Customer 1: Myrtle Beach, SC

The Humid Subtropical climate of Coastal South Carolina is warm year-round, with relatively mild winters and hot summers, making it an enormously popular retirement destination.

During winter months, the average daytime high is in the mid 50s, and lows seldom hit the freezing point, hovering closer to 40 degrees. Whether homes utilize heat pumps or furnaces to take the chill out of the air, most systems are easily able to respond to the cooler temps and may not require a significant amount of maintenance, unless parts fail. So, for Client A, the real action happens once the thermometer cracks 70 and humidity creeps in.

Usage Breakdown

Client A’s data revealed that an uneventful winter did not bring an abundance of service calls – an average of only 31 calls per month. The numbers began to change in April, with a 72% increase in call volume just as the mid-range temp neared 70 degrees.

May heated things up, with another 33% bump in usage to 73 calls per month. Extended data showed that June had 28 days with the high hitting above the 80-degree mark, and it just kept getting hotter. July saw highs in the 80s and 90s for the entire month. Talk about sticky! And August came close, with only one day below 80. Remaining somewhat steady through the summer swelter, inbound volume averaged 70 per month through August. As the daily high became more bearable, usage took a dive, but with a notable spike in October – possibly from customers trying to get a jump on annual maintenance before night time temperatures dipped into the 40s and that extra blanket just wouldn’t do. With the cold addressed, December calls plummeted 84% to 7.

Customer 2: Minneapolis, MN

Sitting about 150 miles southwest of Lake Superior, Minneapolis’ climate is characterized as Hot-Summer Humid Continental, with bitter cold, snowy winters, and steamy summers, when the humidity nears 100%.

In the coldest months of the year, the Twin Cities’ average high is in the mid to upper 20s, and normal seasonal snowfall is around 47 inches. When the heat rolls in, temperatures reach into the low 80s and are accompanied by a considerable amount of rain, making the air at best humid, and more often muggy or downright oppressive. January 2020 produced daytime temperatures under 15 degrees for just about half of the days, and ten nights where the thermometer fell below zero, dipping down to as low as -28 degrees towards the end of the month.

Usage Breakdown

With an mid-range of 14 degrees for both January and February, Client B started off 2020 with a bang – 185 and 160 calls per month, respectively. Extended data shows that February was record breaking, during which the city was on the receiving end of 39 inches of snow! As the air became twice as warm (although still super cold…), call volume tanked by 46%.

Temps climbed into the 50s in May, giving HVAC systems a break, and dropping usage to a low of 55 calls. Adding 14 degrees to the summer thermometer, June saw a 27% increase in volume, and another few degrees later, July totals were up by 37%. August highs cracked 80 for about a third of the month, and that was enough to boost usage by 57%. A big upswing in October to 227 calls per month proved that no one wanted their heat to be on the fritz for the impending winter. October, November and December totals accounted for just over 38% of the year’s call volume.

Customer 3: Tucson, AZ

On the eastern border of the Sonoran Desert, Tucson is classified as a Mid-Latitude Steppe and Desert climate, with dry, hot summers, warm winters, and a few months of rain to quench the landscape.

Topping 100 degrees in May through September, and sometimes into October, and managing the incredible humidity and flash flooding of the monsoon season, Tucson’s weather is typical of the Arizona desert. The sun is blazing. On the hottest days, even the best canopy is no match for its unrelenting heat. What the area lacks in comfortability in summer is easily made up for in winter, with a good half of the year experiencing highs between 65 and 80 degrees.

Usage Breakdown

Client C’s call volume was a steady presence in the first few months of the year, before the desert started to really heat up. The initial spike fell between May and June, when usage nearly doubled from 64 calls per month to 120 calls per month – an 88% burst.

It comes as no great surprise that the onset of monsoon season, when the desert turns into a sauna, brought another swell of calls, increasing to 142 and 144 calls per month for July and August, respectively. Extended data shows that though the highest recorded humidity in August was 100%, the August mid-range humidity was only 43% – 9 points lower than the September mid-range of 52%. Looks like summer customers got ahead of the thicker air, explaining the significant 67% downturn in September. As temperatures went south and nighttime lows dipped from the 60s to the 40s, calls bounced back in preparation for cooler temps before finally dropping off by 93% in December.

Bring on the Monsoons!

