Power diallers often get a “bad rep” of sorts for their reliance on manual efforts and static configurations. But they can be surprisingly useful in predictable contact centre environments, giving you 150-250% more agent productivity according to some estimates.
What is a Power Dialler? Definition and Functionality
As the name suggests, a power dialler places the “power” or control in the hands of your contact centre manager. It is an automated system but relies on manual configurations to decide when to initiate a call.
You can define power diallers as an automated outbound calling system that requires you to manually configure the ideal calls-to-agent ratio as per which a customer will be contacted, only after the agent has ended an ongoing call.
It includes the following functions:
The dialler automatically tries to connect with a customer, while the agent works on post-call activities for the previous conversation, such as data entry or taking notes.
- The dialler initiates calls to one or more customers simultaneously based on the agent availability ratio you have manually configured into the system.
- Some power diallers allow agents to leave a message via voicemail, instead of filtering out all connections that reach voicemail altogether.
- Power diallers can be customised as per time zones and customer list penetration targets to help meet your outreach objectives.
Power Dialler Alternatives, Pros, and Cons
The alternatives to power dialling are manual dialling on the lower end of the automation spectrum and progressive or predictive on the upper end.
With manual dialling, your agents would have to physically initiate a call once they ongoing call ends and they have completed any post-call activities. It is time-consuming, and the efforts add up when you have hundreds of numbers on your customer/prospect list.
With progressive dialling, the system initiates a call once the agent is free/nearing availability, based on changing agent availability ratios. But it is still largely automated, filtering out voicemail and rejected calls, giving the agent no option to skip a customer if they so choose.
Predictive dialling takes the automation a step further, anticipating call duration and trying to connect with a customer even as the agent is conducting an ongoing call. This has the benefit of reaching huge numbers, but there is a risk that an agent won’t be available if the customer picks up too early, or too many customers pick up simultaneously.
The pros of using a power dialler vs. these alternatives are:
- Automated and does not require manual dialling
- Lets contact centre managers configure the system as per penetration targets
- An agent is always available so that there is no awkward wait time after call pickup
However, power diallers do come with a downside. Agents might face a wait time, as the system does not predictively dial based on past call durations. Also, the dialler won’t update itself based on resource changes. So, assess the alternatives carefully and choose a dialler that is most conducive to your contact centre’s needs.
