What is a Dialer?

A dialer automates the dialing of outbound phone calls or the sending of mass digital communications such as emails or SMS notifications, making service agents and sales staff more efficient. Basic dialers can automatically dial, determine whether a person or a machine answers, and either play a message or let the agent speak.

There are different types of dialers that offer features beyond just the basics. For example, a preview dialer allows the agent to review the customer's information, often within a CRM system, and then control the initiation of the call. A predictive dialer is built for speed and throughput. It automatically makes calls based on an algorithm that predicts agent availability and then, if the system connects to a customer or lead, it passes the call to an available agent. The algorithm is designed to mitigate the risk that an agent won't be available to handle the call.

Outbound sales campaigns are probably the most familiar use of dialers, but contact centers also use them for other efforts. For example, dialers are used extensively by organizations that specialize in collections. Businesses can also use dialers for proactive customer service, such as if potentially fraudulent activity is detected on a credit card.

The type of dialer a business needs depends on its projected use. As with all system selections, it comes down to the business requirements. Businesses should understand if they need just telephone dialing, and what type – intensive heads-down dialing or a more soft-touch approach - or if they want to send multichannel outbound contacts as part of a proactive engagement strategy, for example.