shifts during a marketing campaign or data collection, they talk to customers, and the remaining 20% record the result of the communication in a card or go for a break. The more conversations, the higher the profit, and you get more deals with the same number of employees and working hours.
6. Use local phone numbers to increase contact rate
This is important for outbound calling for any business. With a local phone number, potential customers are much more willing to answer calls to their own city numbers than to out-of-town or foreign ones. If a company has a local number, it means it has an office in the city. Such a company can be trusted.
Conclusion
Unlike manual calling, where one operator dials telephone numbers sequentially, in predictive mode the system calls several lines simultaneously. The number of call attempts depends only on the number of operators who are ready to take a call and the current contact rate. So in a call center with 10 operators, the predictive dialing system can run up to 100 call attempts at the same time, and during the working shift, handle hundreds of thousands of contacts.
Your operator works three times more effectively with the VoIPTime Contact Center solution. Now he makes 300-400 calls a day without a manual dialing routine. There are exceptions, when the most active operators break records, raising the bar to 600 calls. And this is already 6 times more effective than manual calls, which means more profit.