Arizona’s summer months bring the monsoon season, starting in June and lasting until September, with dramatic thunderstorms, amazing lightning strikes, heavy rain, and flash flooding.

Customer 4: Houston, TX

With a 2020 annual rainfall total of just shy of 52 inches, Houston lives up to its climate, Humid Subtropical. Residents experience hot, humid summers and mild winters. And the city is no stranger to heavy-hitting hurricanes and the occasional tornado.

Houston’s humidity averages 72% throughout the year, with highs coming entirely too close to, or hitting, 100%. That makes for seriously uncomfortable air. As if that isn’t bad enough, usual temperatures reach into the 80s and 90s for six months out of the year, May through October – an unfriendly pairing with tropical humidity. While winter doesn’t often visit with snow in tow, it is known for creating dangerous ice storms that city folk are ill-equipped to handle, as balmy days and nights are much more the norm.

Usage Breakdown

January through April were relatively slow months for Client D, especially when compared to May through August. The May daytime thermometer fluxed between 82 and 91 degrees for almost the entire month, with only three days bringing temperatures below the 80-degree mark. And, as a result, we see the tremendous swing in volume, which skyrocketed from 60 calls in April to 250 calls in May – a whopping 317% increase!

The deluge continued in June, topping out at 370 calls for a 48% upshoot. Though the temperatures went up, July and August usage slowed, totaling only two more calls combined – 372 – than June’s number alone.

Despite a recorded high of 98 degrees in September and 93 degrees in October, the mid-range temperature cooled from the 80s to the 70s. Call volume decreased by about 50% in the September and October total but still brought in a respectable amount before trailing off to finish out the year.

The post HVAC vs. Weather Infographic appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

• Dead air call: What – Operator answers the call and no one is on the line. Length – 1 second.
• Record message: What – Caller calls a business and leaves a message on the voicemail. Length – 6 seconds.
• Wrong number with no recording: What – Operator answers the call but the caller has the wrong number. There was no prerecorded greeting on the line prior to the call being answered. Length – 10 seconds.
• Wrong number with recording: What – Operator answers the call but the caller has the wrong number. There was a prerecorded greeting on the line prior to the call being answered. Length – 15 seconds.
• Gather caller’s name and immediately transfer: What – Operator documents the caller’s name and immediately transfers the call. Length – 30 seconds.
• Question about business location: What – Operator answers questions regarding the business’s location. Length – 45 seconds.
• Question about business hours: What – Operator answers questions regarding the business’s office hours. Length – 1 minute.
• Question about prices: What – Operator answers questions regarding the business’s pricing. Length – 1 minute and 15 seconds.
• Question about services: What – Operator answers questions regarding the services the business provides. Length – 1 minute and 30 seconds.
• Question about insurance: What – Operator answers questions regarding if the business accepts insurance, and what types. Length – 1 minute and 45 seconds.
• Take message with Name, Number and Regarding: What – The operator documents the caller’s name, phone number and reason for call. Length – 2 minutes.
• Take message with Name, Number, Email and Regarding: What – The operator documents the caller’s name, phone number, email and reason for call. Length – 2 minutes and 15 seconds.
• Take message with Name, Number, Email, How Heard and Regarding: What – The operator documents the caller’s name, phone number, email, how they heard about the company and reason for call. Length – 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
• Take message and reach out to on-call: What – The operator documents the caller’s message and reaches out to the on-call staff. Length – 2 minutes and 45 seconds.
• Employee call out: What – The operator takes a call for an employee calling out of work and documents the reason. Length – 3 minutes.
• Event registration: What – The operator registers the caller for a specific event and reserves their spot. Length – 3 minutes and 15 seconds.
• Process telethon donation: What – The operator processes a donation for a telethon by taking payment from the caller over the phone. Length – 3 minutes and 30 seconds.
• Cancel appointment: What – The operator cancels an appointment made by a caller. Length – 3 minutes and 45 seconds.
• Prescription refill: What – The operator documents the name and number of the prescription and submits the form to the office. Length – 4 minutes.
• Request lab results: What – The operator requests lab results on behalf of the patient by documenting their name, number and date of appointment then sending the message through. Length – 4 minutes and 15 seconds.
• Schedule appointment: What – The operator schedules an appointment for the caller directly on the business’s calendar software. Length – 4 minutes and 30 seconds.
• Reschedule appointment: What – The operator cancels the original appointment and reschedules a new one on behalf of the caller. Length – 5 minutes.
• Product recall: What – The operator talks to the caller regarding a product recall, helps answer questions and escalates their message. Length – 5 minutes and 30 seconds.
• Access outside website to submit a support ticket: What – The operator goes out to the business’s own website to submit a support ticket on behalf of the caller. Length – 6 minutes.
• Seminar registration: What – The operator registers the caller for a specific seminar and reserves their spot by processing payment on behalf of the business. Length – 7 minutes.
• Employment screening: What – The operator follows a scripted workflow to screen potential employees for the business to follow up with. Length – 8 minutes.
• Access online catalog to answer questions: What – The operator goes out to the business’s online catalog to help answer caller questions regarding products. Length – 10 minutes.
• Access online catalog to process order: What – The operator goes out to the business’s online catalog to help callers process orders. Length – 12 minutes.
• Access outside website to process refund: What – The operator goes out to the business’s website to assist the caller with processing a refund. Length – 15 minutes.
• Basic help desk call:  What – The operator follows a scripted workflow to troubleshoot a basic help desk issue. Length – 20 minutes.
• Conduct a survey: What – The operator conducts a survey with the caller on behalf of the business. Length – 25 minutes.
• Process loan application: What – The operator assists a caller with processing a loan application on behalf of the business. Length – 27 minutes.
• Advanced help desk call: What – The operator follows a complex scripted workflow to troubleshoot an advanced help desk issue. Length – 60 minutes.

