Written by Andy Watson
Senior Manager, Product Marketing
Reviewed by John Finch
VP, Product Marketing, AI Customer Experience
Updated: 05 November 2024
Trusted By Thriving Businesses Everywhere
What is an auto dialer?
An auto dialer is a software-based outbound contact center feature, used to efficiently contact customers and prospects . Auto dialers help agents by automatically dialing customers’ phone numbers from a database of leads.
Depending on the company using it, the automated dialer system can be configured to play a prerecorded message or connect the call to a live agent. There are a range of different automatic dialer options and modes that businesses and contact centers can choose from:
Depending on the company using it, the automated dialer system can be configured to play a prerecorded message or connect the call to a live agent. There are a range of different automatic dialer options and modes that businesses and contact centers can choose from:
Predictive dialers
In the case of predictive auto dialers, the software dials a lead or prospect even before an agent is necessarily available.
Predictive dialers are the most advanced type of auto dialer. They rely on algorithms to predict when one of your agents will be ready for a new call and whether the called party is likely to answer. Predictive dialers simultaneously dial a set ratio of calls (for example, three calls for every agent) and then automatically connect the call to an agent only when the call is answered. Metrics such as agent status, average talk time, and wrap-up time are all factored in to make the algorithms as accurate as possible.
Predictive dialers are the most advanced type of auto dialer. They rely on algorithms to predict when one of your agents will be ready for a new call and whether the called party is likely to answer. Predictive dialers simultaneously dial a set ratio of calls (for example, three calls for every agent) and then automatically connect the call to an agent only when the call is answered. Metrics such as agent status, average talk time, and wrap-up time are all factored in to make the algorithms as accurate as possible.
Progressive dialers
Progressive auto dialing is a little different from predictive dialing. Rather than dialing a lead when it predicts any agent will be available, progressive dialing works on a one-to-one, agent-to-lead, basis.
This kind of auto dialer system waits a particular amount of time after an agent hangs up a call. It then automatically dials the number of the next lead from a given database for that agent.
This kind of auto dialer system waits a particular amount of time after an agent hangs up a call. It then automatically dials the number of the next lead from a given database for that agent.
Preview dialers
Preview dialers are similar to progressive dialers. However, they won’t automatically dial the next lead for an agent without input from that agent.
Instead, when an agent wraps up a call, preview auto dialers will send them info on the next lead. That might be as simple as their name and company or much more complex—usually with the help of an integration with your customer relationship management (CRM) software. The agent can then press a button to initiate the call, only when they’re ready.
Instead, when an agent wraps up a call, preview auto dialers will send them info on the next lead. That might be as simple as their name and company or much more complex—usually with the help of an integration with your customer relationship management (CRM) software. The agent can then press a button to initiate the call, only when they’re ready.
Voice broadcast dialers
A voice broadcast dialer differs from other dialer types because it does not rely on agent availability.
Instead, it dials multiple contacts at once, plays a prerecorded message, and optionally allows the contact to connect to an IVR, virtual agent, or live agent if necessary.
Instead, it dials multiple contacts at once, plays a prerecorded message, and optionally allows the contact to connect to an IVR, virtual agent, or live agent if necessary.
How does an auto dialer work?
An automatic dialing system isn’t a pain to set up. You typically only need the dialer software, a computer, a voice modem*, and an active telephone line. If you’re using VoIP, you won’t need a modem (or the physical telephone line).
It all starts with the auto dialing software telling the computer which numbers to auto dial and how to respond to different scenarios (i.e., when it gets a busy signal or a voicemail, or when a live person picks up the phone). But before the phone system connects, the software decides which number to call and the duration of talk time.
Calls are usually answered within 25 seconds, which is about the amount of time it takes for a phone to ring four times. If no one answers or if the system detects a busy signal, answering machine, or voicemail, the call will be dropped. For dropped calls, the auto dialer will have logic defined to determine if, when, and how many times to retry the call. .
* A voice modem is a device that enables the computer to play pre-recorded voicemails and other forms of audio messages over the phone line.
Calls are usually answered within 25 seconds, which is about the amount of time it takes for a phone to ring four times. If no one answers or if the system detects a busy signal, answering machine, or voicemail, the call will be dropped. For dropped calls, the auto dialer will have logic defined to determine if, when, and how many times to retry the call. .
* A voice modem is a device that enables the computer to play pre-recorded voicemails and other forms of audio messages over the phone line.
Enhance your call strategy with autodialing solutions in RingCX
Automatic dialing is an easy way to help your contact center agents reach more prospects and close deals faster. With RingCentral RingCX you can choose from each of the auto dialing options discussed above (and a manual alternative):
Progressive dialer
Gain phone dialing efficiency with the peace of mind that your customers will be connected with a live agent, every time, with a smart power dialer.
