What is a Pacing Ratio in a Predictive Dialer?

what-is-pacing-ratio-in-predictive-dialer

Outbound call centers often use dialing software to automate their outbound calling process to not just boost agent agents’ productivity but also as a way to ensure higher connect rates and eventually higher sales conversion.
The good news is that there are a number of different types of auto-dialer available in the market today for businesses to choose from. Some of them being:

  • Predictive Dialer: An autodialer mechanism that is in-built with an algorithm to predict when the next call should be placed to ensure high agent productivity
  • Power Dialer: Also known as a progressive dialer. Here, the agent is connected before the customer. That i.e. the agents call leg is already live prior to the activation of the customer’s call leg.
  • Preview Dialer: This auto dialer software allows the agent to view the customer information prior to the call being dialed out. Thus, giving them time to tweak their pitch and have more qualified interactions.

Though all the dialer software is efficient and effective in their own respective ways, Predictive dialer software is the most commonly used auto dialer software.
Some of the factors to consider or applicable settings for a predictive dialer are:

  • Answering Machine Detection (AMD): Using voice frequency and probability to determine whether the call has been connected to a human being or an answering machine.
  • Peak Call Count:  The maximum call count. Dialer will never exceed this limit.
  • Maximum Pacing Ratio: The upper limit for the number of calls dialed for each agent
  • Call Drop Ratio: The maximum percentage of call drops allowed, out of the total number of connected outgoing calls.
  • Variance Factor: The factor by which the dialer can vary. It is determined by max pacing ratio.
  • Agent Wait Time: The maximum time gap between the agent wrapping up the previous call, and being connected to a fresh call, in seconds.

Pacing Ratio – An integral part of Predictive Dialer

The whole day the call center agents are either dialing calls or receiving calls. Which can actually get monotonous at times and can lead to human error. To prevent this and make the best of available call center reps, a predictive dialer comes in handy as it dials out multiple contact numbers for each agent. This dialing strategy is known as the pacing ratio.
The pacing ratio is defined as the ratio between available agents and the calls to be made for each agent. Similarly, the max pacing ratio defines a maximum limit for the same. Understanding with an example –  if the max pacing ratio is set to 1:5, the dialer will dial out five contacts for each available agent at max. This essentially means that for every agent the number of dialed calls will be between 1 and 5. However, the maximum number of dialed contacts will be capped at 5.

Benefits of Optimizing your Call Center Dialer

Improve Agent Productivity

One of the biggest advantages of any auto dialer and more specifically, predictive dialing software is the elimination of manual dialing. The agents no longer have to check the contact number from a list, punch in the number and then a call is dialed. A predictive dialer significantly boosts agent productivity.

Reduce Agent Idle Time

An intelligent predictive dialer allows you to optimize the available resources by automatically varying the pacing ratio based on the quality of the list, available agents, and other factors to ensure the agents do not have to sit idle and waste their time.

Dial more in Less Time

Since outbound dialing is automated, agents can manage more calls and even have blended campaigns to further maximize their efficiency without compromising on the quality of customer interaction.

Increase Sales Conversions

Surpass all the obstacles like answering machines or busy dial tone to filter calls for the agent. At the same time know the best time to call with an intelligent predictive dialing system while having access to all the relevant customer information with CRM and other third-party integrations. Thus, arming the agents with the best auto dialer and tools to boost sales conversions.
Ready to setup your outbound call center? Talk to our Experts to get the best call center dialer for your business.

Shambhavi Sinha

Shambhavi Sinha is working as an SEO expert at Ameyo. She also likes to write tech-based stuff. Her aim is to provide knowledge to users by sharing the knowledge about the latest trends about contact centers.