What is an Auto Dialer?

An auto dialer is software that automatically dials numbers for outbound phone calls, thus saving users (typically call center agents) from having to manually dial the numbers. Auto dialers have fairly rudimentary capabilities - they automatically dial, they can determine whether the call was answered by a person or an answering machine, and they can either play a message or connect the call to an agent.

Auto dialers are used by outbound call centers for sales or service calls. But because of the simplicity of the system and relatively low implementation costs, they can also be found in small businesses, doctors' offices and schools. Anyone who has school-aged children has probably received an auto-dialed call reminding them about late starts or announcing snow days.

Call centers that use auto dialers for outbound sales calls to leads need to be aware of and comply with FCC regulations and Do Not Call Laws. In particular, auto dialer users should be familiar with the rules set forth by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

A next-generation of dialers, such as predictive dialers and power dialers, offer more features and capabilities than auto dialers. As a result, there are now solutions to meet a broad spectrum of requirements, from simple to complex.