How Much to Make My Own Dialer?

[djs]

If you only need 3 agents dialing on 3 lines each, it doesn't take much to get this done.

If you need more, or unique things, then it gets pricey quick, but then so does leasing a seat (multiples of), so its a wash in some ways.

Josh's math is a bit off. Running a server for multiple agents needs to be compared to leasing multiple seats. If you figure $100 per seat x 3 seats, you are paying $300 a month.

Compare that to $35 a month for a hosted system at lylix.net or virtualhost.com. Now, you have some costs on top of this, such as the per minute costs of the calls, but it still doesn't come up to the $300.

Leasing seats are more cost effective if you use them 12+ hours a day. It's amazing what you can rack up in telephony charges as a small user. Nobody allows this type of use on a flat rate either.

Without a bit of technical know how though, getting a dialer running reliably can be a bit overwhelming. Downtime isn't productive time. Time spent playing with a dialer and not dialing is unproductive time. You add this in, leasing seats is not a bad way to go at all.

Dan

 

[Josh]

Josh's math is a bit off. Running a server for multiple agents needs to be compared to leasing multiple seats. If you figure $100 per seat x 3 seats, you are paying $300 a month.

Compare that to $35 a month for a hosted system at lylix.net or virtualhost.com. Now, you have some costs on top of this, such as the per minute costs of the calls, but it still doesn't come up to the $300.

My math isn't off, I just wasn't comparing it to a hosted solution. Empty was talking about building a dialer, not using a hosted solution.

 

[Cory]

Just curious...are you trying to play a pre-recorded message as kind of a hybrid "robo" call to work around the new laws. For example: 1) dialer calls 2) they pick up 3) live person asks if they will listen to pre-recorded msg 4) dialer plays pre-recorded msg.

Or are you just trying to do a voicemail broadcast or traditional press 1 campaign? That's an entirely different thread with compliance although I've seen people try it.

Or are you trying to design your own dialer for your personal business not for resale (wouldn't recommend for reasons stated above) for the feature that you want? Unfortunately it's unlikely any dialer will have every feature that you want, but you just hope to get most everything. However, some dialers can add your feature to their dialer for you if they own and control their own dialer software.

 

[digfesales105]

All this is good stuff. I have been slowing getting closer to building our own server and running our own dialer compared to what we are using now. But I have been hesitant to get started because what I've seen and read, it would seem it would get expensive and complicated fast. What we are using now is super cheap to the point where I'd rather have someone else deal with the tech issues that come with it.

Technology frustrates me easily. I'd rather have someone else get it fixed than me.

 

[Josh]

All this is good stuff. I have been slowing getting closer to building our own server and running our own dialer compared to what we are using now. But I have been hesitant to get started because what I've seen and read, it would seem it would get expensive and complicated fast. What we are using now is super cheap to the point where I'd rather have someone else deal with the tech issues that come with it.

Technology frustrates me easily. I'd rather have someone else get it fixed than me.

You should talk to me sometime about my system. I have a call center right now that's been working with me for about a year and a month ago made the decision to switch their agents to me for all their campaigns.

 

[Cory]

All this is good stuff. I have been slowing getting closer to building our own server and running our own dialer compared to what we are using now. But I have been hesitant to get started because what I've seen and read, it would seem it would get expensive and complicated fast. What we are using now is super cheap to the point where I'd rather have someone else deal with the tech issues that come with it.

Technology frustrates me easily. I'd rather have someone else get it fixed than me.

You make some valid points. Technology can be frustrating as you just don't know what goes on inside that little computer. I have to reboot my Outlook several times a day and they're a billion dollar company. Frankly, every dialer is going to have problems at one time or another...too many moving parts.

Building you're own dialer can be frustrating and expensive because then you are responsible for supporting it on the tech side...this is why so many people actually white label and resell another dialer as their own. Which is fine but typically they can't react as fast to your support needs or implement new feature ideas you may have. It's a double-edged sword, but I'm sure you will figure things out.

Frankly, you're not going to find every feature you want in a dialer and if what you're using works for you now. You know the old saying... it it's not broke don't fix it. Good luck and hope you have a good day!

