VanillaSoft offers progressive dialing, preview dialing and manual dialing but does not offer predictive dialing. It is a widely held opinion that predictive dialing is losing popularity and that recently implemented federal regulations have made it much more difficult for most firms to predictively dial.

In its original conception, predictive dialing made sense. For companies that had a large number of reps, a virtually unlimited database, and no real ties to the group they were calling a significant lift in dials per hour and reach rate could be gained. However, the technology used then is essentially the same technology currently used and the age old problem of the prospect answering and saying "hello, hello", and waiting for the agent to "click in" has never been resolved. This challenge has put a stranglehold on the efficiencies gained by predictive dialing. Predictive dialing does not work for businesses, and consumers know when they are being called by a dialer and often hang-up before the dialer technology realizes that it has a "live answer". For the consumers that do stay on, they are often frustrated at the beginning of the call realizing that they are one of many as the agent struggles to figure out whom the dialer has connected with.

If you have a large number of reps, can remain in compliance with the quagmire of federal and state regulations pertaining to predictive dialers and have little or no affinity for the group you are calling, there is a chance you can still benefit from a dialer. However, as even more regulation is expected in the third quarter of 2007, the question remains how much longer will predictive dialers be a good option. Considering the capital cost, the management overhead, and the battering they place on the marketplace, VanillaSoft made a strategic choice to not offer predictive dialing.

It has been shown that progressive dialing can be just as effective as predictive dialing when one takes into account the value of the leads being called, the quality of the call and the penetration of the list called. Progressive dialing says I care enough to call you myself.

Ken Murray