Progressive automated dialing works on a one-to-one basis, connecting one lead to one agent. Your system allows a predetermined amount of time between calls, and then automatically dials the next lead.
Best for:
Lead lists where quality contact with individuals means more than the quantity of leads being dialed.
Use cases:
- Appointment setting
- Scripted or repetitive calls
- Upsell and cross-sell
Predictive dialer
Dial more often with fewer errors, with a predictive auto dialer.
Based on the settings you’ve laid down for your campaign, the automatic dialer intelligently predicts which agent is ready to handle the next call the soonest.
Best for:
Contact centers looking to improve sales agent contact rates or manage leads more effectively.
Use cases:
- High volume sales
- Market research
- Political campaigns
Preview dialer
Make research and call-selection simple so call center agents can focus on developing a personal connection for each call.
Like progressive auto dialers, the preview alternative also works on a one-to-one basis. This time, however, your agent can review lead info ahead of the call. They can then press a button to dial the lead only when they’re ready.
Best for:
High-touch, high-value interactions giving agents time to research and prepare.
Use cases:
- Fundraising
- Financial portfolio discussions
- Collections
Voice Broadcast Dialer
Connect rapidly with a large audience for simple messages, reminders, and announcements.
Voice broadcast mode operations on a one-to-many basis, without relying on agent availability. This allows you to reach a broad audience quickly.
Best for:
High volume, high-quality contacts such as existing customers.
Use cases:
- Appointment reminders
- Emergency alerts and announcements
- Followup notices
TCPA safe dial
Sometimes, an automated dialer isn’t the best option. That’s why RingCentral RingCX also provides a full-featured manual dialer.
That dialer boasts a familiar agent UI and built-in compliance supporting tools to keep your contact center on the right side of the law.
Best for:
Safely calling customers with cellular phones that have not opted into a campaign.
ELEVATE THE AGENT EXPERIENCE
Arm agents with the information, tools, and guidance they need to own every moment
Keep agents well-informed
with quick access to customer information and seamless syncing between agent UI and external applications
Win customers with ease
Eliminate tech troubles with our simplified, intuitive UI designed to streamline your workflow and enhance customer interactions.
Smooth out the sales process
with guided engagement flows that automatically adapt to each customer interaction
COACHING AND ANALYTICS
Never stop improving the way your business wins–and serves–customers
Boost agent performance
with real-time call center manager or supervisor coaching capabilities from Monitor, Chat Suggestions, and Barge-in
Gain Real-Time Insights
Easily identify areas needing attention through live reporting dashboards that provide clear analysis of agent performance and success.
Improve quality assurance
with closed feedback loops from readily available call recordings
Quickly deploy an AI-powered contact center that empowers your team.
MAXIMIZE OUTPUT & OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY
Give agents the power to get more done
Make stronger connections
with automated dialers and blending in the background leading the way to live prospects and increased productivity
Count on 99.99% uptime
from dependable connections that don’t leave agents or customers hanging
Tailor campaigns to your goals
with rule-setting and data integration capabilities for establishing who you’re calling, when you’re calling, and how often
BUILT FOR TRUST
Create trust and promote positive customer engagements
Mind regulations as you go
with Safe Dial, featuring TCPA compliance-supporting tools, human intervention, and time zone conscious technology
Respect your customers
with seamless DNC list integration that lets customers opt out and helps agents stay aware of their choice
Encourage call-backs
with around-the-clock reachability from real call back numbers, IVR, intelligent blending, and inbound routing
How to choose the best auto dialer software for your business
Auto dialing software comes in all shapes and sizes. So, how do you know which auto dialer app is the right one for your business? First and foremost, make sure you only look at solutions which offer you these vital outbound calling features as part of the package:
- A choice of automated dialers - Depending on the business activity or campaign, the type of automatic dialing you need may vary. Make sure you have a choice of progressive, predictive, preview, and manual dialing.
- Sales scripting - An auto dialer program shouldn’t only help with connecting calls. It should help your agents to effectively handle those calls, too. That’s why solutions like RingCX also quickly generate call scripts to help them cover their bases, maintain compliance, and guide prospects seamlessly down the pipeline.
- Integrations with CRMs and other tools - Your automated calling software shouldn’t operate in a vacuum. Integrations with your broader business tech stack are a must. A link-up with your CRM is particularly crucial. After all, it’s from there that your agents can access the lead-specific information that can take sales calls to a new level.
Once you’ve ensured your shortlisted auto dial software has those fundamentals covered, it’s still not time to rest on your laurels. Instead, think about what else your chosen tool could do for you.
For example, if you choose RingCentral RingCX as your auto dialer service, you’re getting much more than an auto dialer.
As well as providing all the outbound calling fundamentals mentioned above, with RingCX you also get a raft of additional features and functionalities.