 

[digfesales105]

You make some valid points. Technology can be frustrating as you just don't know what goes on inside that little computer. I have to reboot my Outlook several times a day and they're a billion dollar company. Frankly, every dialer is going to have problems at one time or another...too many moving parts.

Building you're own dialer can be frustrating and expensive because then you are responsible for supporting it on the tech side...this is why so many people actually white label and resell another dialer as their own. Which is fine but typically they can't react as fast to your support needs or implement new feature ideas you may have. It's a double-edged sword, but I'm sure you will figure things out.

Frankly, you're not going to find every feature you want in a dialer and if what you're using works for you now. You know the old saying... it it's not broke don't fix it. Good luck and hope you have a good day!

Yeah, after talking with Josh a bit, I'll probably stay put for a while longer. I kind of figured my price is a pretty sweet deal and the tech support is quick. I have the cell of my go to guy and he gets tech support on my issues right away.

 

[JRoot]

I recommend Brook. He set me up with my 10 seat in house dialer through vicidial. I host from my office (your upload/download time must be pretty high to do it this way) and the savings are ridiculous. The question becomes, is it worth your time to learn a new dialing platform?

There's a bit of a learning curve on the hosting side, but in a week or 2 it becomes stupid easy.

He also integrated with a couple life insurance call center's CRMs and has some crazy logic built in. Web Development | SEO | Tennessee Web Design

 

[todd02]

Josh,

How does your dialer system compare to MOJO ? mojosells.com. I use them and also pay $150 a month plus an extra $25 to use their dial out system for unlimited long distance.

I currently use a hard line phone, have 2 telemarketers and they dial off my hard lines. I'm wanting to switch to a VOIP provider but I'm nervous about call drops. I need 5 phone lines. Any advice on a great VOIP that works with a dialer system and the above question about how you compare to MOJO?

Todd

 

[Josh]

Josh,

How does your dialer system compare to MOJO ? mojosells.com. I use them and also pay $150 a month plus an extra $25 to use their dial out system for unlimited long distance.

I currently use a hard line phone, have 2 telemarketers and they dial off my hard lines. I'm wanting to switch to a VOIP provider but I'm nervous about call drops. I need 5 phone lines. Any advice on a great VOIP that works with a dialer system and the above question about how you compare to MOJO?

Todd

I frequently get asked to compare my products to other companies. With the list side of things it's much easier because it's a simpler product. Add into the mix that each company such as mojo, callfire, or salesdialers can change their products as time goes on, and it's not really fair for me to say anything about any of them without the disclaimer that I'm only going off of what I've read on their websites and what I've heard from folks that have used their system. The best way to get information about their products is from them. That all being said, I'll try to answer your question.

First, what Mojo offers and what I offer to some degree do the same job, but my product is geared much more towards folks managing a telemarketer and it particularly excels in managing more than one telemarketer. The way you can build and manage campaigns as well as the ability for telemarketers to work on the same campaign is a big deal. You also have many reporting options that make a big difference when you're looking at trying to coach your telemarketers and/or get a feel for the way your campaign(s) are going.

As far as some very simple things go, my platform is compatible with windows, mac, and linux. It also has the ability to dial up to 8 outbound lines at a time (which is usually brutally excessive, rarely will you need to go above 3 or 4).

As far as VOIP goes, the technology has come a long way. Most of the quality issues folks have with VOIP these days directly relate to their local internet connection such as a router issue as opposed to the service itself. I call folks on VOIP all day with zero issues.

If you don't mind my asking, why would you have a telemarketer use a hard line? Using a dialer is so much more productive I can't see the incentive to going that route because by the time they've dialed for more than about 10 hours in a month, you've already broken even on the cost of a dialer and after that it's like getting your telemarketer to work for half the wage.

Again, I put the disclaimer at the top but I'll add it here again, I don't work for mojo and I have no first hand knowledge of how their system works, so the best answers your goign to get will be from them directly.

As always, feel free to call or email ([email protected]) if you have more questions (or we can discuss here).