Predictive Dialers Simplify Agents’ Tasks

By Spencer D. Chin
TMCnet Web Editor

With today’s call centers increasingly being asked to take on more sophisticated tasks like marketing campaigns, a predictive dialer can simplify the life of a busy call center agent, by performing some of the tedious tasks agents have made in the past.

A predictive dialer an intelligent dialer that uses various algorithms to predict both the availability of agents and called party answers. It is smart enough to adjust the calling process to the number of agents it anticipates (or predicts) will be available when the calls it places are expected to be answered.

Not every call situation is alike. Misunderstandings, complex customer situations, and irate customers require deft handling by the agent – which often takes more time than one might expect. Then, there are always answering machines, disconnected lines, fax machine answers, and calls that simply go unanswered– all contributing to extra handling time spent by the agent.

And, in an era where customer privacy is given more consideration, agents must keep in mind Do Not Call regulations that pose possible legal issues to an organization and its agents. The predictive dialer keeps track of all these factors. It dials ahead of the agents becoming available, and matches a forecast number of available agents with a forecast number of available called parties. This way, calls are handled by agents in a manner that enhances their productivity without placing undue stress on them. That also means agents that are less likely to call in sick or quit, improving attendance and retention rates.

The ability of a predictive dialer to automate calls is a boon to telemarketing companies that rely on standard marketing or sales pitches, as well as organizations conducting user surveys. Agents don’t have to repeatedly make the same old pitch over and over again, as the predictive dialer can do it repeatedly without getting tired and complaining. This frees the agent for customer service functions.

A predictive dialer is not an intelligent investment – it is an essential one for organizations where the call center agent is front and central to its success.

To find out more about the customized predictive dialer solutions available from Creative Software Solution visit: http://creativesoftwaresolution.com/predictive-dialer.php Spencer Chin is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To see more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

-----
Mae Kowalke previously wrote for Cleveland Magazine in Ohio and The Burlington Free Press in Vermont. To see more of her articles, please visit Mae Kowalke’s columnist page.