What is a predictive dialer and how does it work?
A predictive dialer calls several leads at once and connects the first person who answers to an agent. How it works, who it suits, and the rules that apply.
·3 min read
Published by Text2Sale · Updated . Product questions or corrections: support@text2sale.com.
Most of an agent's day on the phone is not spent talking. It is spent dialing, listening to rings, reaching voicemail, and hanging up on numbers that were disconnected years ago. On a typical consumer lead list, fewer than one in ten dials reaches a live person.
A predictive dialer exists to take that dead time away. Instead of dialing one number and waiting, it dials several at once and only hands you the calls where a real person said hello.
How a predictive dialer works
When you click Ready, the dialer places calls to more than one lead at the same time. Each call is watched as it rings. Calls that go unanswered, hit a busy signal or reach an answering machine are dropped automatically. The first call a person answers is connected to your headset, usually within a second or two of the person saying hello.
While you talk, the dialer waits. When you finish and save the outcome of the call, it starts dialing the next batch. You spend your time in conversations rather than in ringing.
Why it is called predictive
The dialer has to guess how many numbers to call at once. Dial too few and you sit waiting. Dial too many and two people may answer at the same moment, leaving one of them with nobody on the line. A good predictive dialer watches how often people on your list actually answer and adjusts the number of lines to match, which is the prediction in its name.
In Text2Sale, the dialer starts a new list on a single line and adds lines only as the live-answer rate shows it is safe, up to three at once.
What happens when two people answer
Sometimes two leads pick up together. The second person cannot be connected because you are already talking. That is called an abandoned call, and telemarketing rules limit how often it can happen. A compliant dialer plays a short recorded message that says who called, gives a callback number and offers a way to opt out of future calls.
Who a predictive dialer is for
Predictive dialing pays off when you have a large list and a low answer rate: internet leads, aged leads, re-engagement lists and renewal campaigns. Insurance agents, mortgage brokers, solar and home-services teams and appointment setters are typical users.
If you only make a handful of calls a day, or every call needs research before you dial, a power or preview dialer that calls one number at a time is usually a better fit.
- ✓Large lists where most calls go unanswered
- ✓Agents who want more conversations per hour
- ✓Teams that already have consent to call their leads
Key takeaways
- →A predictive dialer calls several leads at once and connects only live answers.
- →It adjusts the number of lines to how often people on your list pick up.
- →When two people answer, the extra call is abandoned and must get a recorded message.
- →It suits large, low-answer-rate lists more than small, research-heavy ones.
Put this into practice with Text2Sale
Import leads, create follow-up campaigns, organize replies, and connect texting, calling, and appointments in one workspace.
Frequently asked questions
Is a predictive dialer the same as a robocall?
No. A predictive dialer connects answered calls to a live agent. A robocall plays a recorded message instead of connecting a person. The only recorded audio a compliant predictive dialer plays is the short abandoned-call message when no agent is free.
Do I need special phones to use one?
Not with Text2Sale. The dialer runs in your web browser with a headset, and calls go out from your business numbers.