Q. WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF A PREDICTIVE DIALER?
A. Predictive Dialing will maximize the productivity of your calling representatives. The benefits are very straightforward. You can triple or quadruple your contacts.

Q. HOW DOES PREDICTIVE DIALING INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY?
A. By passing live contacts on to agents and screening out non-productive calls. Busy signals, no-answers, operator intercepts, Faxes, and Modems are intercepted and rescheduled for appropriate call back. Answering machines can be connected or they can be rescheduled, depending on user-defined parameters.

Q. HOW DOES IT WORK?
A. The DCS dials numbers from your call list on multiple phone lines. When a live "hello" is detected, it automatically sends the call to a waiting agent. Simultaneously (in less than a second) the calling agent’s screen displays a contact record. When the call is completed, the calling agent uses result codes to update the records, and goes back into the call-receiving queue. In a matter of seconds, another call is passed to the agent. The dialer also marks calls that did not get passed on to agents so that there is a permanent record describing attempted contacts. These calls are rescheduled for later recall, using parameters set by the system manager.

Q. IF YOU ARE DIALING OUT ON MORE LINES THAN YOU HAVE AGENTS, HOW DO YOU PREVENT HANGING UP ON PEOPLE?
A. Predictive dialers utilize a predictive algorithm that strikes a balance between the amount of time between call and the number of dropped calls. Predictive levels can be set very low (call only when an agent is available), which will guarantee that no live contact gets dropped. Alternatively the predictive level can be high, (call whenever a line is available) which limit the number of live contact that get dropped. The ability to adjust calling campaigns to a level that will minimize both wait times and drops varies between dialer providers. (ACCESS!s unique adaptive/predictive algorithm automatically yields optimal results). When the predictive level is properly set, dropped calls should be minimized to well under 1% - most of which will result in a ring at the contact phone with the connection terminating prior to the contact answering the phone. (On the ACCESS! system manager can determine the desirable proportion of dropped calls via easy-to-use pull-down menus.)

Q. HOW ARE ANSWERING MACHINES HANDLED?
A. Most predictive dialers have answering machine detection options- allowing you the choice of leaving a message on the machine or scheduling the record for later call back. The sophistication of the answering machine detection is another variant between different predictive dialing providers. Less sophisticated systems use voice cadence detection – which assumes that a long burst of words (Hello, this is the Jones residence…) is an answering machine. Cadence detection alone is about 60% effective in correctly detecting an answering machine. The best system use both cadence and frequency detection, which electronically measures voltage and line noise to more accurately detect an answering machine. This combined approach is proven to be more than 90% effective.

Q. HOW MUCH TIME DO AGENTS WAIT BETWEEN CALLS?
A. It depends on several factors – primarily the predictive level setting, the quality of the calling list, the number of lines being used, and the time of day. A well-cultivated calling list set to a proper predictive level should pass call on to agents in 20 seconds or less.

Q. WHAT FACTORS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN DECIDING WHICH PREDICTIVE DIALER TO PURCHASE?
A.1. The quality of the predictive algorithm. How well does it minimize the time between calls and the drop rate percentage?
2. The reputation of the company-based on comments from satisfied users. How well does the company respond to customer calls for assistance?
3. Is the system architecture open and able to easily accommodate expansion without incurring significant reinvestment or down time?
4. How well does the system fit your business needs? Will you need to run more than one type of campaign at a time? Will you need to change campaigns "on-the-fly?" How difficult is it to obtain replacement parts? Can the system adapt to your existing database? How easy is the system to learn for new agents? Will the system create the type of reports you need. Can they serve as a management tool for you to control your calling campaigns more effectively?