Outbound Call Centers

Different call centers can have different purposes. There are inbound call centers, which are generally for existing customers who need help or other information--for example, a software customer who needs to speak with a programmer, or for people calling to place an order. Then there are outbound call centers. Unlike the inbound variety, which has callers phoning in, outbound call centers have agents whose purpose is to reach potential customers by calling out.

The most familiar type of outgoing call center is the telemarketing version. These call centers have teams of salespeople who make calls from a lead list or central database. One main concern telemarketing call centers have is utilizing their time efficiently: agents can spend valuable minutes dialing numbers and waiting to reach a “real” person. Most telemarketing employees work from prewritten scripts. This type of outgoing call center is generally making “cold calls,” or contacting individuals unsolicited.

Many schools, universities, and political candidates also use outgoing call centers for fund raising purposes. These organizations have the advantage of alumni lists or another connection to their prospects. For this kind of outbound call center, a large priority is keeping careful records of who has donated what, and when.

Supercharge Outbound Call Centers

Both outbound call center models can benefit from installing predictive dialer software. Predictive dialer software cuts through calls that don’t connect, and delivers only “live” leads to agents. This software also lets solicitors record a history of the calls they make; in doing so, the database is updated for everyone else who may have access to the system.