Outbound sales automation is changing how call centers operate — here’s how

Sales reps are under constant pressure. From trying to close deals and meet intense targets, to managing customers’ evolving expectations and juggling tedious administrative tasks, there’s a lot that needs to be done in a day. It’s why many sales call centers are turning to outbound sales automation and artificial intelligence (AI) for support. 

These tools not only make work easier for the sales representative, but they also have the potential to improve the bottom line — especially considering how far the sales tool has come in recent years. Advances in natural language processing and speech recognition means there are some solutions with almost human qualities; not to mention, interactive voice response technology and predictive dialers have greater capabilities and customization options than ever before.

So how exactly is this sales automation tool technology changing the call center industry and driving outbound leads? Here’s a quick snapshot of the benefits it can bring to the sales team.

Benefit #1: Reduced workloads for better agent experiences

First and foremost, outbound sales automation frees reps to spend more time turning a potential customer lead into a won lead. That’s because the outbound sales software can significantly reduce admin. Without having to manually dial phone numbers, enter data like email addresses in customer profiles, or log calls, your outbound agents can spend more time doing what they do best–leading customers through the sales funnel.

Ultimately, using sales automated software and AI call center technology to streamline the sales pipeline can also increase your agents’ job satisfaction. And when reps feel engaged at work, productivity and improved customer experiences will follow — both of which can have incredible, long-term impacts on your marketing campaigns and business as a whole.

Benefit #2: Increased efficiency for better call center operations

Overall call center efficiency is one of those long-term benefits. Some tools, like a predictive dialer, for instance, can pre-qualify prospects before the sales professionals even pick up the phone. This translates to less time dialing wrong numbers, leaving messages, and determining if leads are a good fit. There are a variety of predictive dialer benefits, and ReadyMode’s cloud-based predictive dialer has boosted call center efficiency for both Zeres Capital (55%) and Quantum 3 Media (over 20%).

Benefit #3: Personalized interactions for better customer experiences

Automation and AI call center technology are typically associated with improving business functions — and there’s certainly truth to that. But it’s also essential to improving the relationships between agents and prospects. Sentiment analysis and natural language processing capabilities can help to improve a customer’s experience from the moment they get on the line.

By analyzing customer interactions in real time, these technologies give agents the opportunity to confidently adapt their sales outreach scripts based on customers’ needs. All of that data can then be automatically synced to individual profiles, giving reps more insight into what helps them make a sale. It goes without saying that this technology can’t entirely replace your agents — but it can save them from dealing with hang ups, dropped calls, unreturned voicemails, and other issues that stop deals in their tracks.

Benefit #4: Streamlined sales cycles for better results

One of the biggest benefits of outbound sales automation is that it can help to increase sales and overall revenue. This is not only achieved by streamlining the lead generation process, but also by making it easier for reps to follow up with customers, schedule appointments, submit orders, and create new offers based on sales history.

In addition, these solutions allow outbound call center agents to spend more time selling to qualified prospects, earning your company additional revenue in the long run. A recent McKinsey’s survey offers further proof of this: 44% of executives surveyed said adopting AI has reduced operational costs, and a majority of companies have reported increased revenue as a result of using these tools.

The 21st century has brought many great innovations to the call center industry — and outbound sales automation is just one. With the potential to boost agent productivity, improve customer experience, and ultimately drive sales, this technology is poised to completely change how contact centers operate in the future. Are you ready?

Learn more about how ReadyMode’s all-in-one predictive dialer solution and auto dialer software can improve your outbound sales or contact our team to schedule a demo.

Photo: LStockStudio/Shutterstock Inc.