Glossary
Power dialer (progressive dialer)
A power dialer, also called a progressive dialer, is an auto dialer mode that dials the next number on the list as soon as an agent finishes the previous call. Agents don't dial by hand, and a customer who picks up hears an agent right away. There are almost no abandoned calls, so this mode suits small teams and campaigns where every conversation counts.
Why it mattersAgents don't waste time dialing by hand, and customers don't hear dead air after they answer.
Also called: Progressive dialing, Power dialer, Progressive dialer
How it works
How it works
Once an agent finishes a call and updates the customer record, the system immediately dials the next number. While the agent is busy, no new call is placed – that's the main difference from a predictive dialer. If nobody answers or the line is busy, the system moves on to the next number and schedules a retry for the missed one.
- One number per available agent – whoever answers is guaranteed to reach an agent
- Retries for unanswered and busy numbers after a set interval
- Answering machine detection – agents don't waste time on voicemail and robocalls
- Some systems dial 2-3 numbers per agent at once – which brings back abandoned calls, as in predictive mode
Example
Example
An agent calls a list where a person answers 30% of numbers. On average, one conversation takes 100 ÷ 30 ≈ 3.3 dial attempts. If an unsuccessful attempt rings for 30 seconds, each conversation comes with 2.3 × 30 ≈ 70 seconds of waiting. The agent doesn't spend that time dialing – only waiting for an answer.
Why not dial 3 numbers at once? At least one person would answer 1 − 0.7³ ≈ 66% of the time. But in 22% of cases, two or three people answer, and there's only one agent – the others hear silence, and the call is abandoned. That's why classic progressive mode dials one number at a time.
Use cases
When to choose progressive mode
- A small team is working the campaign
- You're calling existing customers: renewals, confirmations, payment reminders
- Every contact matters, such as qualifying high-value leads
- Agents need a few seconds to review the customer record
- You're moving off manual dialing for the first time
In CONTACT.WORK
How it works in CONTACT.WORK
Besides progressive mode, the CONTACT.WORK auto dialer supports preview mode (the agent reviews the customer record and starts the call) and predictive mode. Each campaign can use its own mode. You set the number of attempts and retry intervals in the campaign rules, and answering machines are filtered out before reaching an agent. Numbers on your Do Not Call list are skipped automatically. Call lists come from your CRM through the API, and call results are written back.
In the US, auto-dialed outbound calls fall under the TCPA: call with consent, honor Do Not Call lists, and stay within 8:00 AM-9:00 PM in the recipient's time zone. This is general information, not legal advice.
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