4 Ways to Reduce Wait Time for Outbound Calls Between Two Customer Files

Not too long ago, outbound contact centers followed a simple idea when placing outbound calls. Agents would dial as many phone numbers as possible at once with the hope of reaching more customers this way. The more outbound calls were placed, the more customers would pick up the phone. And the more occupied the agents, the more likely they were to sell. However, many outbound contact centers came to realize that this method was inefficient and actually costly. It actually increases agent wait time between two customer files, reducing agent occupancy rates and increasing telecommunications costs for the company.

To reduce wait time for outbound calls between two customer files, it’s important to use a smart dialing strategy. The lower the wait time, the better for companies as agent occupancy will increase. A contact center must have an overall vision of the strategy used for outbound call campaigns. It is essential to set goals for the agents making these calls and decide how often they should contact customers and prospects during a set working period. In this manner, agents will work smarter, not harder, to place outbound calls to the right people at the right times. Here are four ways to reduce wait times between customer files when placing outbound calls.

One way to implement a smart dialing strategy is by using a powerful automated outbound dialer, such as a predictive dialer. This technology can improve contact rates, boost agent productivity, reduce costs, and drive stronger sales and service. Automated outbound dialers can offer three dialing modes that adapt to the goals and needs of a company.

• Preview mode shares customer files with agents, allowing them to decide in advance when they should call customers.
• Progressive mode helps agents manage call files automatically and shows them the most useful files. Agents may place outbound calls using a preset list of customer phone numbers. These numbers may be drawn from CSV files, a CRM, or web leads. Once there is a live connection, agents are automatically connected to customers. Once a call ends, the dialer calls another customer.
• Predictive mode also drives outbound call campaign efficiency but places calls differently. These dialers use predictive algorithms that connect with customers based on factors such as phone number type, voicemail detection, the number of callbacks, time of day, and agent availability. While predictive dialers call multiple numbers at the same time, the emphasis is on calling customers at the most optimal times and not in a random fashion.

It is important to note that outbound calls can also be placed without agents. Contact centers may choose to place outbound calls with automatic messages such as doctor appointment reminders or bill payment deadlines.

Nowadays, a smart dialing strategy is essential to reaching the right customers at the right times. But what does this mean exactly? Contact center agents can embrace a smarter outbound call strategy in different ways.

• First, and quite obviously: reduce the number of calls. There is no need to harass your customers or targets, especially if you call with a purpose of lead-generation. One important method is to use multiple phone numbers when placing outbound calls. Customers are more likely to pick up if they are not being called repeatedly by the same number.
• Another method is using phone number with local area codes. Customers may be more likely to answer a local call rather than an unknown number with a telemarketer’s area code.
• Short phone numbers are also important to use, as they more closely resemble everyday phone numbers and are less likely to confuse or upset customers.
• Agents may also try to reach customers and prospects on other channels such as email, SMS, or instant messaging. This allows the agent to begin a dialogue with the customer and arrive at a mutual decision to talk on the phone at a specific time.

For example, one global omnichannel customer support company decided to embrace a less aggressive outbound call strategy using the Vocalcom Hermes omnichannel contact center solution. To achieve this, they changed their predictive dialing strategy for outbound call campaigns. Instead of calling the same customers two or three times a day, they now call customers just once a day. As a result, the call pickup rate has improved as the phone number used is no longer labeled as a harassing number. Outbound call campaign managers no longer need to manually sort through customer files when dialing. Instead, the solution manages customer files on its own while respecting all call rules. Their contact center agents are well-occupied and highly productive with their outbound call campaigns and never lack customer files to call in the middle of a workday. The company also developed scripts for their agents to use so they can best support clients during phone calls.  

There are other ways to increase agent productivity and customer reachability. Contact centers may plan outbound calls in advance following set rules.

• For example, they may determine the most optimal times to call specific customers and take care to call only at those times. This ensures that the customer does not feel harassed and increases the likelihood of reachability.
• Agents may also make personal callbacks to customers, establishing a rapport that earns their trust and loyalty.
• Contact center managers may choose agents with specific skills for certain customers, ensuring that the customer is connected to the most qualified agent available with the greatest chance of assisting successfully. This personalized service can also help win customer loyalty.

Technology is also critical to achieving these goals. Automatic pop-up of customer files – with the preview dialing strategy – allows contact center agents to review all important customer information before placing an outbound call. A CRM can offer agents a complete view of customer data that is updated in real time, ensuring that agents are always informed when making outbound calls. Power dialers, such as progressive dialers, are especially dynamic tools for productivity as they help agents place calls automatically from predefined lists of phone numbers. Agents do not have to spend time manually dialing or searching for numbers to call.

Lastly, contact center agents can reduce their post-call handling time in order to lessen their overall wait time between two customer files. After a customer interaction, agents typically need to spend some time updating sales or service information, taking notes about any follow-up plans, or even consulting with other agents. While these tasks are important, they also take up time. Using a CRM is an excellent strategy for reducing post-call handling time. With a CRM, agents can enter customer data during a call to greatly reduce any post-call work and save time.

Efficiency is a must in a contact center. Time equals money, and agents need to feel prepared to do their best work. By offering contact center agents robust tools and smart strategies, they can reduce their wait times and drive both sales and customer satisfaction.