Answering machine detection has been a big topic in several countries – especially in the UK, where strict regulations are making.
Dropped calls have always been a never-ending problem for call center agents and can be a real problem for everyone working in a call center environment. Find out how you can minimize the waiting time between active calls and maximize your agents' efficiency. Here we go!
One of the biggest challenges modern outbound call centers face is balancing the average wait time and dropped calls rate. The acceptable average waiting time for efficient call centers is between 15 and 40 seconds, with a dropped calls rate under three percent. But it's time to face reality. If you work at a call center and handle voluminous calls daily, it's pretty hard to achieve this.
In the late 1980s, Douglas A. Samuelson, an American scientist, and statistician, decided something new needed to be invented. He challenged himself to find a better, more advanced solution for call centers. That is how the Predictive Dialer was created.
A Predictive Dialer is an automated outbound calling system designed to minimize the waiting time between active calls. More specifically, it uses complex mathematical algorithms to track the leads' data, the average talk time, the number of available agents, the number of missed calls, etc. Using the behavior pattern records, it makes simultaneous calls to multiple leads. When a lead picks up the phone, it instantly transfers to an active agent. As the name suggests, this dialing method predicts when the agent is most likely to be available to initiate a call. The more free agents, the fewer dropped calls, the less idle time.
A Predictive Dialer also tries to keep the calls under control so the number of active calls doesn't exceed the available agents. Unlike the Progressive Dialer, which makes calls after agents indicate that they are available, the Predictive Dialer initiates calls according to the current dialing ratio so that the agents are more likely to be available when a lead picks up the phone. We can not guarantee that using a Predictive Dialer will eliminate waiting time or that you can finally say goodbye to those annoying missed calls. Still, if you look at the statistics, they speak for themselves. Let's see what a Predictive Dialer can do for your business.
According to a recent survey, Predictive Dialing can increase the talking time up to 40-50 minutes per hour. It boosts the agents' productivity by 200-300 percent.
With a Predictive Dialer, you can reach more prospects in less time. It will ultimately boost your sales, and you will see a higher return on investment as you have the opportunity to reach more prospects at the same time.
When it comes to reducing the average waiting time and drop rate, there are many factors that you should take into account. Although you can't have full control of it, you can set the Predictive Dialer settings according to your needs and make adjustments if needed. Here are some of the key points and terms that you should pay attention to.
This is the most critical point. The more free agents you have, the less are chances that you will experience dropped calls. Having enough free agents will ensure that at least one available agent will always be when someone picks up the phone.
It defines the intensity of the dialing level. The higher it is, the more lines it calls simultaneously. However, don't be too aggressive with it. Keep in mind that a high dialing rate will result in more dropped calls if there are too many calls than the number of available agents.
It indicates the maximum acceptable ratio for the number of dropped calls. The higher the ratio, the more dropped calls. It's recommended to keep the ratio under two percent.
The leads' quality is just as important as the setup of the Predictive Dialer. If your leads have a low answer rate or contain wrong numbers, the Predictive Dialer's efficiency will decrease drastically. Why? Because it will take more time to find a live connection and then transfer it to an available agent.
It's no secret that the Telemarketing industry has gotten the reputation of being pushy and, more times than not, someone you don't want to be contacted by. Authorities apply strict regulations to ensure that telemarketers don't abuse it. Keep in mind that there are different regulations for different parts of the world. E.g., the US and Canadian legislations are not the same as in Europe or in Asian countries. Still, there are some similarities as they address the same issue. Before you start dialing, you should research the region or country where the leads you expect to call are located and make sure you're fully compliant with the laws and regulations.
It's important to follow and comply with current laws, as you will experience punishments if you don't. There are different limitations the government can use, depending on the country. You can risk massive fines, ban from using telecom resources, and if it's done repeatedly, you can even face imprisonment. Following the guidelines and obeying the rules are essential both for your company's reputation and prosperity.
The Predictive Dialer is a real game-changer for call centers that prioritize efficiency. It significantly reduces the drop rate, boosts your agents' productivity, and makes contacting your potential customers a lot easier and hassle-free. Time is money. If you're not using the Predictive Dialer in your call center, you're probably wasting a lot of valuable time, thus losing some great potential customers. So what's the hold-up? Get started today!
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