As a true omnichannel contact center solution, RingCX can help you handle inbound communications, too, as well as managing your agents, maintaining customer satisfaction and more. Link it to RingCentral RingEX, what’s more, and you can seamlessly handle your internal communications on the same platform, too.
So, what’s the best automatic dialing software for your business? Perhaps it’s a solution that’s far more than just an auto dialer. We’ve put together this detailed guide to help you decide the best solution.
For example, if you choose RingCentral RingCX as your auto dialer service, you’re getting much more than an auto dialer.
As well as providing all the outbound calling fundamentals mentioned above, with RingCX you also get a raft of additional features and functionalities.
As a true omnichannel contact center solution, RingCX can help you handle inbound communications, too, as well as managing your agents, maintaining customer satisfaction and more. Link it to RingCentral RingEX, what’s more, and you can seamlessly handle your internal communications on the same platform, too.
So, what’s the best automatic dialing software for your business? Perhaps it’s a solution that’s far more than just an auto dialer. We’ve put together this detailed guide to help you decide the best solution.
Built on a secure & reliable platform
Auto dialer FAQs
It is not illegal to use auto dialers in the USA. However, given that automated phone calling can seem too intrusive for the comfort of many individuals, there have been questions about their legality.
The existing legislation that applies to automatic dialers in the USA is the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). That legislation does limit the use of “automatic telephone dialing systems”. But don’t let that send you into a panic—the Supreme Court recently clarified the definition of that term.
According to that 2021 Supreme Court ruling, an automatic telephone dialing system is one which stores or produces telephone numbers using a random or sequential number generator, and then dials them. The kind of “robocalling” machine that no self-respecting business would ever use.
It’s good to be aware of legislation and compliance requirements surrounding using an automatic phone dialer. The best way to ensure you’ll always avoid conflict with the law is to partner with a reputable provider like RingCentral.
RingCentral solutions, including the auto dialer functionalities, are built on a secure cloud platform with a robust portfolio of compliance certifications behind it.
The existing legislation that applies to automatic dialers in the USA is the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). That legislation does limit the use of “automatic telephone dialing systems”. But don’t let that send you into a panic—the Supreme Court recently clarified the definition of that term.
According to that 2021 Supreme Court ruling, an automatic telephone dialing system is one which stores or produces telephone numbers using a random or sequential number generator, and then dials them. The kind of “robocalling” machine that no self-respecting business would ever use.
It’s good to be aware of legislation and compliance requirements surrounding using an automatic phone dialer. The best way to ensure you’ll always avoid conflict with the law is to partner with a reputable provider like RingCentral.
RingCentral solutions, including the auto dialer functionalities, are built on a secure cloud platform with a robust portfolio of compliance certifications behind it.
The right auto dialer systems—used in a sensible and efficient way—can hold an array of benefits for your business. They include simplifying dialing, improving scalability, boosting productivity, and introducing cost savings.
An automated dialer system—or the best examples, at least—should be easy to set up and use. You shouldn’t need someone with software development experience in your contact center to implement it. What’s more, your agents shouldn’t have a steep learning curve when it comes to making calls—that part of the process should be handled for them.
The time-saving advantages of an automatic dialer system also make it easier for you to scale contact center operations. While automatcially dialing a number may only save a few seconds per call, when you extend that across a large contact center (or more than one), the seconds add up.
By taking dialing off the plates of your agents, too, you can reduce the amount of idle time spent between calls. Rather than spend their valuable time searching for and dialing numbers, they can be actually talking to prospects and leads—a much more productive use of their time.
Those productivity gains will also have a positive impact on your bottom line. It can lead to agents making more calls per shift, and therefore, significant cost-savings over time. What’s more, an auto dialing system can help avoid those frustrating misdials which waste precious time and resources.
An automated dialer system—or the best examples, at least—should be easy to set up and use. You shouldn’t need someone with software development experience in your contact center to implement it. What’s more, your agents shouldn’t have a steep learning curve when it comes to making calls—that part of the process should be handled for them.
The time-saving advantages of an automatic dialer system also make it easier for you to scale contact center operations. While automatcially dialing a number may only save a few seconds per call, when you extend that across a large contact center (or more than one), the seconds add up.
By taking dialing off the plates of your agents, too, you can reduce the amount of idle time spent between calls. Rather than spend their valuable time searching for and dialing numbers, they can be actually talking to prospects and leads—a much more productive use of their time.
Those productivity gains will also have a positive impact on your bottom line. It can lead to agents making more calls per shift, and therefore, significant cost-savings over time. What’s more, an auto dialing system can help avoid those frustrating misdials which waste precious time and resources.
As with any new technology your business may choose to adopt, there could also be some cons to using automated dialing systems.
One of the principal challenges is to ensure you only ever use an auto dialer in a legal and compliant manner.