The post How Long Should A Telephone Call Last? appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

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<pre><em>Image originally posted on <a href=”https://www.specialtyansweringservice.net/do-you-need-an-answering-service-infographic/”>The SAS Blog</a></em>
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While we had fun putting together the above post, any small business can benefit from an answering service. In case following busy flow charts just ain’t your thing, we took the main points from above and outlined them for you below.

• Medical: If you want your patients to be able to reach you when they’re having an emergency, you need an answering service.
• Contractor: Whether you already have more business than you can handle or you’re looking to get more, you need an answering service.
• Property Manager: If you want your tenants to be able to reach you after hours for maintenance issues, you need an answering service.
• Any Successful Small Business: No matter what type of business you run, give your callers 24/7 live customer love and hire an answering service.

The post Do You Need an Answering Service (Infographic) appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

Voicemail Pros

• You always get the correct message: Since an answering machine literally records your caller’s message as they’re speaking, you’re always guaranteed to get the right message every time.
• It’s usually a free feature with your business or cell phone: While voicemail used to be something that you could pay for, it’s a standard feature now and comes free with 99.9% of phone plans, whether they be for business or personal use.
• Automatically answers if you can’t answer the phone: As long as you have your voicemail set up, it’s guaranteed to be there for your callers whenever you can’t.

Voicemail Cons

• Leaving a message is not very personal: Many people don’t like to do business through voicemail, and would prefer to speak to a real person.
• Your mailbox could get full: Unless you’re going through your voicemail every day and clearing out messages, your mailbox could get full, which means potential callers won’t have a way to leave you a message.
• Many callers won’t want to leave a message: Customers are almost always looking for an immediate response. If your answering machine is the only one answering, chances are they won’t want to leave a message because they’re unsure when you’ll get the message, or if you’ll ever get it.
• 7 out of 10 callers will hang up if they reach voicemail: If 7 out of 10 callers are hanging up when reaching voicemail, it means your business is missing 70% of all potential business inquiries. Those odds are certainly not in your favor.
• Increased potential to lose business: Because your voicemail is on the front lines for potential new and existing customers instead of a live voice, you have a higher chance of losing business to a company who will actually be there to answer.
• Listening to messages and returning calls is time consuming: The first thing many employees do when they come in in the morning is go through their new emails and listen to any new messages they received over night. However, after they’re done listening to those messages, they have to call those customers back. So, by the time they can even get on to today’s work, half of their day could already be gone.

