You can get a cheaper auto dialer just about anywhere if you do a google search. What I found is the software to do what you need in your business is the crucial factor. Voicent's is full-featured and therefore massive. It is also expensive. How many agents are you planning on supporting? If you are running solo, you might reconsider.
I have never used voicent, but I would look at the speedy dialer, Speedy Dialer | Power Dialer | Auto Dialer with the cheetah package. It's a little less money, probably similar in function, though it includes the necessary hardware ($299 total cost).
Unfortunately, I have not used speedy dialer either, but the price is about right.
The catch for me is how the calls are managed. If you are looking for something to go along and call a bunch of people, leave messages on answering machines, next.... it's a waste of time (and not legal in most places). If you are looking for something to dial numbers, and you talk if it's a person, or you press a button and it leaves a message if it's an answering machine, this looks like a good alternative.
Either system looks like it would be good to have it run for 2 hours a day, keeping you on track for your call volume.
Number of calls it will make: I'm always amazed at how many people say they can dial 100 calls an hour. It's not practical or possible, in any meaningful manner. Assuming answering machines for all calls, the math works out as:
Phone dial: 5 seconds
Phone rings: 30 seconds
Leave message (optional): 25 seconds
Total 1 minute per call, at best, 60 calls per hour, I always plan 50. If you hang up on answering machines, you might get 80.
If anyone answers, this is slowed down considerably (well, it should be anyway). Because of this, I would estimate 35 calls per hour of 'power dialing'.
Some of the folks on here have used a guy that generates leads with his own autodialing system. Probably should have bookmarked it. You can probably do a search for autodialer or auto dialer and get it. Might want to check that out before putting money into a system that may or may not work for you
If you're doing things solo I would look into this software or Cheetah. Gary has a great system and the price is alright, but to truly maximize the investment you would need multiple telemarketers working the system.
The positive things about the software Steph are the features and the price. Anybody who uses VOIP for 3-4+ hours a day knows that technology is not the best compared to analog. It seems as though you have the option of using 1-4 lines with this system at an attractive rate. It is unclear how the system actually works because it says that either VOIP or analog is available. I wouldn't go with VOIP regardless of the price. I'm going to look into the demo.
If you are going to do more than 1 line (I would) you have to factor that into the cost of the system. Here are the answers I would like to know first before buying.
1) What is the response time between when a person picks up the phone and the time an agent speaks?
2) What happens if more than 2 people pick up at the same time?
3) What type of tracking system is included in the software? I didn't see anything about this feature on their website.
4) How is the voice clarity of both parties on the phone?
I talk to 15-20 people an hour and dial approximately 45-55 numbers on average. If I was able to double the amount of people I talked lead flow should increase. Give an agent 3-4 leads an hour for 8 hours a day and he or she should become a very happy person.
In all honesty, I've already made up my mind that I'm going to purchase Gary's system after the holidays, but I'm also attacking things from a different angle. It really comes down to affordability and what you want in a system. I'd suggest you talk with Gary about his system to see the true potential and then make your decision. Got about 2ish weeks left this year for business so there is plenty of time to figure out stuff.
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[COLOR=#000066]"Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve me and I will understand." Confucius
I am just curious what are you dialing? Cold calling? Small business? Homes?
We have never "cold called" but we have always used a predictive dialer, to call our generated or purchased leads.
Since my staff is hourly + commission + full benefits I always viewed "cold calling" as unproductive and a waste of time, I guess for the solo operation this is possibly not the case.
Actually, I bought the Cheetah system about a month ago. It does meet my needs, since I am a one-person agency (the program will handle up to 4 agents). However, I have to warn everyone that it has a very steep learning curve. The primary reason for this is due to a poorly written manual, obviously done by an engineer and not a technical writer.
(I might add that there is also an undocumented program that comes with the package, and neither is its internal help file populated.)
They even sent me a unit (basically an external modem) that does not have a "hang-up" button as the manual shows and describes. For these reasons, I consider the program an early release.
You should also note that there is no way to attach a telephone to the device, therefore you have to do a manual dial with your keyboard or mouse. I use a splitter on the phone line and hooked up a telephone, but it does not integrate with the software. Normal (auto) dialing is through a phone list that you must import from your own source.
