All You Need to Know About Auto Dialers
What is an Auto Dialer
An Auto Dialer, according to Federal Regulations, is equipment that has the capacity to store or produce telephone numbers to be called using a random or sequential number generator to dial such numbers.
As of April 1st, 2021, businesses are permitted to contact consumers on their cell phones via call or text, without consent under federal law and the new TCPA ruling. This can be done as long as they are certain that their auto dialing system lacks the capacity to store or generate sequential phone numbers. The new ruling, however, only clarifies one piece of the TCPA: the Automatic Telephone Dialing System (ATDS) definition. Therefore any pre-recorded calls, IVR, ringless voicemails, and DNC calls are still subject to the TCPA and will still require written consent.
How Do Auto Dialers Work?
The purpose of using an auto dialer is to increase team efficiency, maximize agent talk time, and engage your customers. How exactly an auto dialer works in accomplishing these key elements will depend on the specific auto dialer you are utilizing.
Types of Auto Dialers
Preview Dialers
Preview dialers are the most simple form of auto dialers. While some auto dialers automatically call the next number on the list, preview dialers enable you to view the customer record and then decide if the number should be called or skipped.
Predictive Dialers
A predictive dialer system is a calling software that automatically dials numbers from a specific list. When the system registers a connection, it immediately transfers the call to an active agent. This might sound a lot like a traditional auto dialer software, but there are some key standouts. For example, when a call center is busy, the system will slow or stop altogether with its outreach of finding calls until more agents become available. With the idea of calling as many leads as possible, the system quickly moves onto the next lead after an unanswered call.
Predictive dialers can be used in a wide variety of industries. The telemarketing and call center industries are most associated with predictive dialer systems, as well as insurance industries, banking, and marketing.
Progressive Dialers
Progressive dialers are used to help agents avoid the hassle of manually dialing customers’ phone numbers by running through your lead lists based on the tempo of your operations. Where progressive dialers differ from other auto dialers is that they will wait for the sales agent or representative to finish their current call before dialing the next one on the list.
Progressive dialers can also match local phone numbers. This means when an agent is making an outbound call, the person receiving the call will show a number with the same area code or a nearby location, contacting them. Recognizable numbers can ultimately make more connections.
Additionally, progressive dialers allow for call monitoring, call recording, and call analytics. Managers and sales agents are able to see how calls went and see if their campaigns are working.
Auto Dialer Features
CRM Integration
Integrate your auto dialer lists and recipient information with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions. Easily manage all your prospects, calls, emails, tasks and more with an easy-to-use, full-featured CRM and lead management system.
Unproductive number detection
Auto dialers are able to detect when a number is busy or disconnected.List filtering
Filter through the list of customers on a Do Not Call (DNC) list, to ensure you are adhering to state and federal laws and regulations.Contact list management
Cloud-based auto dialers enable you to upload and segment your contact lists in order to maximize calling and increase sales.Time zone management
Adjust the time zone of an auto dialer so that you are only making calls within a customer’s time zone.Call transfer options
Easily transfer calls to another person or device.Speed customization
Customize the speed of each auto dialer for every campaign.Message broadcasting
Create customized messaging based on the specific needs of your call campaign.Key campaigns
Provide call recipients with a customized action item at the end of each call, such as, “Press 2 to speak with a Customer Service Representative.”Dashboards
Dashboards enable you to analyze call campaign performance.Call monitoring and recording
Call monitoring and recording is a great tool for training purposes, enabling team managers to listen in on a call to provide coaching or feedback if necessary.Callback scheduling
Schedule automatic follow-ups when call recipients are not reached on the first try.Security
Each auto dialer utilizes high-quality security measures to ensure customer information obtained during calls is private and adheres to the necessary state and federal laws.Advantages of Auto Dialers
Agents spend a substantial amount of their workday connecting with different prospects. Using an auto dialer software alleviates the amount of time spent manually dialing prospects and leads, saving them time and ultimately costs. Additionally, agents can monitor which calls were answered by prospects, or went to voicemails. As mentioned, calls that are answered are then connected to the agent. From there, agents can speak to their prospects directly and work on the rest of their sales process. Indeed, an Auto Dialer helps agents reach and connect better with their prospects and leads. Beneficially, agent performance is increased with the amount of time saved, thus picking up on other sales tasks outside the lines, as needed.