Answering Service Pros

• Callers leave a message with a real person: For callers who would like to talk to a real person, an answering service can provide that assurance to customers who can feel comfortable knowing a real person is listening.
• Can handle the same tasks your in-house staff do: Answering services can do more than just jot down your messages. They can schedule appointments, dispatch urgent messages, place orders, troubleshoot basic issues, and follow custom scripted workflows that match your company’s in-house procedures.
• Always available: Answering services are always available, which means your customers always have a live voice to talk to.
• A live voice can help capture and convert leads: An answering machine can’t make a sale, but an answering service agent surely can.
• Operators can make outbound calls as well as answer inbound calls: If you’re having trouble calling prospects back, an answering service can help with that.
• With call forwarding, the service can be turned off or on as needed: While answering services are available 24/7, that doesn’t mean you’ll need them 24/7. Through the call forwarding feature on your phone, you will be able to route calls to your answering service whenever you need to, and then simply turn it off whenever you don’t.
• Operators can answer basic questions: As long as you provide your answering service with a list of FAQs plus their answers, they would be able to help answer callers’ questions, which would help eliminate the need to leave messages for a return call.

Answer Service Cons

• Answering services could be costly: Depending on the volume of calls you get or how often you use your service, your answering service bill might add up quickly and exceed your budget.
• Customers may not like speaking to a virtual receptionist: If your customers are used to speaking to you or your employees, they may not feel comfortable speaking to someone like a virtual receptionist who isn’t actually in the office. Their hesitance to speak to your answering service could eventually result in them looking for another company to work with.
• Answering service agents may make mistakes: Answering services employ real live humans, and humans sometimes make mistakes. Unfortunately, this means that the mistakes your answering service make could potentially cost you a sale or two.
• You may be obligated to a long contract: Some answering services offer month by month billing, while others require you to sign into a contract. So, depending on who your provider is, you may get stuck to a long, costly contract.
• Agents may not be able to handle everything  your staff does: While answering services can handle many of the same tasks your in-house staff can, they can’t do it all, which means some jobs would be better left up to your own employees.

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<pre><em>Image originally posted on <a href=”https://www.specialtyansweringservice.net/answering-machine-vs-answering-service-infographic/”>The SAS Blog</a></em>
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The post Answering Machine vs. Answering Service Infographic appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

Katz has over 50 patents, but spends most of his time making money through lawsuits. In fact, he is currently earning between 1 and 2 billion off of various patents and lawsuits. Essentially, if a company is using technology that he created and is not paying licensing fees, chances are they will feel the wrath of Katz and suffer the due consequences (aka, they’re gonna get sued). For more information on Ronald A. Katz, his inventions, and how to protect yourself against him, continue reading our infographic.

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<pre><em>Image originally posted on <a href=”https://www.specialtyansweringservice.net/who-is-ronald-a-katz-infographic/”>The SAS Blog</a></em>
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Who is Ronald A. Katz?

Born in 1936, Katz invented many of the call center technologies used today such as:

• Toll free numbers
• VR systems
• Call distribution
• Computer telephone integration
• Speech recognition

But he wasn’t just an inventor! He also:

• Partnered with American Express to provide call processing services
• Founded Telecredit, Inc., which helps merchants verify consumer checks over the phone
• Founded Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing LP (RAKTL) which owns all of Katz’s patents

Katz’s Patents

• He began licensing his patents to call centers and by 2001 he collected more than $300 million in licensing fees. By 2005 he had earned $750 million in licensing fees.
• Did you know that most of Katz’s patents expired in 2009?
• Katz currently has over 50 patents
• Katz spends most of his time making money through patent lawsuits
• Licensing negotiations and lawsuits both revolve around “Katz minutes”
• Katz protects his patents by filing lawsuits against companies who use his technology without paying licensing fees.
• Katz is currently earning between 1 and 2 billion off his patents/lawsuits, based on the number of minutes the technology was used by the defendent
• All of Katz’s patents and claims involved this technology: Toll free numbers, Automated attendants, Automatic call distribution, Voice response unit, Computer telephonic integration, Speech recognition

Defenses Against Katz

You got sued by Katz. Now what? Here are some negotiation strategies:

• Pay the demanded fees
• Go to court
• Conduct telecom analysis of actual “Katz minute” usage

The most common defenses against Katz lawsuits are:

• Invalidity
• Non-infringement
• Indemnification

Katz’s Famous Lawsuits

Katz filed over 100 lawsuits in federal district courts against come big named companies like:

• United Airlines
• Wal-Mart
• Target
• Microsoft
• AT&T

What Can we Learn From Katz?

• Vulnerable companies must identify risks early on
• Always form strong response strategies for defense
• Stay away from unstable patents
• Pay licensing fees!

