Autodialers versus Predictive Dialers

Power-dialers are usually best suitable to business-to-business (B2B) applications, in which more ability from the sales agent is required to navigate receptionists, auto attendants, and voice-mail systems. No current dialer technology is able to navigate the multiple options of a voice menu in a business environment without the guidance of a live representative.  

Differently from the predictive dialer, a power-dialer automates the dialing functions in a very simple way by just dialing sequentially a list of numbers. Here we may differentiate power-dialers from a solution widely known as preview: the term “preview” usually refers to a solution in which each user commands the dialing process—almost as a speed-dialing process. The power-dialer, on the other hand, generates the calls independently of the user command and has a ratio of number of user versus number of trunks other than 1:1.  

Talk time and total call attempts are not quite as high as a predictive dialer; however, if you deploy a power-dialer in a B2B or multiple calls B2C environment and associate it with guided-voice messaging technology and a CRM or lead management database, the power-dialer shows its full potential.  

Power-dialers are best suitable for telesales, inside-sales, or outside-sales organizations in which the sales process is more complex and requires multiple calls for closure. It is also optimal for organizations that invest heavily in their lead sources and can’t afford to abandon a single call with the resulting negative perception from the person at the other end. This translates to all B2B environments and specific B2C call centers that invest in high-value leads.  

Predictive dialers, on the other hand, are the best alternative when volume of calls and time on the phone are the main requirements. The predictive algorithm requires a group of agents large enough to be able to effectively leverage the “predictive” effect with multiple lines. The group of agents concurrently logged must be at least twenty to thirty. If this is the case, there are case studies where predictive dialers are able to keep agents productively talking on the phone from forty-seven to fifty-two minutes of an hour.  

Predictive dialers are specifically designed for business-to-consumer applications because they require short and consistent lengths of calls and direct-dial phone numbers. They are best when used in a one-call close type of telemarketing, short surveys, or prequalification of consumers. They are not designed to navigate the phone systems, auto attendants, or receptionists of a business environment. The predictive dialers are not suitable for a B2B environment, and even in a B2C environment it is not advisable to deploy predictive dialers for expensive or valuable leads. 

Predictive dialers should not be used with leads that require multiple attempts to ensure contact. They are best for single-script, telemarketing operations and are rarely effective in telesales or inside-sales organizations that require a multiple-call or complex sale.