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With so many choices and new products launched every day, it's tricky to choose the right automatic dialer, isn't it? Here, we are going to talk about key points that you should consider when choosing an autodialer. So roll up your sleeves, and let's dive deep into the topic.
Even though the telephone was invented 144 years ago, autodialers entered the commercial market much later, to be more precise, in the early 1940s. In 2020, when telemarketing continues to be one of the most effective channels for lead generation and customer outreach, the autodialers' role is undeniably huge. If you are leading a telesales team or cold calling is the juiciest channel in your overall sales process, chances are pretty high you are on the verge of finding a decent autodialer. But have you considered your options properly? Let's take a look.
Technology advances, so do autodialers. Modern automatic dialers offer much more than just automatically initiating phone calls. They can be programmed to drop voicemails, schedule, broadcast e-mails/text messages to the entire contact list in seconds, etc. Currently, there are several types of autodialers in the market. Let's have a quick overview and see what the difference between them is.
The Predictive Dialer automatically dials a long list of phone numbers sequentially. It uses a sophisticated algorithm to decrease the downtime spent by agents drastically. When the system detects a connection, it transfers the call to a live agent. It is a perfect solution for busy outbound call centers with many agents and deals with calling campaigns.
The Progressive Dialer places calls only when an agent indicates that they are available to handle the call. As a rule, progressive dialers make fewer calls than predictive dialers, but progressive dialers, in their turn, help call centers decrease the call abandon rate by boosting agent availability.
This type of dialing system lets the agent see the brief information of the prospect before trying to make a call. It creates a fantastic option for inside sales call agents as they get a breathing space to prepare their script and have a more productive conversation with the prospect.
Assuming that you already know a lot about autodialers, let's go further and find out how you can make a more educated decision and be confident in your choice.
Life is a lot easier when you know exactly what you want. It applies to the business world, as well. First, create a new document, write down the current problems your organization faces, and how getting an autodialer will solve those problems. Apart from this, make a list of all the high-priority features for your company. I know that it may be time-consuming, but make sure you commit enough time to it. Only after completing this task can you thoroughly understand of what type of autodialer best suits your business and precisely what features you should look for in it.
If you are running a business with many agents, then you probably have a large client base. If that's the case, you should always go with a predictive dialer, as it guarantees that no agent stays idle for long. On the other hand, if you are a small business or a relatively new company with limited resources, you can start your journey with a progressive or preview dialer. The good news is that you can always switch to other systems if the current one doesn't fulfill your needs anymore.
It is another important point to consider when selecting an autodialer. If your goal is to reach as many people as possible without dropping even a single call, then a progressive dialer is something you should pay attention to. If the object of your calls is cold calling or telesales, then investing in a predictive dialer will be a great advantage.
Autodialers are sold at different prices. You can find them as low as $15 /user per month and to $160 /user per month. It all depends on the features they offer. If you are tight on budget, you should find an autodialer that meets your requirements as much as possible and in the most cost-effective way. On the other hand, when you don't have budget limitations but the software offers so many features that you don't need even half of, what's the sense of buying that pricey stuff?
It is one of the most critical features that you should look for in an autodialer. In a perfect world, an autodialer has its CRM already built into the system. But if you haven't been lucky enough to find software that offers both an autodialer and a CRM under one roof, then your best bet would be sticking with the one that has an open API so you quickly can integrate it with your favorite CRM or any other app you may need.
Once you have made a list of all the features required and answered the questions above, your next step would be to search for a dialer software on the Internet that fits your organization's requirements. That leads us to the second to-do in this blog post.
The Internet gives us endless opportunities when it comes to searching for information. For many, Google is the first stop when looking for something. So go to Google and type "the best dialer software" in the search bar. You will see tons of websites popping up on the results page. Have a quick look at the pages and choose the ones that stand out from the rest.
Try not only to explore the most popular companies but also to read reviews from real customers. Therefore, your next stop should be browsing software comparison websites.
G2 - Capterra - Software Advice.
Here are the names of the most popular, reputable software comparison websites. Check them out and see which software companies have the best performance. Read real reviews from verified customers but don't just rely on the reviews. Every business is unique, and if that particular software did wonders for them, there is no guarantee that the same will happen for you.
Now that you have identified some of the market's most prominent players, it's time to create a shortlist. Try to include 5-10 options and then gradually narrow down the list by focusing on the ones that impressed you the most. Reach out to all of your selected vendors, ask them as many questions as you have, and request a product presentation. Don't forget to list both pros and cons of every candidate and then make a comparison.
All these features, exclusive offers, and other perks look great on software company websites, but how can you be sure that the solution they provide will work for your business? In this case, your best bet will be to contact the software company and request either a product demonstration video or a free trial.
Many software companies offer a free trial on their websites. That means you have 7-14 days at your disposal to fully test the system and see how user-friendly, practical, and usable the product is. At the same time, prepare a list of questions to try customer support. Yes, you read that correctly. Test their customer support. If the product is a good match, but the support team sucks (pardon my French), you will have many problems in the future. Try to reach out to them in different formats at different times of the day. E-mail them, call them, chat with them, message them on their social media accounts, and see how fast they respond to you, how accurate and detailed answers they provide, and, most importantly, try to find whether they are the real experts in what they sell by knowing their product from A to Z.
As the old saying goes, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." In our case, don't count on just one software. Always have at least one backup option, so if your primary system breaks down or, even worse, gets out of the market, shifting to new software will be easier, quicker, smoother, and hassle-free.
Bringing a new piece of technology into your business can either make it or break it. Unfortunately, there is no perfect "one software fits all" solution, and sometimes you'll have to go through the trial and error process until you find that special software that gives you the best value. However, following the tips suggested above will significantly reduce the odds of failure. So conduct deep market research, choose a decent autodialer, sit back, and watch how it squeezes the juice out of your outbound sales calls.
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