The post Who Is Ronald A. Katz infographic. appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

SIP not only allows every day individuals to stream the latest episode of Game of Thrones on the subway, but it also allows busy entrepreneurs to video chat with potential business partners and clients seamlessly, with little to no lag. To make SIP much easier to understand, we’ve created the infographic below.

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<pre><em>Image originally posted on <a href=”https://www.specialtyansweringservice.net/learn-about-session-internet-protocol-sip-infographic/”>The SAS Blog</a></em>
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What is Session Internet Protocol?

Session Internet Protocol (SIP) is the signaling protocol that controls the exchange of data. Through the sending of signals, sessions for video chats, conferences, and interactive gaming are established. SIP is the preferred protocol for video sessions because it provides the technology to initiate, modify and terminate sessions between one or multiple users. Initially, the only information that could be transmitted over different computer networks was text based.

SIP’s main purposes are to:

• Make the internet work efficiently and enable transmission of complex interactions
• Make the transmission of video fast and convenient
• Enable smooth viewing of video chat, video conference, and voicemails
• Makes gaming, song listening, and video watching accessible for everyone

Importance of SIP

• It made it possible for video and voice data to be transmitted over the internet
• It made it possible to connect two different networks. Before SIP, your network was shy and would never talk to anyone!
• Skype and iChat would not be possible without SIP

Learn About the Technology Behind SIP

How does SIP work to provide you with video chats and voice exchanges?

• Information is sent through the use of signals between different networks
• For transactions to be carried out, an IP address from the source to the target is connected
• SIP only requires a very small amount of bandwidth to transmit huge amounts of data
• SIP is also responsible for the exchange of info over instant message like AOL

SIP requires a server and needs to connect to a through server to complete data exchanges. The 3 servers required by SIP are:

• A Proxy Server: Offers secure behavior, reliability and vigorous connections. It also acts like a User Agent Clients, sending requests to the clients to make or break calls.
• A Registrar Server: Logical servers which are usually located with proxy servers. The purpose of registrar servers is to accept “REGISTER” requests
• A Redirect Server: A User Agent Server that generates responses for the requests it receives. It enables proxy servers to present and direct SIP session invitations to external domains (URL’s)

A User Agent can be used in place of a server by:

• Receives and sends signals across the networks to coordinate sessions
• It’s job is to accept/receive requests and then responds to them as well as sending requests for establishing calls.

The post Learn about session internet protocol (SIP) infographic. appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

If you’re a company looking to utilize a SaaS product but not sure how to choose one, you will want to consider factors such as the nature and size of your business, evaluating qualitative and technical risks, and evalutating strategic benefits. Keep reading to learn more about Software as a Service and how it could benefit your business.

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<pre><em>Image originally posted on <a href=”https://www.specialtyansweringservice.net/what-is-saas-infographic/”>The SAS Blog</a></em>
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What is SaaS?

Software as a Service (SaaS) enables companies to use software applications on a subscription basis without the hassles of maintenance and upgrades.

• The annual ownership cost of software applications can be up to four times the initial purchase cost.
• Most companies spend 75% of their IT budget on maintaining and running existing systems and software.
• The purchase price of a software license accounts for only 5% of the total cost of ownership (TCO).

Traditional Software vs. SaaS

Traditional Software Model

• A traditional software model is one where there is a large upfront license cost followed by annual support costs.
• Key features are provided up front, with periodic upgrades charged separately.
• License costs depend on parameters not directly linked to the software usage such as server type, number of CPUs, etc.
• As the number of users increases, other costs such as hardware and IT support also increase.
• Extra costs include hardware, server, backup, networking, and security costs to protect the software from unauthorized access and malware attacks.
• Most traditional software packages are highly customizable.
• End-user training is another cost element in the traditional software model.

Software as a Service (SaaS) Model

• Software as a Service (SaaS) is an on-demand, pay-as-you-go model.
• There is usually a recurring subscription fee that increases with usage.
• The pricing model is typically linked to either the number of users or the number of transactions.
• Changes in network security settings may be required to allow access to the SaaS application.
• Support, training, infrastructure and software security are all handled by the SaaS vendor.
• The SaaS  model is designed to work anywhere, anytime.
• A good vendor ensures easy software scalability to handle usage spikes, network outages, etc.

Single-Tenant vs. Multi-Tenant Architecture

The key difference between traditional software and SaaS models in in their architecture. While traditional software models are typically single-tenant models, SaaS is usually multi-tenant.

