Please Note:This feature is currently still being developed and  may not be fully implemented on every cluster. Please contact your Account Executive if you would like to learn more.

The SingleComm Predictive Dialer pairs an IB call campaign with a dialer campaign to route calls to available agents and reduce downtime.

Each user-type has a different role when using the Predictive Dialer.

Administrators: (Account Executives) Responsible for connectivity and configuration of dialer campaigns, with help from the SC Professional Services team.
*For more information on campaign creation and the admin role, click here.

Agents: There is no discernible difference in how calls are received. Agents simply make themselves available and calls are routed to them in the same way as other inbound campaigns.

Supervisors: Managing the day-to-day of the dialer campaign. This may include:

1. Assign Agents to Crews for PD Reporting
2. Assign Agents to PD Campaigns
3. Create Dialer Campaigns
   • Using the Predictive Dialer (for Supervisors)#Module
   • Using the Predictive Dialer (for Supervisors)#Phonebook
   • Using the Predictive Dialer (for Supervisors)#DNC
   • Caller IDs
   • Using the Predictive Dialer (for Supervisors)#Campaign
4. Connect the Campaigns
5. Adjust Dial Rate
6. Update Contacts
7. Update the DNC
8. Export DNC Updates
9. Campaign Recycling

1. Assign Agents to Crews for PD Reporting

Agents can only be assigned to ONE dialer campaign at a time. Trained agents can be added at the campaign level, or in Agent Management.

For accurate reporting, agents MUST be assigned to a Crew. Agent Logs are not tied to a single campaign, so blended agents may be assigned to multiple campaigns. This allows supervisors to build a report in CX Explore that shows campaign-specific PD metrics.

• In Agent Management, on the Agent Profile tab:
  
  
  • Click the Crew dropdown and select the crew name that matches the dialer campaign* or choose Add New Crew if this is the first agent to be added and the crew does not yet exist.
    *It is suggested for easy tracking that crew names match the campaigns.

2. Assign Agents to PD Campaigns

Dialer campaigns can have as many agents associated to it as necessary but individual agents can only be assigned to one dialer campaign at a time. 

Agents are managed on CX Route and can be added at the campaign level via Abilities in a Skills-based campaign or via Teams in a Rank-based campaign.

3. Create Dialer Campaigns

Supervisors may also set up new campaigns on the dialer.

• • Access the Dialer by entering the client-specific URL into a browser
    • for example: clientname.dialer.singlecomm.com
      
  • Click Log In
  • Enter in the Username (Authentication Username) and the Password (Authentication Password)

  
  

  
  

  Create the Module:

  • Click the Modules dropdown, then Survey/IVR
    
    
    
    • Click Add to create a new module
      
      
      
  • Type in a Name and Description for the module
    
  • Click Save
  • Click Add Section
    
    
  • On the Add Section pop-up:
    
    • 
    
    
    • Section type: CALL TRANSFER*
      *No other section types are supported at this time
       This modal must be filled out to these exact specifications.
    • Section title: this field is required but is not being used for call transfer use cases, because of this- you must enter ONLY a period in this field. 
    • Audio file: leave as-is [---]
    • Phone Number/SIP URI: populate the field as follows
      • (DID of Inbound CX Route campaign)@(client cluster)-proxy.singlecomm.com:5060
        *DID number MUST lead with a "+1"
    • Confirm script: leave blank
    • Confirm key: leave as-is [---]
    • Completed: leave as-is [OFF]
    • Click Update to save and close the pop-up
      
  • The Survey/IVR will now display 
    
    
    • An audio file 0:00/0:00 will display although NO audio file is in use
    • Branching / Goto should be left as-is [hangup]
  • Click Close Survey to exit the Survey/IVR (the module is now complete)

  
  

• 
  You should not attempt to edit the Survey/IVR for a campaign that is STARTED or RUNNING, the changes will not take effect.
  If you Clone a campaign, it will copy the original Survey/IVR, therefore it is suggested that a new campaign be created.