Legislation varies from country to country, state to state, and industry to industry, so make sure you know what applies to you. Choosing a software provider like RingCentral, which takes security and compliance seriously, should stand you in good stead.
One of the principal challenges is to ensure you only ever use an auto dialer in a legal and compliant manner.
Legislation varies from country to country, state to state, and industry to industry, so make sure you know what applies to you. Choosing a software provider like RingCentral, which takes security and compliance seriously, should stand you in good stead.
Another potential issue of using auto dialers is that they can negatively impact the experience of those you’re calling.
We’ve all answered calls where it seems like nobody is on the other end. They usually happen when an auto dialer makes a call but no agent is actually available. You can avoid that, however, by choosing the right auto dialer software with smart algorithms and setting it up to best suit your resources.
We’ve all answered calls where it seems like nobody is on the other end. They usually happen when an auto dialer makes a call but no agent is actually available. You can avoid that, however, by choosing the right auto dialer software with smart algorithms and setting it up to best suit your resources.
Depending on your needs, be prepared to shell out a few hundred dollars for standard, downloadable software that can manage only one outbound call at a time, to thousands of dollars for professional, more advanced software that allows thousands of automated outbound calls per hour.
Auto dialer software providers can charge upfront, per call, monthly, or annually. You can get a much better return on investment (ROI), though, by investing in a more comprehensive contact center solution with autodialing built-in. Why not check out the RingCentral RingCX plans and pricing to see what you could get for your money?
Auto dialer software providers can charge upfront, per call, monthly, or annually. You can get a much better return on investment (ROI), though, by investing in a more comprehensive contact center solution with autodialing built-in. Why not check out the RingCentral RingCX plans and pricing to see what you could get for your money?
How to set up an auto dialer differs depending on which software or tool you’re using. RingCentral RingCX, though, is designed to make all manner of set up and implementation easy.
With RingCX, once you’ve created a campaign for your outbound calling and established basic campaign settings, you can then set up your dialing. Simply head to Dialer Settings from the General tab of your campaign’s configuration panel.
Once there, you can configure all manner of auto dialer related settings, such as ring time, caller IDs, the order to call leads in, and more.
With RingCX, once you’ve created a campaign for your outbound calling and established basic campaign settings, you can then set up your dialing. Simply head to Dialer Settings from the General tab of your campaign’s configuration panel.
Once there, you can configure all manner of auto dialer related settings, such as ring time, caller IDs, the order to call leads in, and more.
The best auto dialer software is one that empowers your call center agents, boosts your outbound calling strategy, promotes workflow automation, and ultimately helps deliver enhanced customer experiences.
The exact solution that ticks those boxes may differ from business to business depending on those organizations’ unique needs. The best auto dialer software for a small business, for example, may not be the same as the best one for a global enterprise. Some alternatives, however, have something for everyone.
RingCentral RingCX, for instance, is an omnichannel contact center solution that features auto dialer systems aimed at championing your agents so they can deliver beyond expectations. They come alongside a whole host of additional features that can help your business manage its communications seamlessly and efficiently.
The exact solution that ticks those boxes may differ from business to business depending on those organizations’ unique needs. The best auto dialer software for a small business, for example, may not be the same as the best one for a global enterprise. Some alternatives, however, have something for everyone.
RingCentral RingCX, for instance, is an omnichannel contact center solution that features auto dialer systems aimed at championing your agents so they can deliver beyond expectations. They come alongside a whole host of additional features that can help your business manage its communications seamlessly and efficiently.
There are a few ways to assess the success or impact of an auto dialer in your contact center. Metrics to track include the number of calls connected, call conversion rates, and agent engagement.
If your auto dialer is working properly, you should be making more calls across your contact center. Just make sure that calls are actually connecting rather than hitting answering machines, engaged tones, or dead lines.
Autodialing is about the quality of your calls as well as the quantity, too. Especially when using preview dialers, which arm agents with vital info on who they’re calling, you should see an improved conversion rate. If you’re not, it may be worth revisiting your auto dialer settings.
Agent engagement is a little harder to measure. However, you could always ask—something that contact center managers sometimes forget. Why not catch up with your agents and ask them how your auto dialer is working out? Is it making their lives easier, saving time, and making them happier at work?
If your auto dialer is working properly, you should be making more calls across your contact center. Just make sure that calls are actually connecting rather than hitting answering machines, engaged tones, or dead lines.
Autodialing is about the quality of your calls as well as the quantity, too. Especially when using preview dialers, which arm agents with vital info on who they’re calling, you should see an improved conversion rate. If you’re not, it may be worth revisiting your auto dialer settings.
Agent engagement is a little harder to measure. However, you could always ask—something that contact center managers sometimes forget. Why not catch up with your agents and ask them how your auto dialer is working out? Is it making their lives easier, saving time, and making them happier at work?
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