Maximize Calling
Auto Dialers ensure agents are productive, making more calls than ever.
Utilize Call Analytics
Tracking call results is important to any business, sales team, agency, call center, and more. Having access to call data and user metrics can help refine their dialing campaigns and sales calling process. Monitor conversations and outcomes in order to improve your team’s performance.
Contact More Leads
Organize your lead data, customer history, and call-back information. Your agents will be on the phone at the right time with the right people, as often as possible.
Intercept Calls
With this feature, agents can still call aged prospects, but the system will automatically hang up on older leads and switch to a fresh lead with a higher contact rating. This intelligent routing efficiently handles sales data to optimize your contact rates. Get the full range of your leads without wasting any time.
Deliver Better Service
Assign the most knowledgeable agents to talk to customers, delivering a better customer experience.
Match Local Area Codes
People are more likely to answer calls that match their area code, which helps make more connections with your leads. When it comes to calling prospects, match the caller’s area code to the area code of the lead an agent is calling.
Increase Sales
A combination of motivated agents, smarter calls, and receptive customers can help drive sales. You increase both the quantity and quality of calls, which ultimately leads to better revenue.
Limitations of Using an Auto Dialer
It’s very important to follow the specific auto dialer laws nationwide and by state, since they tend to change often and fall under one of the below regulations:
- The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)
- The Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR)
Below are some key federal auto dialer laws to be aware of:
Time of Day You Can Call
It’s very important that you are aware of the time of day you are legally allowed to make calls. You are not allowed to make calls prior to 8:00am or after 9:00pm. The time zone is based on the recipient’s location, not yours.
You Cannot Call These Organizations
You are not allowed to auto dial the following:
- Hospitals
- 911
- Police
- Emergency line of any type
Abandoned Calls
Abandoned calls are considered abandoned if they are not connected to a live sales representative within two seconds of the called person’s completed greeting. Of your total calls, no more than 3% can be abandoned.
Do Not Call List (DNC)
The Do Not Call List prohibits you from auto dialing anyone on this national list. Additionally, if anyone requests you not to call them, you are prohibited from calling them again. This FTC rule applies to both individuals and entities.
Pre-Recorded Messages
For an auto dialer call to leave a voice message, you must:
- Have prior written consent
- Include an opt-out option
Informational messages must be providing just that – information and cannot be an attempt to sell a service or to sell a product.
Deceptive Practices Are Prohibited
If you are selling services or items to someone, it is required that you provide a clear description of these services / items prior to receiving the payment. This includes things such as the total cost and refunds.
You Must Disclose Your Identity and Services
The TSR requires anyone making an auto dialer call to disclose the following:
- Your identity
- Services or items being sold
- Description of the services or items being sold
Are There Exceptions To The Above Auto Dialer Laws?
Yes, there are a few exceptions to the auto dialer laws mentioned above. For individuals or organizations who sell investments, you might need to adhere to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) rather than the TSR.
Business-to-business (B2B) calls are sometimes exempt from the TSR, however, this will depend entirely on the subject of the call.
Healthcare organizations, charitable fundraising, and calls providing updates on a prior sale are exempt from pre-recorded message requirements mentioned above.
Worry-Free Auto Dialing with Ricochet360
Ricochet360’s dialing system easily calls consumers at high-speed and volume, worry-free of compliance issues. Our team is dedicated to producing the fastest possible connection to your prospects while increasing the efficiency of your team’s workflow. Increase your sales productivity with our all-in-one sales and marketing automation platform.
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