Technical support is non-existant. I have emailed twice without a response. I did get a call back once (that was little help, just confirming my discovery that an external phone will not integrate). They say that if you need help to learn how to run the system, they will sell you live tech support. Most are sure to need it, considering the poorly written manual. This is a self-serving, dastardly, attitude.
I found that I can master the device without their help because I have worked with computers for over 20 years, build my own systems and run my own network. But it takes time to study the poorly organized manual. Not everyone will have my experience level, yet from the comments on this thread, I think some of you do. However, this product is not for the technically challenged.
It does have the features I like: I can autodial a prospect and talk if he picks up, or leave a pre-recorded message for an answering machine. I can type notes as we talk, and code the call for several results. No answers, etc. are moved to the bottom of the list for call back, etc. etc.
The cost is roughly what you would pay for a voice modem and autodial software purchased elsewhere, as long as you don't consider the cost of your study time to master this contraption. It is cleverly integrated but without a telephone.
If, by referring to "cold calling", you are speaking of naked phone numbers, you can obtain a list of all numbers in a state, take a chunk of those numbers and scrub them against your DNC list, and call. You will get many people unqualified for your product, burning a lot of time.
Alternate means would be to obtain a phone list from a marketer providing numbers mined from credit bureau lists, that you can ask to be screened for age, income, zip code, etc. You pay extra to have them scrubbed if you can't do this yourself. I still refer to this as "cold calling", tho some may call them "leads".
Others have a telemarketer do the calling, screening with your requirements, and providing you the results (leads). You may or may not get better qualified leads, depending on the quality of the telemarketer.
Seems as tho you use the drop list method, having a marketer send out response cards. Do you ask for the cards, or a list, or both? If you can, ask for the list electronically, then you can download the list into an autodialer program. I don't know your cost for your present method, but I think it would be cheaper to just ask for the data electronically like I mention above.
No - we generate or buy large quantities of Internet Leads - extremely expensive, our model is only to deal with user initiated requests at this time. Again I stress extreme expense.
Our predictive dialers handle dispositions, and work flow, etc., etc.,
We hired a telemarketer earlier this year and the leads were crap. The demographics were not in balance with typical population, they had no money, and you have to wonder why someone would have no previous insurance for 5-10 years, pretty much sums up who you are dealing with.
I could see possibly targeting small biz for groups or individual (maybe).
Like everything else there are many sub markets and other pieces of this puzzle, I guess ultimately it is whatever works for your model.
This is why you make sure the demographics have income above $30,000. this eliminates the poor people. This is what we do at MCS and works great! Get an average of 4-6 per hour with our telemarketers. Once again, you have to target the people making more money not the low income folks! Flash Intro Page
Well I'm new to the insurance business but have used the auto dialer for the mortgage business. I would go with an auto dialer vs voice broadcasting. I used auto dialer software right from my own computer through a company out of Canada. The company had me upload the software through their website. Once I loaded the calling list it was on to making the calls. The system was great - I hired a telemarketer to run the system two days a week and did ok, it was my telemarketer who ended up quiting on me. I was charged a monthly fee of $150 for the use of the system and a small fee for the calls.
As for voice broadcasting, I did this many times and each time was terrible. Most every one who got my call either live or by machined would call me and tell me to STOP calling. I then had to update my list each day with people requesting to be taken off my call list. I think back in the day this type of maketing worked good but now people are jerked that they are getting these calls. In any case, you must remain call compliant. This will take some time to learn but once you do it's a breeze. Do not rely on a company to do this for you - your the one who is responsible when those calls go out.
Well I'm new to the insurance business but have used the auto dialer for the mortgage business. I would go with an auto dialer vs voice broadcasting. I used auto dialer software right from my own computer through a company out of Canada. The company had me upload the software through their website. Once I loaded the calling list it was on to making the calls. The system was great - I hired a telemarketer to run the system two days a week and did ok, it was my telemarketer who ended up quiting on me. I was charged a monthly fee of $150 for the use of the system and a small fee for the calls.
As for voice broadcasting, I did this many times and each time was terrible. Most every one who got my call either live or by machined would call me and tell me to STOP calling. I then had to update my list each day with people requesting to be taken off my call list. I think back in the day this type of maketing worked good but now people are jerked that they are getting these calls. In any case, you must remain call compliant. This will take some time to learn but once you do it's a breeze. Do not rely on a company to do this for you - your the one who is responsible when those calls go out.