• 
  

  
  

  Create the Phonebook:

  • Click Contact, then Phonebooks* to be taken to al list of current phonebooks, then click Add to create a new phonebook
    
    *This is also where you will go to upload/add additional numbers to an existing phonebook
    
    
  • Add a phonebook Name and Description
  • Click Save to exit the pop-up and import your leads
    
    
    
  • Leads can be uploaded in bulk, or singly. To upload a list:
    • Click Import Contacts
    • Verify that the phonebook your just created is listed in the dropdown
    • Click Next
      
      
      
    • Contacts can be pasted into the text box, or click Browse file (preferred method) to upload a CSV or TXT file with your lead list
       
      The dialer supports the uploading of sheets with data in any number of fields/ columns, and in any order.
      
      The fields that you import can be modified in the Administration Options of the Admin and Manager accounts. 
      
      
    • Advanced options are not supported at this time
    • Click Import
      
      
  • Data from the sheet will be imported, and depending on the number of columns, you will be prompted to match that data to the options in the dialer:
    
    
    • The above example had 3 columns: number, name, zip code 
    • Click the Belongs to dropdown and choose from the following:
      
    • Click Finish importing contact

   Note the formatting options.
  Phone numbers can be formatted as follows:

  • XXXXXXXXX
  • (XXX) XXX-XXXX
  • XXX-XXX-XXXX

  If the phone numbers being uploaded are international, they should lead with a + sign

  • +XXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX
    

  
  

  
  

  Create the DNC:

  • Click the Modules dropdown, then Do Not Call (DNC)
    
    
  • The DNC will be uploaded via individual entries or from a CSV file using the same steps as the phonebook
  • The DNC can also be set up to include entire area codes. This can be done by Product Support in the Dialer config.
    
     The DNC does not update automatically. Routine manual updates are suggested, or the campaign can be configured using integrations to update via designated script dispositions. For more information, click here.

  
  

• 
  

  
  

  Create the Caller IDs:

  • Click the Modules dropdown, then CallerIDs
    
    
    
  • If using Caller ID Groups:
    • Click CallerID Group on the left
      
      
    • On the Add CallerID Group page:
      
      
      • Name
      • Description [optional]
    • Click Save to add the Caller ID Group 
      
    • Once the Group is saved, a Wild Card CallerID entry will be created:
      
      
      • Caller ID Groups will attempt to use an area code that is the same as the area code of the Contact. 
      • If there is no matching area code in the Caller ID Group, the number displayed will be the wildcard (number with the * in its area code)
        
  • If using Caller ID Numbers:
    • Click CallerID on the left
      
      
    • On the Add CallerID page:
      
      
      
      • CallerID Group: click to add it to a Group (if applicable)
      • Area Code: must be entered with a leading "+1" as shown
      • Caller ID Number
      • Caller Name
    • Click Save to add the Caller ID Number

• 
  

  
  

  Create the Campaign:

   Each server can contain a maximum of 25 campaigns/phonebooks. 
  If you require an increase to this limit, please ask your Account Executive.

  • Click the Campaign dropdown, then Voice Campaign
    
    
  • Click Add
    
    
    
  • On the General Settings tab:
    
    
    • Campaign name: enter the name for your dialer campaign
    • Application: click the dropdown and choose the Survey/IVR from the Module that was created previously
    • Caller ID Number: enter the number that will appear on caller ID (this can be any number, does not have to be a valid phone number or the DID but is advised that you use a number that the receiver can call you back on)
      *This number should be entered with NO FORMATTING and without a "1" in front. For example: 8884644698
       
      It should be noted that if you list the DID and the consumer returns the call, it will come into CX Route as an incoming call but will show as INVALID_CODE in CX Explore: Predictive Dial/Hangup Code. This is expected functionality since the call was not dialed by the PD. For more information on viewing PD data in CX Explore, click here.
      
      
    • Caller Name: this field is dependent on carrier settings and may or may not display 
      • Caller ID Group: when selected, this will override the Caller ID Number
        (it is advised to use a Caller ID Number instead of this option)
        
        
    • DNCList: click the dropdown and choose the DNC that was created in the previous step
    • Phonebook: click the dropdown and choose the Phonebook that was created previously 
      • You can also ctrl+click to select multiple phonebooks
  • Click Update to save the campaign settings so far
     
    Once you click Update, the only fields on this tab that can be modified are Caller ID Number, Caller Name, and Caller ID Group.
    If you want/need to change any of the other components after this tab has been updated, a new campaign will need to be created.
    