• Single-tenant architecture: The enterprise buys the software and installs it on a server that runs only that application and serves only the end-user group of that enterprise.
• Multi-tenant architecture: The hardware infrastructure is shared among several customers although each instance will be secured and segregated from the other.

Advantages of SaaS Application in Contact Centers

• With SaaS, the IT budget will go towards software subscription fees.
• The cost for each customer continues to drop as the vendor acquires new customers.
• The SaaS vendor will host the applications and provide dedicated support staff.
• SaaS makes it easy to accommodate variations in transaction volume.
• The contact center does not have to invest in hardware infrastructure or IT staff training.
• SaaS is delivered through the web or thin clients, reducing configuration requirements.
• The enterprise can choose to buy only the number of subscriptions that it needs.

Costs to Consider for SaaS vs. Traditional Software

Traditional Software:

• Software licenses
• Hardware and network infrastructure costs
• Testing tools
• Security architecture
• Physical facilities to house the servers
• With software upgrades, further capital expenses may be necessary

Software-as-a-Service:

• Service fee for using the software
• Maintenance
• Support
• Upgrades
• Training

Design & Deployment

Traditional Software

• High cost to design, configure, test, integrate and launch traditional software.
• Staff training and change management are other major expenses.

Software-as-a-Service

• SaaS is easier to deploy than traditional software, and more cost-effective

Recurring Infrastructure Costs

Traditional Software

• Must rely on network monitoring and management tools for real-time problem correction.
• Maintenance and support contracts, hardware and network upgrades contribute to TCO.
• Other costs include:
  • Capacity increases
  • Multiple redundant systems
  • Add-on features
  • Repair costs
  • Power consumption

Software-as-a-Service

• The only recurring infrastructure cost is additional bandwidth to access the application.
• Additional costs for hardware and network infrastructure are the vendor’s responsibility.

How to Choose the Right SaaS Platform

• Evaluate strategic benefits: Due to the fact that the software, data storage and computing process are all done remotely, the SaaS model is easily scalable both upwards and downwards.
• People retention: It is difficult to attract and retain IT talent. SaaS helps to avoid difficulty in talent procurement for database and server management.
• The nature and size of the business: Have a customized checklist to evaluate suitability of SaaS vs. premise software for your specific needs.
• Qualitative and technical risk evaluation: Success depends on how well the vendor addresses qualitative risks perceived by end-users, such as training support and change management.
• Peer group evaluation: Before deciding on a vendor, it is necessary to ask for references from a similar industry in terms of business volume and sectors handled.

The post What is Saas infographic. appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

For example, a user may set disconnected numbers to be automatically purged from the database. If a prospect’s voicemail is reached, the system may keep the line open to drop a voicemail message while simultaneously dialing the next number on the list. Keep reading to learn more about the predictive dialing software.

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<pre><em>Image originally posted on <a href=”https://www.specialtyansweringservice.net/learn-predictive-dialing-infographic/”>The SAS Blog</a></em>
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What is a Predictive Dialer?

A predictive dialer is a computerized system that is programmed to dial multiple telephone numbers simultaneously.

• Dialers can be hardware-based or software-based.
• The dialer dials calls to numbers listed in a database.
• The call is connected to an agent only when there is a live human response.
• If the number is busy, no answer, or out of service, the system will discard or reschedule the call.
• Most predictive dialers record the response received from each number dialed for later analysis.
• Time saved using predictive dialers directly translates to higher revenues and reduced costs.
• Selling to customers using automated systems increases agent productivity.

Types of Dialers

Dialers can be classified into five basic types:

1. Preview Dialer: Provides account information and potential customer’s phone number on agent’s PC screen. The agent can then decide whether or not to manually dial the number.
2. Power Dialer: A bulk dialer service that uses a list of numbers to place calls on outgoing phone lines, and connects calls only if they receive a live “hello” response. If all agents are busy when a live “hello” response is received, the dialer abandons the call or plays a pre-recorded message.
3. Anticipatory Dialer: Uses statistical methods to anticipate when an agent is likely to be free, then dials the number. A major flaw with this method is that one unexpectedly long call can result in a spiral of abandoned calls.
4. Progressive Dialer: Will dial a number only after making sure than an agent is available to answer the call.  This method is typically less productive than a power dialer.
5. Predictive Dialer: The most advanced and sophisticated outbound calling method.