Do you have a website for the company out of Canada?
Telemarketing to households with the laws that are present today can be suicidal no matter what list you are using... Before I got back into the insurance business a few years ago (sold insurance in my early 20's but left to open an unrelated business) I was opening telemarketing offices around the country for 15+ years as an independent for various companies.
Unless you are pitching for a politician, this, in my opinion is the only safe telemarketing today. It only takes a complaint or two to your states attorney generals office (less in some areas of the country) or to the governments DNC and you are toast, not to mention you are several thousand dollars poorer.
When hiring a telemarketing firm, you can still be held liable especially if its your number that appears on the caller id.
Marketing to businesses is usually safe... that is, if its not a home business and the number you call happens to be a home number and on the DNC list. This happens more than you can imagine and the danger is always there and when telemarketing with predictive dialers for anything other than a political campaign, your number may appear several times on the caller id of the recipient. This is what pisses people off.
How can you get in trouble if you use the National DNC (and state, too, if req'd) and call within established hours? The rules say you must update your list to anyone requesting you not to call again for those not on the list. The software I use allows me to customize a DNC list that I merge with the National DNC.
Again, I ask: If you are following the rules, how can you get in trouble?
It's all about exposure... the more calls you make the more exposure you are subject to.... If you follow the DNC rules to the letter, odds are that you will not have a problem on the fed side, however, the local laws and your states AG has a set of rules of their own.... time limits for calls, registering each telemarker with the state and etc. Each state varies.
If you are calling into different states, you better know and abide by that states laws in addition to the DNC regulations.
I have also seen where certain dialers on the market promote a DNC scrubber built in but have a clause in the contract that states they are not responsible for DNC violations. Marketing organizations also use this clause and PTA but leaves you out to dry if they cause an infraction.
All I am saying is that you should be sure before you call that you ARE abiding by all the Fed and State laws regarding the DNC.
Are companies going to cease all telemarketing and should you, of course not... just be careful! Good Luck.
Just wanted to post some things regarding this thread. I am Gary and we started our research back in the beginning of January2007. I started MCS www.MarketingCampaignSoultions.com
Because of the bad leads agent were paying for. (Including myself) Thought there had to be a better way to get quality leads.
A couple of things:
1. Dont do VOIP-You have about 3 seconds for the person on the other line to establish if you are a telemarketer or not. A 3 second delay is a very bad way to start! Also, echos dont help the cause. VOIP is OK to talk to your grand ma, but not to do business with. OUR SYSTEMS ARE BASED ON TELCO LINES. THERE IS NOT PAUSE AND YOU ALWAYS HERE THE "hello".
2. The DNC- Yes it is OK to call businesses PERIOD! If a person has there phone registered as a business (Example: Has a home office) then you CAN NOT get in trouble with the feds. There are a lot of people that fall into this category. If you are going to use a list for more than a month, then you had better scrub it again as people sign up for the dnc and it takes about 1 month to take affect.
3. Dialers- There is a big difference between auto dialers and predictive dialers.
Here is what our (for rent) PC systems do and it is very successful.We use the same systems for running campaigns also:
Dials about 125 calls per hour.
We talk to about 30 people per hour.
Leaves prerecorded message on answering machines (Your voice)
Sends an instant email (Template) to the prospect from you
Caller can do a (HOT TRANSFER) to the agent if prospect wants it now.
Filters out wrong numbers
Filters out disconnected numbers
Filters out answering machines
You are literally talking to people every 5 seconds.
4. Other factors- Our systems are awesome, but it does not do us any good if the following is not VERY GOOD.
4a. Data- You can not just throw some numbers in there an expect success. Our data targets exactly what what the campaign is for. We have done campaigns for beltone hearing aids and we got data on all the prospects who currently have hearing aids and called them for (trade ins). Good data is HUGE
4b. Calling script- The script is probably the most important part and it is the part most AC's screw up. It is critical!
I have talked to a lot of you guys on this post in person if any of you wish to discuss the best route please do not hesitat to call me. I would be more than happy to help. 912-944-2540
Also, if anyone would like to do a webinar and see our systems live, please let me know. Would also be willing to let everyone try the system for 3 days FREE. YES I SAID FREE.
Gary
This website may help those of you looking to call into multiple states... this website includes all of the individual states and the laws governing residential telemarketing.
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