Call centers have traditionally been a significant source of cash drain on an organization. While these centers play an increasingly important role for the organization in that they help to manage customer relationships and therefore help drive loyalty and long-term revenues, it is still important for the call center to control costs as much as possible while still maintaining high customer service levels.

One of the most basic applications used in the call center to control costs is that of the predictive dialer. And, while this technology has been used for years to help promote productivity in the center, not all are familiar with the potential benefits that such a solution can provide.

Many call centers have become more than just inbound calling centers to resolve customer issues and answer questions. Many of these centers have now also become sales centers where agents make outbound calls to current or prospective customers to drive revenue.

When a robust predictive dialer is in place, the call center actually has the ability to increase sales by as much as double per hour for each agent. Predictive dialers eliminate much of the wasted time an agent would normally spend waiting for a call to be answered, ensuring that the agent is spending his or her time actually selling.

Predictive dialers can also help to maximize time spent by call center managers. When an effective lead management system is in place, lists can be cleaned against federal and state Do Not Call lists, as well as organizing sales, leads, call-backs and much more to make each call more effective. The system can manage calls made and the response to know when and if the number should be called again.

An effective predictive dialer can also help to determine the best time to place a call based on algorithms. By using this method, the system can decide the exact time to place a call to ensure agents are talking to customers as much as possible. A robust system will also keep abandonment rates below the federal requirements.

A predictive dialer that provides management with better control over agents by allowing proper monitoring is also worth consideration. Managers should also be able to view live statistics to see which agents are performing well and which agents need help. Such a systems can also ensure that these agents are always busy and cannot fall into the practice of “looking busy” while manually dialing the phone.

There are many predictive dialer applications available on the market. To gain the most value from a solution, an organization must understand what needs must be met before they can make an effective selection.

OPC Marketing offers a full line of predictive dialer solutions that are designed to fit with the needs of the individual call center. With extensive and proven experience in the call center arena, OPC Marketing can work with a company to determine the best solution to promote productivity and efficiency for a better bottom line.