    
  • On the Dialer tab:
    
    
    • A-leg Gateway:defaults to VoxTeleSys (the only supported gateway at this time)
    • Frequency: number of outgoing dials per minute
      *This should always be set to 10
    • Max concurrent call: number of concurrent outgoing dials that can be handled by the server
      *This should always be set to 50
    • Max concurrent transfer (Max available agents): number of agents available to take calls
      *This should be left at the default value and not surpass the number of agents that are assigned to this dialer campaign, given that agents can only be assigned to one dialer campaign at a time. CX Route will adjust this number based on the amount of dedicated available agents.
    • Dialing method: should always be set to Power Dialer
    • Dial rate: number of calls made per available agent
      *A rate of 3 means that if 1 agent is available, 3 dials will be made. If 2 of those dials are answered, one is transferred to the agent and the other is transferred to the queue. 
  • Click Save to save the settings
    
    
  • On the Retry tab:
    
    
    • Max retries: number of times the lead will be redialed* during the lifetime of the campaign.
      *Leads are eligible for retries if there is no answer, or if a human voice is not detected on the other end.
       What about voicemail/answering machines that sound like a human voice?
      This can happen when using voicemail detection (enabled in the next step). The dialer listens for 1-3 words (detects as human) or more than 3 words (detects as voicemail) and if it incorrectly determines that the recorded outgoing message is a human, the call will be transferred to a live agent and the number will not be retried.
      
    • Time between retries: Minimum amount of time (in seconds) between retries. If the dialer is still cycling through other numbers, it will dial retries only after all other leads have been exhausted.
    • Call completion: [currently not supported]
  • Click Save
    
    
  • On the Voicemail tab:
    
    
    • Voicemail detection: on/off*
      *It is advised that you work with your Account Executive to configure VM detection for your specific call scenarios.
      
       The settings on this tab cannot be changed once they are saved.
      
      
  • On the Schedule tab:
    All campaigns default to all 7 days enabled, end time of 24 hours from the time of creation, start time of midnight, end time of 11:59 pm, and time zone dialing off.
    
    • Week Days: toggle individual days on/off
    • Start: campaign start date
    • Finish: campaign ending date
    • Daily start time*: time at which dialer will begin making calls if agents are available
    • Daily stop time: time at which dialer will stop making calls for the day
      *Dialer uses a 24-hour clock, Eastern Time Zone!
    • Timezone Dialing: (on/off) When enabled, dialer will use the contact's area code to ensure they are within the daily start and stop times.
  • Click Update to save these settings

  
  A note about call time compliance:
  Dialer campaigns will make calls in between the start and end times that are set when the campaign is created. The dialer does not take into account any state that may have rules that vary their allowable call times. It is up to the person who creates the campaign to set start/finish parameters in line with the calling rules of the areas they will be contacting.

• If you have Timezone Dialing enabled: the dialer will continue to place calls based on the contact's TZ. This could mean that calls are being placed outside of the start/end time which is based on the server's TZ. If your campaign ends at 9pm Eastern time, but contacts are located on the west coast, dials will continue until 9pm Pacific time.

• On the Extra tab:
  [non-default settings on this tab are currently not supported]

Once the campaign is created, it will appear in your dashboard in a PAUSED state until the campaigns are connected and agents are available.

An overview of the Campaign Info can be viewed by hovering over the campaign name:

*Any campaign flagged as "Won't run now" is out of schedule range (either start/stop date or daily dialing hours).

4. Connect the Campaigns

• Browse CX Route to the IB campaign
• On the PD Inbound tab of the campaign:
  • Enabled= Yes
    • Click Update
  • From the Integration dropdown, choose the dialer integration that was created for you by your Account Executive
    • Click Update
  • Click the External Campaign dropdown and choose the name of the dialer module that was previously created
    
  • Click Update to save
    • You will then be able to see how many agents are available for this campaign
      
      
      
• On the IVRs tab:
  
  
  • Select the IVR used for your campaign
  • In IVR Details 
    • Click YES on the option to Enable Federated Services
      
  • Click Update to save

  The IVR Tree must now be edited and recompiled. 
This step can be completed by your Account Executive.