The key differentiating factor between different dialers is the time savings that each one can provide. For example:

• In manual dialing, time spent on the actual call is only 15 to 20 minutes per hour.
• Power dialers enhance productivity to about 30 minutes per hour.
• With predictive dialers, agents can achieve productivity as high as 57 minutes per hour.

How Does a Predictive Dialer Work?

Predictive dialing works on the principle of “dialing ahead.” A typical dialer will dial twice as many calls as the number of agents connected to the system. Complex algorithms are used to predict the probability of getting a live “hello” as a response. Call patterns are automatically adjusted based on 5 factors:

1. Percentage of dialed calls that are answered by a live human.
2. Average talk time. The shorter the phone call, the faster agents will be free.
3. Number of agents logged on. The more agents connected, the greater the dialing frequency.
4. Average number of rings before a call is answered.
5. Acceptable abandonment rate. When a live person answers the call, but hangs up before the dialer transfers the call to a live agent.

The main advantage of a predictive dialer is that it helps to minimize manual dialing delays, increasing agent utilization to as high as 95%.

Technology

Predictive dialers fall into two categories:

• Hard dialers: Stand alone hardware devices.
• Soft dialers: Software-based dialing algorithms integrated with existing contact center software.

Add-On Features of Predictive Dialers

The most popular predictive dialers in the market today offer several add-on features:

• They interface with do-not-call lists and cell phone suppression services.
• They perform skills-based routing.
• They offer answering machine detection to recognize answering machines and voicemail.
• They have the ability to display sales scripts and customer information on agents’ monitors when the call is transferred.
• The have the ability to conference between multiple parties.
• They interface with digital voice recording to enable recording of live calls.

Benefits of Predictive Dialers

Predictive dialers offer several benefits to a contact center, such as:

• Better management of client information.
• Improves sales-per-hour per agent.
• Saves agent time and improves productivity.
• Aids regulatory compliance comparing numbers against the Do Not Call registry before calling.
• Easy integration with other software and hardware devices.

Practical Applications

• Contact centers or businesses that make a high number of continuous outbound calls
• Appointment scheduling
• Market research
• Reminders and notifications
• Collections
• Surveys and opinion polls
• Customer service calls
• B2B and B2C telemarketing

Tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) with a predictive dialer will help contact centers continuously improve telemarketing efforts through:

• Right party connect times
• No-connect data
• Talk times

Conclusion

A predictive dialer is an ideal tool for any business that needs to call a large number of customers within a short time span. The predictive dialer eliminates all forms of live agent productivity lags by ensuring that agent’s don’t waste time on the tedious process of dialing a number. Greater productivity helps businesses remain competitive by increasing sales and customer reach!

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What is Computer Telephony Integration?

CTI is the exchange of commands and messages between computers and telephone equipment. The ultimate goal of CTI is efficient handling of incoming and outgoing telephone calls. CTI bridges the telecommunications and computer industries, and introduces new, integrated applications such as:

• Automated call management and routing
• Unified messaging
• Database interaction
• Videoconferencing

CTI can turn a desktop computer into a powerful communications tool that can combine sight, sound, text, animation, video and graphics. CTI helps improve customer service and employee productivity and will eventually evolve to be a building block in the overall IT and network architecture of enterprises across many industries.

Use in Contact Centers

First generation CTI applications focused on “screen pops”, bringing up Customer Relationship Management (CRM) data, based on the number from which the call originated. Second generation CTI applications focus on the following areas:

• Creating better ways to collect, store and interpret caller data
• Enriching interactions between Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems
• Improving call routing

How it works

CTI involved a connection between a computer and a telephone switch. When a call center receives a call, it carries some form of identification – either ANI (automatic number identification) or CLID (calling line ID). The switch interprets this data and sends it to a computer that looks up the information in a database and provides instructions to the switch as to where the call should be routed.

Simultaneously, the customer’s database record is routed to the agent’s desktop. Routing can be either skills-based or productivity-based, and is done through an ACD system. There are two ways to enable CTI within a CRM environment – CTI Adapters and Open CTI

• CTI Adapters: A CTI Adapter is a middleware software that runs on the agent’s desktop and acts as an intermediary between the telephone equipment and the CRM software.
• Open CTI: Open CTI is a framework introduced by Salesforce.com. It allows companies to embed third party web apps directly into Salesforce.

