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Power Dialer vs. Progressive Dialer: Key Differences and How to Know What's Best For You

Sales dialers are a critical tool for any high performing outbound sales team. They automate the process of making calls, so that reps can focus on selling, rather than on administrative tasks.

There are a number of various types of sales dialers, however in this article we’ll be focusing on two popular choices: power dialers and progressive dialers. Both have their own strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to understand the key differences before deciding which type of dialer is best for your team.

Curious about other types of sales dialers? Head over to our [dialer comparison guide] (/sales-blog/sales-dialer-comparison-guide-power-dialer-vs-auto-dialer-vs-predictive-dialer/) to get the details on power dialers, auto dialers, and predictive dialers.

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What Is a Power Dialer?

A power dialer is a type of sales dialer that allows agents to make more calls per hour by automating the process of dialing phone numbers. Power dialers work by automatically calling a list of numbers that have been pre-loaded into the system. When a person answers the phone, the power dialer will automatically connect the agent to that person. This eliminates the need for agents to manually dial each number, which can save them a lot of time and energy.

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  • Pros: Power dialers are very fast and efficient. They can make a large number of calls in a short period of time, which is ideal for teams that need to make a high volume of calls. They often also come with built-in features like call recording, call forwarding, ring groups, call queues, and more.
  • Cons: Power dialers dial straight down a list of contacts, one by one. If you’re looking for a sales dialer that can call multiple lines at once to maximize your connection rate, a power dialer would not be the best choice.

What Is a Progressive Dialer?

A progressive dialer is a type of outbound sales dialer that connects agents with potential customers using existing call data. This means that the speed at which a new lead is dialed depends on factors including agent availability, call abandonment rates, and call connection rates. With a progressive dialer, it is more likely that a rep will be connected with a real, live person, not an answering machine, Google Voice response, busy tone, or a disconnected number.

  • Pros: The biggest advantage of a progressive dialer is that it increases the chances that an agent will be connected with a potential customer. This is because the speed of the dialing process depends on factors such as how many agents are available, how often customers hang up or are unavailable, and how often calls are answered. This means that fewer potential customers are wasted on answering machines or disconnected numbers.
  • Cons: However, there are some disadvantages to using a progressive dialer. First, the speed of the dialing process can be unpredictable, so it can be difficult to plan out calling campaigns in advance. Second, it can be more expensive to use a progressive dialer since you need more agents to achieve the same results as you would with a power dialer.

What’s the Difference Between a Power Dialer and a Progressive Dialer?

Both power dialers and progressive dialers are outbound sales dialers that automate the process of making calls. The main difference is that power dialers make calls one at a time, while progressive dialers can call multiple lines simultaneously, based on agent availability, likelihood of a pickup, and other factors.

Power dialers are ideal for teams that need to make a high volume of calls quickly and efficiently. Progressive dialers are best for teams that want to increase their chances of speaking with a live person. For example, a healthcare company that wants to get in touch with its members to get sign-ups for a new program may prefer a progressive dialer, as it’s more important to actually get in contact with a member than increase the overall number of calls.

An Alternative Dialer: Multi-Line Auto Dialer

If you’re looking for a sales dialer that can make multiple calls (up to 10 lines) at once without sacrificing connection rates, a multi-line auto dialer may be a better alternative. Multi-line auto dialers work by calling multiple phone numbers simultaneously and connecting the first person who picks up to the agent that is dialing. This type of outbound dialing is ideal for teams that do large cold calling campaigns, as it is focused on getting a live connection as quickly as possible.

Try Kixie’s multi-line auto dialer completely free for a week, no credit card required._

Multi-line auto dialers come with all of the features you need to manage a large call campaign, including call recording, call monitoring, real-time reporting, and more. And since auto dialers are cloud-based, they are easy to set up and use, so you can get started with your calling campaign right away. Plus, these sales dialers can sync with your existing customer relationship management database to automate the process of noting call outcomes, leaving voicemails, and scheduling follow-up calls or texts.

Try a Sales Dialer Today, Completely Free

Kixie offers both a power dialer and a multi-line auto dialer, depending on your business’ needs. Plus, Kixie comes with a suite of sales engagement tools right out of the box, to add to your team’s productivity. Features like voicemail drop, automatic TCPA-compliant call recordings, live call coaching and whispering, and SMS templates are perfect for high output sales teams that go above and beyond quota!

You can try Kixie’s power dialer and multi-line auto dialer completely free for 7 days, no credit card required to get started. All of the features mentioned above and many more are at your fingertips to play with in just a couple of minutes.

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