Once your Dialer campaign is connected to your CX Route IB campaign, the integration will wait for assigned agents to become available. When an assigned agent changes from unavailable to an available state, the campaign will then be changed from PAUSED to STARTED.

If all assigned agents are busy or logged out, the dialer campaign will then changed back to PAUSED.

 If the campaign is manually changed from PAUSED to STARTED without any assigned agents being logged in, the dialer WILL begin to make calls!
It is advised to allow the integration to pause/unpause the dialer campaigns based on agent availability.

To prevent a campaign from being restarted by the integration when agents become available, it should manually be set to STOPPED.

5. Adjust Dial Rate

One thing a supervisor may want to do, depending on agent available time, is to adjust the Dial Rate of the Dialer campaign.

The Dial Rate is equal to the number of dials that will be made per available agent. A rate of 3 means that if 1 agent is available, 3 dials will be made. If 2 of those dials are answered, one is transferred to the agent and the other is transferred to the queue. 

To adjust the Dial Rate:

• Log in to the dialer
• Click Campaign / Voice Campaign
  
  
  
• Browse the list for the campaign to be edited
• In the Action column, click the Update Campaign icon
  
  
  
• On the Dialer tab, type the new Dial rate
  
• Click Update to save

 Be advised that when there is a low number of available agents (1 or 2) and a dial rate of >1/1, there is a possibility that dials could be made after the last agent becomes unavailable. The dialer doesn't react instantly and some calls could still be made in the time before the campaign pauses. This buffer is only pronounced when the number of available agents is low.

6. Update Contacts

Supervisors may need to add/edit/remove contacts during the course of a campaign.

To add contacts to a campaign in progress, the campaign must be in a STARTED state. 
If the campaign is PAUSED or STOPPED, the contacts WILL NOT be called when the campaign is restarted. If the contacts are added while the campaign is in a Started state, it can THEN be paused or stopped without issue.
It is recommended that all contacts be loaded into the dialer before the start of the campaign.

To add a contact:

• Click Contact
• Click Contacts on the left and then enter the individual Contact number and Contact Name
• Choose the Phonebook that is being used by the campaign
• Click Add to save
  

To edit/remove an existing contact:

• Browse to the above location and enter the Phonebook that contains the contacts you wish to edit/remove
• Click Search to load the numbers from that phonebook
  
  
  
• Edit individual numbers by clicking the Update Contact icon in the Action column
• Delete individual numbers by click the Delete Contact (trash can) icon
• Delete in bulk by selecting multiple numbers by click the checkboxes tot he left of the Contact, then click the Action dropdown above it and choose Delete Selected
  

7. Update the DNC

• Click Module / Do Not Call (DNC)
  

The DNC contacts can be adjusted individually or in bulk using the same steps as above. Because dialer campaigns each use their own set of DNC contacts, there is no "master" DNC. 

Campaigns can be set up to automatically add contact information to the campaign's DNC, triggered by a specified DNC disposition at the end of a call. This must be set up by an administrator. More information is available in the article located here.

*A campaign's DNC can also include entire area codes. This configuration must be requested from your SingleComm Account Executive.

8. Export DNC Updates 

If your dialer campaigns are configured to add contacts to the DNC throughout the campaign, an updated DNC list should be exported once the campaign is stopped. This updated CSV can then be used on another campaign.

From the Do Not Call (DNC) page:

• Click Export DNC Contacts
• Choose the selected DNC list from the dropdown
• Click Save

9. Campaign Recycling

Recycling a campaign can be done from the Voice Dashboard by clicking the Recycle symbol in the Action column:

This feature is useful for creating a phonebook for calls that went to voicemail*, were busy, or failed for some other reason. It excludes any dialed contacts from the campaign that have been earmarked for DNC.
*Even with AMD, it is still possible that the dialer will determine certain voicemail messages to be human rather than a recording. This would cause contacts to be missed. It is advised to use CX Explore reporting to identify leads that should be called back, then create a new phonebook.

• New Phonebook name: defaults to Recycle Campaign, but can be edited
• Call Status: [defaults to All] click to select an option
  
  
  
• Times Dialed: [defaults to All] click to selected an option
  
• Click Save to close the pop-up and create the Phonebook