autodialer

An autodialer is a control system that automatically dials a list of telephone numbers and, when a connection is established, proceeds with a defined action such as routing to an agent or delivering a prerecorded message. Autodialers can be standalone hardware units or software applications integrated into contact center platforms. They are used to enable outbound calling at scale and can support various industries including customer service, collections, and emergency notification.

Operation: The system manages dialing lists, schedules calls, and uses different dialing modes. Preview dialing presents numbers to agents before dialing; progressive dialing places calls directly to agents as soon as the next call is answered; predictive dialing uses algorithms to estimate agent availability and maximize talk time. Most autodialers include call progress analysis to detect busy signals, answering machine detection, and may route answered calls to human agents, or play messages via an IVR. They often integrate with customer relationship management systems and can support automation, recording, and compliance features such as opt-out handling and consent capture.

Uses and regulation: Legitimate uses include appointment reminders, order confirmations, and critical alerts. Improper use, such as unsolicited telemarketing without consent, can be illegal in many jurisdictions and is subject to penalties under laws such as the TCPA in the United States and equivalent regulations elsewhere. Regulations typically govern consent, call timing, opt-out provisions, and caller identification. Compliance features in modern systems help organizations maintain records and respect do-not-call lists.

See also: Robocall; telecommunication regulations; contact center software.