CTI’s Practical Applications

• Screen Pops: The change in the computer display that occurs simultaneously with the arrival of a new call.
• Contact Management: Dialing directly from the contact record is possible, as are screen pops of the appropriate record based on incoming caller ID.
• Screen-Based Telephony: Also called softphone; the process of using the PC keyboard and mouse to answer, transfer, conference, and manage telephone calls.
• Auto Dialers: Electronic device or software that automatically dials telephone numbers
• Simultaneous Voice-Data (SVD): Sharing computer screens, Windows applications, and whiteboards while conducting a voice conversation.
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Gives callers specific information based on the unique details the callers enter (usually via touch-tone dialing)

Benefits of CTI for Contact Centers

The job of a CTI system is to improve the process of handling incoming and outgoing calls in terms of both speed and efficiency. The main benefits include:

• Productivity Enhancement: Less time gathering customer information reduces call time. Dialing, answering, transferring and placing calls on hold can all be managed on-screen for increased productivity.
• Better Customer Service: Agents can address callers by name and have all their details in front of them before the call is connected, thus increasing customer service levels.
• Cost Reduction: Integrating standalone hardware and software is an important element of achieving maximum benefit from CTI, and greater efficiency enhances cost-effectiveness.

As strong technologies evolve, the future of CTI in enterprise will continue to grow!

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13 Tips on How to Answer Your Business Phone Professionally

#1. Smile before you dial, and perk up when you pick up

Yes, you really can hear a smile through the phone. And callers will appreciate a receptionist with a buoyant personality. So, get to grinning!

#2. Breathe

Rushing to pick up a line will make it sound like you’re, well, rushing to pick up a line. So, pause for a quick second, and take a breath before you answer. And if you tend to take shallow breaths, it’s probably because you need to…

#3. Sit up straight

When you sit up straight, it properly aligns your abdominal muscles, diaphragm, rib cage and airway so that your body is ready to help you push out your words.

#4. Be prepared to take a message

That means 1) have your notepad handy, or open the computer’s notepad, and 2) if you’re writing, put a pen or pencil right by the phone so that you’ll have what you need right at your fingertips.

#5. Speak clearly

There’s nothing worse than a mumbler. Be sure that you enunciate when you speak so that people will understand you the first time.

#6. Speak at a reasonable volume

Don’t whisper and don’t blast someone’s ears out. This also applies to receptionists who are wearing headsets. Keep the microphone at an appropriate distance from your mouth, or the caller could wind up hearing a lot more than they bargained for.

#7. Know where the mute button is

We are only human, and there may be times when you can’t hold back a cough or a sneeze while you’re on the phone. In those cases, or if someone is making a bunch of racket in the background, it is imperative that you know where the mute button is. The last thing that you want is to “ah-choo” in the middle of a sentence or have the UPS driver drown out your conversation.

#8. Always put someone on hold if you need to confer with a colleague

In a similar fashion to the mute button, know where the hold button is. Every now and again, you’ll turn to your coworker to ask a question, and you don’t want the caller to hear your discourse. Use a simple phrase such as, “Let me see if I can find that out for you. Would you mind holding a moment?” And, always ask before you place someone on hold.

#9. Don’t chew gum

It’s simply bad form to chew gum while you’re on the phone. Not only will it get in the way of clear speech, but no one wants to be on the receiving end of chewing noises.

#10. Try not to yawn

If you’ve come in to work after pulling an all-nighter, chances are that you’ll be exhausted. Unless you’ve pumped yourself up with 3 triple-shot espressos and a case of Mountain Dew, yawning is bound to happen. So, if you can’t stop yourself from yawning, refer to #7.

#11. Don’t make background noise, such as tapping on the desk

If you’re the one making annoying background noise, putting yourself on mute isn’t going to cross your mind. Therefore, keep the fidgeting to a minimum, and give the caller the most professional experience possible.

#12. Know the answer phrase

This seems like a no-brainer. However, if you’re new to a workplace, especially one with a name that even Webster would struggle with, write out the answer phrase, include a little phonetics cheat sheet, and practice saying it out loud until it’s as easy as saying eggs and toast.

#13. Have a staff directory at your disposal

Just think of how awkward it would be for someone to ask for Mr. Kopfgeschlagen, and you’re sitting there thinking to yourself, I don’t even know how to say that name let alone figure out if he works here. That’s why you need a staff list in front of you. Be sure to highlight executives’ names, as people will likely ask for them more frequently.

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